The Gatorade Athlete of the Year Awards celebrate more than athletes

The Gatorade Athlete of the Year Award is more than just an award ceremony, it is a celebration of several well-rounded high school students.

Though the rest of Los Angeles was in the middle of a very hot and humid heatwave, things could not be any cooler at the Gatorade Athlete of the Year Awards, which took place at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey, California.

Several professional athletes and members of the media gathered to honor six female and six male high school athletes that have excelled in more than just their individual sports. It was a splendid affair that brought attention to the hard work these student-athletes have put into their sport as well as in the classroom and their community.

Female Basketball Athlete of the Year Megan Walker, who will be attending UConn next season, gave us her take on the awards. “It’s an amazing feeling,” she said. “It’s a dream come true that this is actually happening right now.”

Male basketball Athlete of the Year Michael Porter, Jr. expanded on that feeling, “I like being here with all the other athletes from different sports. It’s probably my favorite part. As a basketball player you are usually around basketball players. But being around other superstars is really cool.”

Former Kentucky Wildcat and current Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl Anthony-Towns is no stranger to the Gatorade Athlete of the Year Awards as he was the male recipient back in 2014. He offered up some good advice for all the athletes at the event, “Don’t forget, this is a step in the right direction and it is so easy to make a wrong turn. Continue to look straight ahead and continue to stay focused on the path you want to go down.”

Former USWNT soccer legend Abby Wambach stressed the importance of what the event is about on a broader scale:

"I have been here quite a few years, and this is one of my favorite events because Gatorade doesn’t just invest in pro athletes, it invests in the future. And what I mean by that is this Athlete of the Year program, they rely on the these three pillars in choosing these athletes from around the country to represent their sport to vie for this Athlete of the Year Award. It’s not just about stats on the field, you got to be good in your community and in the classroom."

During the ceremony’s introductory video, NFL legend Payton Manning stated that the Gatorade Athlete of the Year Award is equivalent to the Heisman, though considering the talent and number of high school athletes this country houses (8 million, according to the event’s emcee, ESPN’s Sage Steele) it would appear to be much more difficult to win the Gatorade Player of the Year Award than it would the Heisman.

Winning the Gatorade Player of the Year Award is not just about superiority in one’s sport, but also about dominating in the classroom and leading in the community. What this award brings to light is that these are not just great athletes, these are great human beings.

So who were the big winners?

Olympic track and field star and future Kentucky Wildcat Sydney McLaughlin came away as the Female Gatorade Athlete of the Year for second consecutive year, the first time an athlete has accomplished that feat.

The winner of the Male Gatorade Athlete of the Year Award went to the San Diego Padres-bound pitcher Mackenzie Gore. Additionally, both athletes will grace the cover of the next issue of Sports Illustrated.

Truly, it was a fantastic night that focused on the many accomplishments of these well-rounded athletes.