Eleven Honored for Top Athletic Achievements at 3rd Annual Atlanta Sports Award
Atlanta’s Favorite Celebrities And Sports Figures On Hand To Recognize Winner
ATLANTA (Feb. 11, 2008) – An all-star lineup of athletes, celebrities, coaches and media members honored and recognized the outstanding achievements of 11 winners earlier this evening during the 2008 Atlanta Sports Awards presented by Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar. The 3rd annual black-tie event, held at the Historic Fox Theatre’s Egyptian Ballroom, was created by the Atlanta Sports Council to honor the most accomplished athletes and teams at all levels throughout the metro Atlanta community.
Aside from the winners, a number of celebrity sports figures were in attendance, including Atlanta Falcons placekicker Morten Andersen, Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, Atlanta Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk, former Georgia football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley and Georgia Tech head football coach Paul Johnson.
“It’s just astounding to see the quality of superior athletes, both past and present, in the room tonight and they all deserve to be congratulated for their athletic achievements,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Sports Council president. “Events like this continue to underscore Atlanta as a true sports town and we look forward to honoring the accomplishments of local elite athletes for many more years.”
“The city of Atlanta, the birthplace of Applebee’s, should feel quite proud to honor all of these tremendous sports figures,” said Gary Cockerill, Applebee’s Director of Marketing. “It’s a tremendous platform for us extend our brand.”
The 2008 Atlanta Sports Awards winners are:
- Amateur Athlete of the Year – Philippa Raschker, Women’s Track
- Coach of the Year Presented by Delta Air Lines – Manuel Diaz, University of Georgia Men’s Tennis
- Collegiate Athlete of the Year Presented by Alfa Insurance – Kara Lynn Joyce, University of Georgia (Women’s Swimming)
- Furman Bisher Award for Sports Media Excellence Presented by the Atlanta Sports Council – Larry Munson
- High School Athlete of the Year Presented by CSS – Maya Moore, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee, GA, (Girl’s Basketball)
- High School Scholar Athletes of the Year Presented by Georgia Power – Ryan Smith, Parkview High School and Kelsey Spinks, Eagle’s Landing High School
- Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Coca-Cola – Billy Payne
- Professional Athlete of the Year Presented by SunTrust – Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers (Hockey)
- Sports Person of the Year Presented By Georgia-Pacific – John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves (Baseball)
- Team of the Year Presented by The Home Depot – University of Georgia Women’s Gymnastics
ABOUT THE ATLANTA SPORTS AWARDS
The Atlanta Sports Awards honors 11 award recipients who distinguish themselves from the five million people living in the 29 metro Atlanta counties and surrounding areas. That includes all six Atlanta professional sports teams, 14 universities, 12 junior colleges and more than 250 public and private high schools. For information please contact the Atlanta Sports Council at 404-586-8510 or visit http://www.atlantasportsawards.com/.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL
The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development with the goal of building Atlanta’s reputation as the sports capital of the world. Visit http://www.atlantasportscouncil.com/ for more information.