FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Matt
Schiffman
(312-729-3672)
VICKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE MISSISSIPPI BOYS
TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (June 20, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with
USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Terrell Smith of Vicksburg High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade
Mississippi Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Smith is the first Gatorade Mississippi Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from
Vicksburg 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 Mississippi’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 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.), Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.) and
Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt HS, Ia.).
The 6-foot, 175-pound senior won three individual Class 5A state championships this spring and led the Gators to a second -
place finish as a team. Smith took gold in the 100 meter dash in 10.71 seconds and the 200 meter dash in a meet record 21.03, also capturing the long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 8 inches. Named Mississippi’s Mr. Track by the Clarion - Ledger, he also won the 200 at this month’s Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico. Smith has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics and as part of an elementary school literacy-outreach initiative.
“Terrell was really the motor that made our machine go,” said Vicksburg head coach Shaun Archer. “He was a
guaranteed 30 points at every meet. He’s still raw and hasn’t met his full potential yet. This was nothing compared to
what he’s going to do in the future.” Smith has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track
and field on scholarship at Kansas State 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 the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with
USA TODAY High School Sports, 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. Smithjoins recent Gatorade
Mississippi Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Evan Osborne (2012-13, Pearl High School), Justin Fondren
(2011-12, Oxford High School), Sam Kendricks (2010–11, Oxford High School), Marcus Jackson (2009-10, J.Z. George),
Willie Calvin (2008–09, Greenville-Weston), Morris Kersh (2007-08, Pearl), and Martin Lee (2006-2007,
Greenville-Weston) among the state’s list of former award winners.
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 an
nouncement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit
www.gatorade.com/poy
.