Fathers' Club

Welcome to the Saint Thomas Academy Fathers’ Club Homepage

The mission of the Fathers' Club is to support STA, our sons and to provide them with positive leadership role models. It is also fellowship and fun. The STA Fathers’ Club includes all dads and male guardians of STA Cadets. Here are some highlights of what to expect in 2025-26 (all dates are tenative).

Annual Meeting and Kickoff (Tue Aug 19), a chance to meet fathers and help plan for the upcoming year.

First Friday Mass, every first Friday of the month, 7:15 a.m. in the STA Chapel. Mass followed by coffee, juice, pastries and fellowship.

Aquinas Project, every month. Fathers join sons for an hour of fun, inspiration and value driven time together.

The FC Burger Stand, every Home Football Game. Cook burgers, watch football, meet other dads, help fundraise and have fun. Be on the lookout for a volunteer sign-up list.

Fathers’ Club Spotlight Events, join us celebrating STA teams, clubs, and activities with our signature burger baskets all year long.

Fall (Wed Sep 24) and Winter (Wed Dec 9) Socials, connect with other dads for fun and refreshments and see what the Fathers Club does.

Trivia Night (Sat Feb 7). Gather a team of moms, dads and other adults to play to win or help volunteer at this legendary event. This extravaganza of knowledge and food is a great opportunity to kick the winter blues and enjoy a great night fellowship and competition.

Mother Son Dance (Sat Mar 28). Fathers’ Club proudly hosts this annual spring event for our upper school sons and a most special lady in their life!

Father Son Banquet April or May 2026. All Cadets and their fathers or male guardians are invited to join us for our annual banquet, awards, and inspirational speaker.

Valet Parking at Military Ball (Sat May 16). Join us in providing valet parking for your sons and their dates at the Military Ball, followed by the Fathers’ Club BBQ and Smoker.

Annual STA Car Show, June 2026. Join us as we show off our wheels and engines on a pleasant spring Saturday.

Eagle Projects, to support our Boy Scouts at STA, the Fathers’ Club and Alumni Association provide grants for approved Eagle Scout projects.

Board Meetings, twice a month September - June, Tuesdays 7 a.m. Our Executive Team meets to plan activities, connect with other STA groups and collaborate with school leadership. We also drink coffee. Lots of coffee. If you’re interested in becoming a part of our efforts or just want to stop by to see what we are up to (including a cup of coffee), drop us a note at fathersclub@cadets.com.

We hope you will make the most of your time at STA by engaging in the many activities at the school throughout the year. Reach out to me or to any of the fathers on the team to ask about how you can get involved. We look forward to getting to know you and your family!

Stephen C. Kelly
2025-26 Saint Thomas Academy Fathers' Club President
fathersclub@cadets.com

Calendar

Calendar RSS Feeds

Nov 17 2025

Fathers' Club Aquinas Experience

5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

The Court

Nov 18 2025

Fathers' Club Board Meeting

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Dec 2 2025

Fathers' Club Board Meeting

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Dec 5 2025

Fathers' Club First Friday Mass

7:15 AM - 8:15 AM

Chapel

Dec 9 2025

Fathers' Club Winter Social

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Fathers' Club Newsletters
2025-26

FC Agenda and Meeting Minutes

Apr 8, 2025 Meeting Minutes

Mar 11, 2025 Meeting Agenda

Feb 25, 2025 Meeting Minutes

Feb 11, 2025 Meeting Minutes

Oct 8, 2024 Agenda

Sept 24, 2024 Meeting Minutes

MISSION AND TRADITION:

MISSION AND TRADITION:

The overall mission of the Fathers' Club has always been threefold:

To support the goals and mission of the school;
To support our sons in an effort to enhance their overall experience while at Saint Thomas Academy; and
To provide a positive leadership role model for our sons.

The Fathers' Club continues that mission and the tradition of providing interactive events that enhance the Saint Thomas Academy experience for the fathers and boys of our community, as well as for Saint Thomas Academy families and the greater Saint Thomas Academy community. All Fathers' Club activities are intended to be consistent with and support each of the school's goals and to provide positive role modeling as we develop our sons to be young men of dignity, integrity and respect.

Events are usually dads-only or joint events with the Saint Thomas Academy Mothers' Club, providing an opportunity to get to know each other and to better understand and appreciate the greater Saint Thomas Academy community. Our membership meetings throughout the school year provide an opportunity to hear about Saint Thomas Academy policy, programming, and academics from the administration and academic staff, as well as a chance to discuss issues of concern to help direct Fathers' Club initiatives and activities.

The Shield - Symbolizes our duty to protect and keep our kids free from harm.

The Square - We must take an active, measured, and deliberate role in building our sons into fine young men. We recognize and call upon St. Joseph the Carpenter as our role model.

