Jayden Bailey
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 16, 2026) — Jayden Bailey, a basketball player from Lebanon (Tennessee) High School, who sadly passed away in February after a four-year battle with cancer, has been selected as the 2026 national recipient of the “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
The “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” was created by the NFHS to recognize individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.
Bailey was a promising basketball player in middle school in 2022 when he was initially diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his shoulder – a bone cancer that originates in the cells and represents about three percent of all childhood cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. After 39 weeks of chemotherapy treatment cost Bailey his entire eighth-grade basketball season, he was determined to return to the hardwood and the game he loved.
As he began his freshman year at Lebanon, Bailey and his family were optimistic about his prognosis. He made the school’s basketball team and was a valuable player on the varsity squad by his sophomore year.
However, in December 2024, during a game early in his sophomore season, Bailey lost feeling in his left arm and was unable to lift it. He managed the pain and continued to play basketball, learning to shoot with just his right arm.
Doctors told Bailey the cancer had returned to his arm and was growing fast. They weren’t sure how long Bailey had to live and recommended hospice care. He had other plans. Amazingly, Bailey was able to return to school and the basketball court to finish his sophomore season.
His junior year began with more uncertainty. With his left arm still causing a significant amount of pain, the decision was made to amputate it. And, despite the pain relief, the cancer continued to spread – this time to Bailey’s stomach. And unfortunately, because of the location, there wasn't anything doctors could do.
Nonetheless, Bailey kept playing basketball. Even with one arm, he made the varsity team and started each morning at 6:45 a.m. in the gym with his coach, Jim McDowell, doing shooting drills to hone his shot. He continued to do what he loves and provide inspiration even given just weeks to live.
“It’s hard to have bad days with him around,” McDowell said prior to Bailey’s death. “His personality and mindset are contagious.”
Bailey continued to suit up for Lebanon through December. Nearly four years after his initial diagnosis, Bailey passed away February 17.
About the Award
In addition to the selection of Jayden Bailey as the national award recipient, the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee chose seven other individuals for section awards. Following are the 2026 National High School Spirit of Sport section winners:
Section 1 – Cameron Soucy, student-athlete, Tolland (Connecticut) High School
Diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer at age 4, Soucy was given little chance to survive. After treatment and a bone marrow transplant, he has flourished to lead Tolland’s boys soccer team to back-to-back state championships as team captain.
Section 2 – Steven Vipperman, student-athlete, Belfry (Kentucky) High School
Vipperman survived a major car accident last May which left him without use of his right hand, severe knee and elbow lacerations and a head injury. After multiple surgeries to repair his hand and hours of painful physical therapy, Vipperman was able to rejoin the Belfry football team this fall.
Section 3 – Jayden Bailey, student-athlete, Lebanon (Tennessee) High School
Section 4 – Boys basketball team, Abundant Life Christian School, Madison, Wisconsin
A mass shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in December 2024 took three lives and shook the community. While difficult, the return of sports at the school helped heal and inspire. It included the boys basketball team, which rode a magical and emotional run to the state tournament semifinals
Section 5 – Braxton Wohlferd, student-athlete, St. Charles (Minnesota) High School
In 2024, Wohlferd, a wrestler at St. Charles High school, contracted a virus to which his body had a rare reaction, causing cardiac arrest and eventually a heart transplant. However, one year and a day after the transplant, Wohlferd was back on the wrestling mat to a standing ovation.
Section 6 – Tony Robinson, girls basketball coach, Durant (Oklahoma) High School
Robinson already had more than 300 career victories as a basketball coach when he decided to join his son, Will’s coaching staff at Durant as an assistant coach in 2022. Robinson helped turn the program around before tragedy struck in December 2024. Will and his 8-year-old daughter died after their car was swept away in a flash flood. Will died after saving his wife, two sons and another daughter. Robinson then took over head coaching duties for his son’s team leading the girls basketball team to the state tournament.
Section 7 – Ramiro Mendoza, student-athlete, Gunnison Valley (Utah) High School
Mendoza is a four-year letter winner for the Gunnison Valley football and wrestling programs, but a freak injury during a football game this year sent the linebacker via helicopter to the hospital for surgery to save his life. Mendoza had a kidney removed and has endured a slow and painful recovery. However, his upbeat attitude and encouragement of his teammates have served as an inspiration to all.
Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee. The national winner and section recipients will be recognized June 26 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The National High School Spirit of Sport Award was started in 2008. The previous national award recipients follow:
2008 – Tammy Dufford, cheerleading coach, Evergreen (Colorado) High School, and Megan Bomgaars, cheerleader, Evergreen (Colorado) High School
2009 – Dakota Dana, student-athlete, Afton (Wyoming) Star Valley High School
2010 – Tori Clark, student-athlete, Roselle (Illinois) Lake Park High School
2011 – New Kensington (Pennsylvania) Valley High School Softball Team and Umpire Bill Dithrich
2012 – Jacob Goldberg, student-athlete, Fort Lauderdale (Florida) Pine Crest High School
2013 – Magoffin County High School, Salyersville, Kentucky, and Logan County High School, Russellville, Kentucky
2014 – Zach Pickett, student-athlete, Shingle Springs (California) Ponderosa High School
2015 – Grace Cummings, student-athlete, Madison (Connecticut) High School
2016 – Ashley Carson, student-athlete, Ord (Nebraska) High School
2017 – Danny Lilya, student-athlete, Moose Lake (Minnesota) High School
2018 – Marissa Walker, student-athlete, Waterford (Connecticut) High School
2019 – Amanda Merrell, student-athlete, Huntingtown (Maryland) High School
2020 – Noah Lambrecht, student-athlete, McCool-Junction (Nebraska) High School
2021 – Hayden Holton, student-athlete, Elmore County (Alabama) High School
2022 – The Wyatt Family, Medina (Tennessee) South Gibson High School
2023 – Gabe Marsh, student-athlete, Guntersville (Alabama) High School
2024 – Merik Dismang, student-athlete, Olathe (Kansas) East High School
2025 – Jack Punswick, student-athlete, Overland Park (Kansas) Blue Valley West High School
###
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 18 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,800 high schools and 12 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 8.2 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
bhoward@nfhs.org
Chris Boone, 317-972-6900
Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
cboone@nfhs.org
Jordan Morey, 317-972-6900
Manager of Communications and Media Relations
National Federation of State High School Association
jmorey@nfhs.org
