Leonard named Gatorade Idaho Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year
Leonard
Coeur d’Alene High senior thrower Grady Leonard was named 2016-17 Gatorade Idaho Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Leonard is the first Gatorade Idaho Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Coeur d’Alene High.
The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track.
Leonard, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior captured a pair of individual state titles at the class 5A meet this spring, leading the Vikings to a fifth-place finish. Leonard won the shot with a put of 61 feet, 5 1/2 inches and the discus with a throw of 182-5.
The MVP of the Pasco Invitational, Leonard’s personal-best effort of 67-0 in the shot at the Rasmussen Invitational ranked as the nation’s No. 7 performance among prep competitors in 2017 at the time of his selection. His personal-best throw of 188-5 in the discus at April’s Arcadia Invitational ranked No. 47 nationally.
Leonard is a devoted parishioner in his church community, where he has volunteered locally on behalf of its youth group and as a camp counselor.
“It is hard to believe, but Grady Leonard’s athletic accomplishments are surpassed only by his amazingly humble personality,” Coeur d’Alene High head track and field coach Justin Aguilar said in a news release. “He helps underclassmen and sincerely cheers on all competitors. His big smile and huge heart has made him one of the most likable athletes I have ever coached.”
Leonard has maintained a 3.52 GPA in the classroom. He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.
As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Leonard will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants — one for each sport — will be announced throughout the year.