Fairfax County Public Schools issued the following news release:
Oakton High School student Jasmine Thomas was honored as the Sportswoman of the Year, and coach Lizzie McManus was honored as Coach of the Year when Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) honored its female athletes and coaches at the annual Women in Sports ceremony held recently at the Fairfax County Government Center.
The Women in Sports ceremony honors female athletes from each public high and secondary school in FCPS. Winners of the following categories from each school were recognized at the ceremony, and the overall county award winner in each category was named.
Sportswoman of the Year: Jasmine Thomas of Oakton High School. This award is given to the female athlete who excels on the field or court, in the classroom, and in the community. Thomas plays basketball and earned district, regional, state, and All-Met honors for all four years on the Oakton team, as well as honors from Parade magazine, USA Today, EA Sports, and Gatorade. She holds every girls' basketball record at Oakton and is the second highest female overall scorer in Virginia history with 2,598 points. She holds a 3.5 grade point average and also manages the girls' lacrosse team and works with younger girls in camps and clinics on weekends.
Donna de Varona Spirit of Sport Award: Caitlyn Riley of Mount Vernon High School. This award is given to the female athlete who demonstrates ethical conduct, serves as a positive role model, displays a never-give-up attitude, and possesses strong leadership skills. Riley has been an all-district soccer player, a leader, and an organizer at her school. She holds a 3.7 grade point average. One nominator says Riley is every coach's dream--self-reliant, internally motivated, and unselfish.
Sports Journalist of the Year: Austin Walker of Langley High School. This award is given to the student reporter or writer, male or female, who best covers women in sports. Walker, who is sports editor of the Saxon Scope, is responsible for editing, layout, and design of the sports section as well as writing his column and doing photography at sporting events. He was cited for his coverage of women's sports at Langley; Walker also plays football and runs track for the Saxons.
Coach of the Year: Lizzie McManus of Oakton High School, who coaches varsity field hockey and junior varsity lacrosse. This award is given to a female coach for outstanding achievements in coaching female athletes. Prior to taking over as a head coach, McManus worked as an assistant coach for nine years and led her team to a district championship in her first two years as a head coach. She plays in an adult league and serves as an official outside school.
Attachment : http://www.fcps.edu/mediapub/pressrel/womeninsports07.pdf.
