2025 Athletes of the Year
Congratulations to our 2024 Athletes of the Year! Each of these individuals truly represents the spirit of amateur athletics through the Show-Me State Games & Missouri Senior Games! Keep scrolling to read their amazing stories
Jim Barksdale – Male Senior Athlete of the Year
Age is just a number — and Jim Barksdale is living proof! 🎳
Jim and his bowling partner, Gina Green, teamed up for the Mixed Doubles Bowling Tournament, where they aimed to set a new record in the 90-and-over age category. They destroyed the old record from 1999 and bowled 813!
As a longtime participant in the Missouri State Senior Games and National Senior Games, Jim brought years of experience, determination, and sportsmanship to the lanes!
Here’s to lifelong athletes who remind us that it’s never too late to keep chasing goals — and having fun doing it! 🏅
Joyce Spainhower – Female Athlete of the Year
Before sunrise, Joyce Spainhower is already in motion. At 5:30 AM, while most are still asleep, Joyce is in the pool with Team Triumph’s masters swim group—fighting fatigue, defying pain, and swimming with purpose.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Joyce could let the challenges slow her down. Instead, she shows up three mornings a week, her strokes steady, her spirit stronger than ever. Her grit and persistence have helped her stay in the pool and are proven by her not quitting, even when it took her 5 years to relearn how to swim after one of her surgeries.
Her cheerful “Good morning!” helps bring positivity to the pool deck. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned swimmer, Joyce’s swim coach said that she makes you feel like part of the team. And let’s not forget her famous homemade danishes at Team Triumph’s post-swim breakfasts—flaky, warm, and unforgettable, just like her.
Joyce doesn’t just swim through MS—she swims through life with resilience, laughter, and heart. 💙
Steven Moore – Male Athlete of the Year
Steven Moore’s journey is one of extraordinary resilience and determination. In March 2021, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia while expecting his second son, Jude, due that July. After a month of treatment at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, he was released and remained in remission for eight months before relapsing in January 2022.
The second round of treatment was more aggressive, and Steven became critically ill—battling infection, sepsis, and liver complications that left him bedridden for over a month, drifting between the ICU, PICU, and oncology unit.
Despite multiple close calls with death, he was released in May 2022 with no evidence of disease, having lost over 50 pounds and all of his physical strength.
Determined to be present and active for his sons, Ezekiel and Jude, Steven began a long road to recovery, relearning to walk and overcoming a shoulder injury from an early setback. A year later, he had regained most of his strength and mobility, and the neuropathy in his hands and feet had disappeared.
Over the past three years, he has rebuilt his health through consistent training and now competed alongside Ezekiel in track and field at the Show-Me State Games, in addition to competing in powerlifting the weekend after. The two had a great weekend competing and taking home several medals!
Lettie Packard – Female Athlete of the Year
Lettie Packard is a bright, spirited little girl whose love for life—and for gymnastics—is truly contagious. Her journey began in the winter of 2021, when a routine urgent care visit for what was believed to be a UTI revealed something far more serious: a heart murmur.
After six months of monitoring and a referral to cardiology, Lettie was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)—a heart condition where a small valve that should have closed at birth remained open. Miraculously caught before causing long-term damage, she underwent surgery in 2022 to insert a closure device and correct the issue.
In the summer of 2023, Lettie discovered gymnastics through a birthday gift session at JC Gymnastics, and what began as a trial quickly became a passion. With heart complications running in her family—her grandfather needed a heart transplant—staying active is more than just fun; it’s vital. Now, at the 2025 Show-Me State Games, Lettie competed in her very first gymnastics meet, a full-circle moment for a little girl who turned a heart condition into a story of strength, joy, and determination.
Schlacks’ – Family of the Year
The Schlack family’s legacy in the Show-Me State Games is rooted in a deep love for sports and family, with matriarch Peg Schlack leading the way. A lifelong athlete, Peg played many sports growing up, but found her true passion in tennis after marrying her husband—who also shared her love for the game. Over their 50 years of marriage, Peg has passed on her knowledge and enthusiasm for tennis by teaching all of her children and grandchildren. For the past 14 years, the Schlack family has made the Show-Me State Games a tradition, and this year, 10 members proudly participated—continuing a remarkable family legacy of athleticism, connection, and competition.
Nattys and Phaces – Team of the Year
The 18+ baseball tournament at the Show-Me State Games carried special meaning as two longtime teams—the Natty’s and the Phaces—faced off once again. These teams share more than just a competitive spirit; they share a deep bond rooted in the legacy of Donnie Fields, a beloved coach and friend who helped start both teams out of his passion for baseball and his love for bringing people together. Donnie passed away this past fall after bravely battling cancer for several years, never letting it stop him from being part of the moments and people he cherished most. While he was not in Columbia to see the teams reunite on the field, his presence was felt every inning.
Both the Natty’s and the Phaces, who finished first and second in this year’s tournament, continue to thrive—and they’ll always carry Coach Donnie Fields in their hearts.
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