Latest news with #GatoradePlayerOfTheYear
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lisa Leslie surprises Aaliyah Chavez with the Gatorade Player of the Year Award
WNBA legend Lisa Leslie surprised Aaliyah Chavez, a Texas native who will play basketball for the University of Oklahoma, with the Gatorade Player of the Year Award. Lisa Leslie surprises Aaliyah Chavez with the Gatorade Player of the Year Award originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Puka Nacua on new-look Rams receiving room: 'I'm really excited'
Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz spoke with the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver about the team's addition of Davante Adams, what he's learned from Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford and what he's most looking forward to in his third NFL season. Puka joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of Gatorade's National Player of the Year. View more Video Transcript Jason Fitz with Yahoo Sports hanging out with the NFL superstar Puka Nacua, who is, by the way, the Gatorade Player of the Year award ceremonies. Let's start with a little bit of football. This year, no Cooper Kupp. Devonte comes in. How different is your role in the wide receiver room now that it's changed so much for the Rams? I think, uh, just trying to continue to be myself, uh, like you said, we lost Cooper Kupp this year, but the ability to add, um, Devonte Adams has been fantastic, and to have somebody who's been in the NFL and doing it at a high level for a very long time, um, is always a great addition because the information that he's willing to share and to give to us younger guys on the, on the, in the wide receiver room specifically has helped a lot of these guys grow confidence and to learn the game in a different way, and, uh, I'm really excited to be out there on the football field with them. I mean, at Yahoo, we've sort of made this a joke at this point. Never doubt Sean McVay, right? Like it just feels like McVay's offense is always make it work. What is it about those offenses with McVay particularly that makes everybody so successful? I think his attention to detail on the defensive side of the ball, I think it's something that separates him to know how, how, how the hook dropper, how the hook defender is dropping, and how to, how to manipulate him, and then when you add Coach McVay's genius mind with Matthew Stafford's cannon of an arm, and also his genius mind, I'm like, that's a recipe for success. I'm like, the defenses hate to see us on their schedule. Which is funny to me 'cause you're sort of being more like you're early in your career, right? But in a couple of years, you're gonna have to be that guy. So how much about leadership and all of those things are you learning not just from your wide receiver room, but from the rest of your team? Um, I, I, I feel like I'm learning every day. The ability to have conversations. I, I, I wake up in the morning to go be in the QB meetings with Matthew Stafford. I, I, I want to watch the tape when he's watching it at the same time just because he, he's looking at so many different things. He's communicating, um, to all 10 other players on the football field at the same time, and to watch him do it, it, it really, it truly is art. So I, I, I don't take any of those moments for granted. How much does it change for you now though? This is year 3. So when you look at your game and you think about what you've gone through in the growth and just being a pro, like, how different do you feel right now in year 3 compared to where you've been before? Yeah, I, I, yeah, we're coming up on training camp, and I remember my rookie year of just absolutely sweating and being so nervous about showing up for the first day of training camp, and uh now I, I, um, I'm still a little nervous. I'm every time you go and you're getting back into the football, it definitely is a different field, but I'm super excited because uh the, the things that I've learned and the, the things that have helped me. Have success, um, to be able to implement them and get back to hanging out with the guys because there's nothing better than being around them. OK, but also year 3 after year 3 contracts can come up and I mean, you had to see Garrett Wilson get paid and it has to at least make a little bell go off in the back of your mind, right? Like guys are getting paid earlier and earlier and you're gonna be up for it soon. Does that play into the back of your mind at all? I think a little bit, but uh me and Garrett Wilson actually we are the same class of high school graduation, so to be able to see somebody that I, I, I've got a chance to see his career is pretty cool and uh it definitely gives you motivation when you see people signing after 3. When you're playing the game, what's the go to Gatorade flavor? And, and why you're gonna tell me a color here and we're gonna have a whole conversation, but what's the go to Gatorade flavor for you? The glacier freeze is my go to any day, any time of the day. I'm like, I could wake up in the morning first thing cold glacier freeze right down. I don't even need water. I just knock it down. I'm like it is top tier. I have it I have it at the games. I'm I'm on the sideline and I got it. I got the Gatorade towel. This is literally me on the sideline with my Gatorade towel and the glacier freeze. The bottle literally just says my name and this only blue glacier. Freeze that they put it in there. Um, I would throw the bottle if they brought me, uh, any other color, but they wouldn't do that to me, so I know I always got the blue one with me. What's it mean for you when you look at these kids and they're out there at the Gatorade Player of the Year? It's such a cool experience in LA out there all week, and it culminates with the ESPYs, the whole thing. It's a really awesome thing. What's it mean for somebody to be included in that group? I think it's a testament to them as an athlete and then also their family because as an athlete, I know I've had five, my brothers have helped my career and helped put me in this opportunity or put me in this place where I am right now, and uh not uh, but every athlete that was out there, whether it was a track athlete or basketball, or the baseball or the soccer athletes, they've had their parents, their family, a coach who's helped get them in this moment, and I know they want to have success for themselves, but also they want to be able to show the people that have invested in them that their investment has officially paid off because they're still very young, but uh they're putting in the work to make sure that they they are represented the right way. This is what we know: we got to keep you hydrated. We gotta make sure you got the right ice, and when you get paid, you're gonna be able to have all the blue glacier you ever want for the rest of your life. Puka, congratulations on killing it so far. We love watching your success. Keep crushing it, man. Thanks for hanging out with me. Thank you, Jason. I appreciate that, brother. Close