The Cannon - A depiction of the Father’s Club mascot, ‘Cadet Thunder’. Built and donated to the STA Ranger Team in 2016 to create excitement, rally enthusiasm, and honor our heritage at STA games and events.

The Two Crosses - Pulled the official Crest to demonstrate our commitment and acknowledge our foundation in the traditions of Saint Thomas Academy.

Mark Your Calendars: The Fathers' Club Big 3 Is Back!

Get ready for three unforgettable nights of connection, laughter, and celebration. Two dates are locked in, and the third is on the horizon:

Trivia Night: February 7: Bring your brainpower and your best team spirit
Mother Son Dance: March 28 at the Omni in Eagan: A night of dancing, memories, and magic
Father Son Banquet – Date TBD (Late April/Early May): Stay tuned for details on this cherished tradition

Events

First Friday Masses and Eucharistic Adoration

Our next Friday Mass is Friday, September 5, 2025.

Mass starts at 715 a.m. in the Chapel at STA.

We'll have coffee and breakfast treats in the cafeteria after Mass.

We encourage Senior Dads to join us as this is the final First Friday mass of your Cadet's high school journey.

Saint Thomas Academy Chapel

A long standing STA Fathers’ Club tradition is the First Friday Mass. This 20-25 minute mass followed by coffee & pastries is a great way to start the day and a great faith example to our sons. Fr. Combs homilies are always thought provoking and memorable. It is an especially great way for dads’ and sons to start their day together at Mass.

Eucharistic Adoration

The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will follow the Father/Son Mass at 8:00 a.m. each month.

Burger Stand - October 31 2025

Calling all Dads!

The Fathers' Club is looking for dads and male guardians to help operate the Burger Stand at Varsity home football games. It's a great way to meet other dads and support our boys. All proceeds from the Burger Stand are used to support events and programs at STA.

Middle School, Freshman and Sophomore dads and male guardians are encouraged to sign up to allow parents of Varsity players to watch their sons play.

Thanks! The Fathers' Club appreciates your help! Go Cadets!

Sign Up and Join Us !

Aquinas Experience - November 17

The Aquinas Experience is a program dedicated to helping fathers and sons discover authentic happiness, by pursuing excellence in their daily lives. Join us for speakers and social events throughout the year.

'Happiness and Science: Serving others through technology'

Dr Brendan Koop '94 received a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, and PhD degrees in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Brendan has worked at Boston Scientific Corporation for 23 years designing medical device systems for treating cardiac arrhythmias, and is currently Corporate Fellow, R&D, in Electrophysiology, leading research into new cardiac ablation therapies.

Complimentary food will be served at 5:30 p.m.

The program starts at 6:00 p.m.

RSVP Here

For information contact:

Stephen at scpkelly@gmail.com / 651 470-9294
Conan at dewitt@gmail.com / 651 728-1158

Military Ball Valet and Smoker

Fathers' Club valet parking is a long-standing tradition and one of our most volunteered-for events each year. Arriving early for camaraderie and some helpful instructions, we then greet the Cadets and their dates at Flynn Hall entrance before parking their cars. Available roles include: Traffic Directors, Valets, Golf Cart Drivers, and Key Masters. Once the cars are parked, the fathers head down to the FC garage for a well-deserved barbeque cooked up by our famed Grill Masters!

Fathers' Club Meeting

The Fathers’ Club meets regularly to plan events throughout the year, to engage with the school and to build community amongst the dads and guardians of Cadets. We hold quarterly General Assembly meetings where we welcome all fathers to attend to get updates about STA and to hear from speakers both inside and outside the Academy halls.

We also hold monthly planning meetings. Whether you want to get more engaged with the Fathers’ Club or just hear about what is being planned for the year, please consider joining us for these meetings and get to know the guys.

Meeting dates will be updated regularly on the calendar on the Fathers’ Club page, and reminders will be sent in the weekly newsletter from the school.

Trivia Night - February 8, 2025

Mother/Son Dance

There are few relationships in young man’s life more sacred than that with his mother. At Saint Thomas Academy, we recognize the importance of this bond, and while we value parental influence year-round, we emphasize and celebrate one night in particular for mom. The Mother Son Dinner Dance is the Father’s Club highlight event of the year, where mothers and sons dress to the 9’s and enjoy an evening of good food, dancing music and most of all, quality time with each other.

Father/Son Banquet

Annual Fathers' Club Awards:

The Archbishop John R. Roach Volunteer Award:

This award was established soon after the passing of the Archbishop in honor of his memory and his many lasting contributions to the school. Archbishop Roach was a professor, dean of students, and founder and headmaster of the Academy in Mendota Heights.

Each year the Fathers’ Club honors an individual volunteer who has demonstrated uncommon leadership and effort in the betterment of the school.

