As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choice. Owensboro High School’s Evan Hampton chose to donate his $1,000 grant to the Owensboro Daviess County Youth Football League, the same league in which he learned to play the game of football.
“ODC means a lot to me,” Hampton said. “I played there and hold a lot of respect for the people who make that wheel spin over there. I wanted to give back because the men and women who coached me there are still men and women I talk to today.”
All 610 Gatorade State Player of the Year recipients are awarded a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choice. Each Player of the Year can also submit a video about why their organization is deserving of one of 12 Spotlight Grants, which awards an additional $10,000 to the organization.
“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Cameron Pettigrew, Associate Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like, ODC Youth Football League, that positively impacts the youth in their own communities.”
To date, Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations. Gatorade has a longstanding history of serving athlete communities, and its ambition is to continue doing more to create positive change. Most recently, Gatorade announced its Fuel Tomorrow commitment, a multi-year initiative to provide opportunities for everyone to play sports and realize their potential.
“We have enjoyed watching Evan play since he was a kid running on our fields,” Sarah Price, an ODC League Official said. “He has grown into a phenomenal player and young man. We are thankful for this grant and the opportunity to use this money to buy equipment and help with player scholarships for the youth in our community. We are excited to continue cheering for Evan as he continues his football career at Vanderbilt.”