CBS News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Nazareth Academy star Jaden Fauske named the Gatorade Illinois baseball player of the year
Nazareth Academy's Jaden Fauske was recently named the Gatorade Illinois baseball player of the year. It's an award that celebrates a player's accomplishments on and off the field. It's probably more the on the field work that will get him selected in the upcoming MLB Draft, but Fauske's much more than just a great baseball player, he's also an elite chess player, and a state scholar Fauske earned a starting job on the varsity lineup during his freshman season at Nazareth Academy. He helped the program win its first state title that year, finishing a historic career with a 136-21 record. "Jaden is different. Jaden's at-bats were different. Jaden, the ball coming off his bat was different, the distance is different, the height is different. He threw 34 innings on the mound for us as a sophomore and he gave up two earned runs over 34 innings," head coach Lee Milano said. The multi-talented outfielder helped Nazareth win back-to-back state titles his freshman and sophomore seasons. His impressive offensive skillset as a left-handed batter led to a .492 career batting average, with 12 home runs and 136 RBI. "When I'm in the hole and on deck, there's a lot of things I'm telling myself, and trying to learn about the pitcher, but as soon as I step in the box my mind just goes silent," Fauske said. Fauske has been learning how to stay one step ahead of his opponents since a young age; not only playing baseball, but by mastering chess. "I think I got third place in state when I was in fourth or fifth grade. I feel like people, they kind of get surprised when I tell them that," he said. Fauske continues to play chess as a hobby, and feels it benefits him on the field too. "Hitting, every at bat is kind of like a chess match between the pitcher; you know, trying to predict their tendencies, what they might do at a certain count, stuff like that. So I think there's definitely a correlation there," he said. Does Fauske challenge his teammates to play him in chess? "They don't give me much of a challenge, to be honest, but, yeah, we play sometimes," he said. "AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, 4.3 grade point average, elite chess player, Jaden works extremely hard," Milano said. A talented player who will now either continue his career collegiately at national champion LSU, or, as a projected first-round MLB Draft pick, go pro. "I mean, chasing the dream of playing in the big leagues, either way you go to LSU or go to the draft. You can't really go wrong," he said. While Fauske has a lot to look forward to in his future, he will never forget memories made at Nazareth Academy. "I'm going to miss playing for Coach Milano and those coaches, and playing alongside my friends … wearing the Nazareth uniform across my chest," he said. There is only one thing his coach might not miss. "Jaden hit anywhere, on a daily basis, 8 to 10 homers in our field where our field is backed up to the woods. So the balls, once they're out there, we can't get them, we can't find them. I figured Jaden owes the school about 600 baseballs right now, and I told him whatever happens at some point when he signs that pro contract, a couple dozen balls back to the program wouldn't be a bad idea," Milano said. Something that could apparently be a problem for Fauske the rest of his career.
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
MLB Draft Combine: Kayson Cunningham eager to compete; Bruin Agbayani flashes speed, hit tool
PHOENIX — One of the best pure hitters among the high school prospects in the 2025 draft class, Kayson Cunningham came to the MLB Draft Combine with very little to prove to evaluators. But don't tell him that. The 5-foot-10, 170 pound shortstop out of Johnson High School in San Antonio is currently ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the class by The Athletic's Keith Law. He and Purvis (Miss.) High School shortstop JoJo Parker were the only two top-25 prospects on Law's list to perform in the on-field workouts on Day 1 of the combine. With one of the best hit tools in the class, Cunningham put on a show in batting practice, posting an exit velocity of 99 mph or higher on 14 of his 27 hits. He topped out at 107.2. Advertisement The scouting consensus is that Cunningham will hit as a pro. The Texas Gatorade Player of the Year hit .509 as a senior. The biggest question is whether he will be able to generate any power from his smaller, though well built, frame. Cunningham hit two balls in BP over 400 feet, including a 420-foot blast. The session was impressive but probably didn't show scouts anything they didn't already know about Cunningham based on his high school track record. So why did Cunningham feel it was necessary to compete in on-field workouts, something many of the top prospects opt out of? 