University of Minnesota Athletics
Poole Earns National State Games AOTY Award
11/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota freshman Hailey Poole has been honored as the 2017 Youth Female Athlete of the Year by the National Congress of State Games (NCSG). Poole, a native of Worden, Mont., was recognized for her success in track & field, volleyball, and swimming at the Big Sky State Games.
"It was a pretty big deal for me because I participated in Big Sky State Games in Montana since I was little. To find out that I was being nationally recognized because of that was pretty amazing," Poole said. "I got a call about it a month ago, and I was really surprised. No one really represents you when they go down to vote; they just hear names and stories and then they choose who gets the awards."
Poole attended the NCSG Annual Symposium and TEAMS Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla., last week to accept the award.
"The event was huge -- it was bigger than I thought it would be, and it was such a rush," Poole said of attending the symposium to accept her award.
The Worden, Mont., native is in her first semester at the University of Minnesota training with the Gophers track & field team.
"It's awesome here. I love it," Poole said of adjusting to life at the U. "It was a little bit of an adjustment because I'm from a smaller town, but it's great. I love being challenged."
About the NCSG Athlete of the Year Awards
The National Congress of State Games (NCSG) annually awards Athlete of the Year honors to a youth female, youth male, adult female and adult male athlete. Athletes are nominated after winning Athlete of the Year at their local State Games. Thirty-One State Games organizations awarded Athletes of the Year in 2017 and submitted their nominations for the national award.
From the National Congress of State Games:
Hailey Poole (Youth Female AOY), 18, won the Big Sky State Games Female Youth Athlete of the Year. She has competed in track & field, volleyball, and swimming with her dominate sport being track & field. In 2017, she earned 11 gold, eight silver, and two bronze medals in track & field. Poole broke her own Big Sky State Games javelin record in 2017 with a throw of 147-00. Poole ranked No. 2 in the nation for high school girls javelin last spring, having thrown 158-09. Javelin is in her genes as her father and grandfather were both successful javelin throwers; her father was a three-time All American for the University of Texas. Poole was the state javelin champion three times in Class B and threw for Colstrip High School for three years before moving to Huntley Project High School. She currently holds the Montana High School Association All-Class girls' javelin record. Poole signed on to throw the javelin for the University of Minnesota, sending the four-time Class B state javelin champion to Minneapolis to compete at the college level. She also was a recipient of the 2016 Big Sky State Games Character Counts Scholarship. Many of her family members both compete and volunteer in the Big Sky State Games.
"I have a burning desire to be great. And that can be bad or good, depending on the situation," Poole said, continuing with another laugh. "The pressure has helped me push myself. Not only in the off season working out, but I want to be good at things in life."
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Players Mentioned
