CHICAGO (June 22, 2010) – In its 25th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced David Smith of Lovejoy High School as its 2009-10 Gatorade Georgia Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Smith is the first Gatorade Georgia Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Lovejoy High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track, distinguishes Smith as Georgia’s best high school boys track & field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced in June, Smith joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Meb Keflezighi (1993-94, San Diego HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.) and Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt HS, Ia.).
The 6-foot-3 senior won his third consecutive Class 5A state high jump title with a leap of 6 feet, 10 inches. Smith also recorded a leap of 7 feet, 4 inches this past season, the highest jump in the nation at the time of his selection. Smith won the high jump at the Great Southwest Classic and finished seventh last summer at the World Youth Championships.
Smith has maintained an unweighted 3.35 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a tutor for elementary and middle school students, and on behalf of blood-donation drives and youth track programs.
"There was a lot working against him this year and I’m proud of what he’s accomplished," said Lovejoy Head Coach Nicole Bonner. "His determination, dedication and love for the sport are going to take him a long way."
Smith has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Auburn University this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
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