The Athlete of the Year Award involves over 38 states games programs across the country which represents over 400,000 nationwide participants annually. The program was developed to recognize outstanding state games participants from all member states. Each state games selects their representative who is then forwarded for consideration for recognition as the National Athlete of the Year.

The National Congress of State Games and each member state select their Athlete of the Year representatives based on a series of criteria which include length of participation in state games, number of medals won, sportsmanship, attitude and effort, overall athletic participation and achievement, the positive manner in which the athlete represents the spirit of amateur athletics and the state games movement, as well as other factors.

2009 BAY STATE GAMES ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Amy Hicks - Synchronized Swimming and Track & Field

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2008 BAY STATE GAMES ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Shaquana McDonough - Soccer and Basketball
& Kyle Larrow - Baseball

McDonough, of Pembroke, MA, and Larrow, of Carver, MA, each participated in the 2008 Summer Games this past July in Boston. McDonough competed in both basketball and soccer for the Coastal region, while Larrow was a member of the Coastal baseball squad.

McDonough attends The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham. She has just 30 percent hearing with the aid of bilateral hearing aids. She can read lips and uses American Sign Langue as her primary means of communication.

During the 2008 Summer Games, she led the Coastal region soccer team with two goals and an assist on the way to a berth in the bronze medal game, while, at the same time, competing in basketball as one of her team’s top scorers. This year, Shaquana was selected at the Deaf Athlete of the Year among all Massachusetts high school students. She was also selected to attend the University of Rhode Island’s International Scholar Athlete Games. In addition, Shaquana has earned numerous awards in high school athletics including several league all-star nominations.

When she’s not taking playing sports, Shaquana loves dancing, acting, photography and community service. She is also an honor student. Shaquana is a terrific role model, and puts that talent to work as she loves to help and teach children.

Larrow enters his senior year at Boston College High School where he is a member of the soccer and baseball teams. Off the field, Larrow, a straight-A student, is president of the Student Council and a member of the National Honor Society. He also spends much of his free time volunteering.

In June, Larrow was selected as a winner of the Verizon Future Leaders Scholarship which is awarded to six Massachusetts high school juniors who participated in the Bay State Games.