'I'm a ballplayer,' he said. His mom, Olivia, noted that her son had been antsy since his season ended and that getting back out on the field was like a lifeline for him. The family is planning a vacation for after the combine and Cunningham was already asking where he could do baseball workouts on the trip. Not surprisingly, Cunningham plans to put himself to the test again later in the combine when he runs the 30-yard dash. Bruin Agbayani, a shortstop from St. Louis High School in Honolulu and son of longtime big-leaguer Benny Agbayani, starred in the high school game that took place at the end of Day 1 of the combine. He showed plus speed on a triple and excellent at-bats overall. Agbayani hit .365 as a senior and also competed in the MLB Draft League for Frederick earlier this summer, collecting six hits in 35 at-bats as one of the youngest players in the league. He's committed to Michigan. Agbayani wasn't the only familiar name among the combine participants. Carsten Sabathia III, son of newly elected Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, had a solid round of batting practice. Sabathia, a junior first baseman from the University of Houston, hit one ball 420 feet and maxed out at 109.2 with his exit velocity. He hit .235/.333/.370 with two homers in 27 games for Houston this season. He also competed in the Draft League, hitting .171/.302/.304 for Trenton. Advertisement Manny Ramirez, Jr. (guess whose son he is) hit a 410-foot blast and maxed out at 104.8 with his exit velocity during his session. Ramirez hit .299/.435/,495 as a freshman for East Los Angeles Junior College this season. Perhaps the most intriguing 'bloodlines' prospect to participate in Day 1 of the combine was Quentin Young, nephew of former MLB outfielders Delmon and Dmitri Young. Young, who ranked 52nd in Law's latest ranking, hit 18 balls 100 mph or harder, maxing out at 115.4 mph. One drive went 426 feet. Quentin Young — nephew of Dmitri and Delmon — has the best hair at this Combine so far. Some BP from him: [image or embed] — Melissa Lockard (@ June 17, 2025 at 10:13 AM — Arizona State outfielder Brandon Compton generated significant buzz, hitting every ball except one at least 101 mph. His longest hit was 460 feet. Compton hit .271/.379/.486 with nine homers in 59 games for the Sun Devils this season. He had a .903 OPS in the Cape Cod League last summer. He was ranked 68th on Law's latest ranking. — Shortstop JoJo Parker hit back-to-back with his twin brother Jacob in batting practice. JoJo, who projects as a potential top-10 pick, hit all of his non-bunts at least 90 mph and topped out at 105.2 exit velocity. Jacob, a center fielder, is known more for his in-game power than his brother, who has one of the top hit tools in the class. Jacob hit all of his non-bunts 95 mph or higher except for one. He hit one ball 416 feet and topped out at 110.1 mph. — Switch-hitting catcher Taitn Gray, a high school prospect from Dallas-Center Grimes High School in Iowa who has been gaining helium leading into the draft, had an impressive batting practice from both sides of the plate. The 6-4, 220 pound slugger hit nine balls 110 mph or higher and had six home runs further than 400 feet. He's ranked 58th on Law's list. — The only home run hit in the high school game on Tuesday night was off the bat of Nathan Eisfelder, a product of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., who is committed to Tennessee. (Photo of Cunningham: Tracy Proffitt / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
CBS News
14-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Reading 'Swamp Boy' McCafferty's named Gatorade Massachusetts Baseball Player of the Year
A junior at Austin Prep in Reading will be touring the country playing baseball, and he's hoping it will someday lead to Fenway Park. The Swamp Boys A long line of D-1 college baseball players has emerged from a field in Reading, affectionately called "The Swamp." "We refer to ourselves as the Swamp Boys, and that's a nod to the players that came before this current generation who played down here when it was a swamp," said Austin Prep Baseball Coach JP Pollard Of all Austin Prep's "Swamp Boys," Bradley McCafferty is the only one who has been named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for Massachusetts. "Every moment of every day, when I was little, I wanted to play baseball. It took me where I am today. So I love the game," McCaffery said. Most days, McCaffery dedicates himself to working on his craft as a catcher. "Every play, you're back there commanding the game. So that's, I think, why I fell in love with it. Never a moment where you can't be locked in. I'm a competitor. The rising senior has been a standout behind home plate, says Austin Prep alum Evan Blanco, who's now a Major League Baseball draft prospect out of the University of Virginia. "Bradley's a stud. I remember him catching me when he was in middle school before he came to Austin Prep. I even knew that he was something special back then," Blanco said. A student of the game McCafferty said he takes notes from guys like Blanco who've been there before. "It's always just valuable because those guys have another insight - I haven't been there yet," McCafferty said. He's helped lead Austin Prep to a 20-2 record this season, batting .367 and averaging one RBI per game. "He's come a very long way as a catcher, and as a hitter he's night and day. He is a well-rounded hitter that has power potential, but can hit to all fields, can shorten up and hit in two-strike counts. He's a future pro," Pollard said. McCafferty's already gotten a taste of the big leagues over the past two years, spending time on the Red Sox and Yankees scout teams. "It's pretty surreal playing for those great organizations. I go to places like Fenway. I like to go to ballparks a lot. I try to envision myself on that field. What would it look like? ... I see it happening. That's the goal at least," McCafferty said. This summer, he'll be crossing the country playing ball, eventually serving as captain for Team Massachusetts in Omaha. "I wasn't a good Little League player. ... When I do my coaching stuff, I tell the young kids, 'I never hit a home run in Little League, and, like, look where I am now.' It doesn't matter about how you are when you're young. When I was young, I was confident in my ability, but I never thought I'd have the chance - maybe have the chance - to go to college or to go pro to play baseball. It's all about work ethic and goals. Your skill is never a complacent thing. ... You gotta keep working at it."
