NORTH CONWAY (October 1, 2023) — Jackson native and Gatorade NH Track & Field Player of the Year, Aida Wheat,, awarded Mt Washington Valley Soccer Club (MWVSC) with a $1,000 grant to help accomplish its mission of supporting young athletes through providing positive, challenging soccer experiences;
Sports have seen a double-digit decline over the past decade, largely due to tighter budgets in communities, but young people that participate in sports are found to be happier, healthier and better students. Gatorade Play It Forward empowers Gatorade Player of the Year recipients across the country to award local or national sports organizations with grants, so they can further Gatorade’s mission to fuel the future of sport for all athletes.
“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Kara Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like MWVSC that positively impacts the youth in their own communities.”
“MWVSC is proud of Aida’s incredible athletic accomplishments and honored that she chose our club to receive a $1,000 grant from Gatorade on her behalf,” said MWVSC Executive Director Scott Laine. “This money will be used to help other young athletes follow in her footsteps by discovering a love for sport and developing their talents.”
Aida, currently a senior at Kennett High School, has fond memories of her early days with MWVSC.
“I made so many friends and learned so much from my coaches and teammates at MWV”, said Aida. “I figured it would be perfect to give back to the club that really started it all for me. Soccer was my first love!”
Aida Wheat playing for MWVSC (courtesy photos)
All 608 Gatorade State Player of the Year recipients are awarded a grant to donate to the organization of their choosing. 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. To date, Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $4.2 million across more than 1,600 organizations.
Gatorade has a longstanding history of serving athlete communities and is to continue doing more to create positive change. Most recently, Gatorade announced Fuel Tomorrow, a new multi-year initiative to help everyone have equal opportunities to play sports and realize their potential.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter #GatoradePOY. For more on Gatorade Play It Forward, the Gatorade Player of the Year, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit PlayerOfTheYear.Gatorade.com