The battle for a court nomination is a tough competition, and success is hardly guaranteed. So, when Jack Dickey was unexpectedly called to a meeting with Principal Andy Beaton one Friday morning, Sweethearts Court wasn’t the first thing that popped into his head. “I was really nervous, and then I ended up being surprised, but it was super cool,” Dickey said. The so-called meeting turned out to be better than what he initially precepted; he’d been nominated for Sweethearts Court. A week later, he was crowned the 2022 king. 

The final reveal for the crown itself was intense. When the red rose in Dickey’s hands was presented, the crowd immediately surrounded him in excitement. “I was shocked: I thought everyone got the red rose, and if you got the white rose you were [Sweethearts king]. So I thought the person next [to] me, Elsie, got it, but I was happy and really excited,” Dickey said. 

Though ecstatic himself, his reaction was small-scale compared to his friends’ excitement. “I was so hyped to see Jack on court. Seeing him hit the griddy [during his dance] and then winning is definitely the greatest thing to ever happen in the history of mankind. He’s a legend,” Dickey’s close friend senior Oskar Anderson said. 

His easy-going personality has drawn many close friendships, and his connection with people is instantaneous. “To anyone, Jack’s personality is unique and cool. He’s just himself when around everyone,” Dickey’s brother, Josh, said. 

While Dickey makes friendships with ease, he turns to his passion for basketball as a stable shoulder to lean on, when social situations become overwhelming. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was three or two, for as long as I can remember. I really don’t do much other than that, and it gets my mind right. I’ve got a lot of good friends because of it,” he said.

Through a week-long anticipated coronation, Dickey’s steady and open personality formed through his passion for basketball and devotion to his friends brought him the votes to win him the crown, along with an additional highlight to his high school career. His crowning, as he stated, was completely owed to his friends. “I’ve got a really great group; they’re my homies.”