Previous Archbishop John R. Roach Volunteer Award Recipients:

1996 – Bob Lannan
1997 – John O’Keefe
1998 – Pat McCarthy
1999 – Ken Petschel
2000 – Tom Raih
2001 – John Greving
2002 – Jim Mulrooney ’61
2003 – Bill Makens
2004 – Frank Lang and Gene Nelson
2005 – Tim Marrinan ’63
2006 – Rosemary Mossberg
2007 – Suzy Urick
2008 – Joe Jansen '83
2009 – Bill Sullivan '69
2010 – John McDonald, Jr. '73 (posthumously)
2011 – Mary Pat FitzPatrick
2012 – Joe Nuñez '77
2013 – Mike Peterson
2014 – Jim Weichert
2015 – Sharon D'Agostino
2016 – Thor & Paula Raarup
2017 – Monica Strout (posthumously)
2018 – Ken Weisenburger
2019 - Kelly Rowe
2020 - Paul Schmidt
2021 - Scott Applebaum
2022 - Tania & Jack Koegel
2023 - Jill & Peter Treacy
2024 - John Gainor

The Michael Rongitsch Faculty Award:

This award was established after the untimely passing of Mike Rongitsch, beloved STA mathematics teacher and coach, to honor an STA faculty or staff member who best exemplifies the spirit of the Academy and honors the memory of Mike.

Previous Michael Rongitsch Faculty Award Recipients:
2005 – Dave Bassett ’62
2006 – Bill Culbertson
2007 – Dave Ziebarth
2008 – CW4 Paul Preblich
2009 – Caroline Little
2010 – Josh Kaeppe
2011 – Mike Byrne '63
2012 – Wendy Fox
2013 – Julius Tangwe
2014 – LTC Mike DePuglio
2015 – Tom Klein '89
2016 – Tom Weber
2017 – Jean Williams
2018 – Doug Hoverson
2019 - Erick Westerback
2020 - SFC Douglas Hurd
2021 - STA Faculty and Staff
2022 - Father Mark Pavlak
2023 - Luke Marks '11
2024 - Bill McCarthy

The Nicholas Masciopinto '03 Leadership Award:

This award memorializes the life of Nicholas Masciopinto ’03, who taught us how to live, laugh and learn fully, without judgment or prejudice and with hope, faith and perseverance.

This award is given to a junior student, who, through dedicated and disciplined commitment, has exercised his talents to the betterment of the Academy and the community at large.

Previous Nicholas Masciopinto '03 Leadership Award Recipients:
2007 – Matthew Miley ’08
2008 – Ryan Robinson '09
2009 – Conor McFadden '10
2010 – Patrick Griffin '11
2011 – Matthew Goldammer '12
2012 – Nicholas Waldvogel '13
2013 – Brock Carlson '14
2014 – Connor Knapp '15
2015 – Nate Chaffee '16
2016 – Jakob Michel '17
2017 – Cam Cashin '18
2018 - Thomas Thurlow '19
2019 - Nicholas Tucci '20
2020 - Jack Sexton '21
2021 - Robert Cunningham '22
2022 - Emmett Wolf '23
2023 - Patrick Koegel '24
2024 - Leighton Gates '25

Bennett Kotok '23 Legacy Award

This award honors the legacy and impact of Bennett Kotok STA ’23. His near daily contributions resonated deeply within our community causing fellow Cadets to describe him as a beacon of honor, who reflected the foundational pillars and core values of the Academy. He embodied the virtues of character, positivity, and faith, serving as a shining example and role model to other Cadets. He uplifted his peers with a cheerful demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence in many areas including athletics and academics.

2024 - JD Dobis '24

Meet our Advisory Board Members & Class Reps!

We welcome all fathers and male guardians who would like to participate in the Fathers’ Club planning team. We have a number of events that are chaired by dads that could use a co-chair to help out and to learn the role. We also encourage team Captain's Parents and Class Reps to connect with the Fathers' Club any time we have a chance to work together. Think about joining the team!

2025 - 2026 Members:

President – Stephen Kelly
Past President Advisor – Mark Korf
Vice President – Conan DeWitt
Treasurer – Conan DeWitt
Secretary – Adam Bakeman
Communications Chairman – Tom Horton
Advisor - Jack Koegel
Annual STA Car Show - John Gainor
Aquinas Experience Chairman - Conan DeWitt
Burger Stand/Spotlight Chairmen – Mark Fotsch and Grill Master Jason Kelecic
Eagle Projects - OPEN
Father/Son Banquet Chairman – Jeff Wright
First Friday Mass/Hospitality Chair – Peter Nguyen
Mother/Son Dance Chairmen – John Gainor and Adam Bakeman
Trivia Night Chairmen – Mark Korf and Brian Convery

Current Families

Prospective Families

Community