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American Fork High runner wins a Gatorade Player of the Year Award

Utah Public Radio | By Duck Thurgood
Published February 13, 2023 at 3:38 PM MST
Daniel Simmons holds his award, which is a thick metal base with a glass top featuring the Gatorade logo, and pumps his fist with an ecstatic look on his face.
Gatorade Player of the Year
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ABC4

Gatorade named American Fork High School junior Daniel Simmons the National Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. The award recognizes athletes for their accomplishments in not only sports but other areas like service and academics.

Simmons’ last season included second place at the Nike Cross Nationals event, first place at the Nike Cross Southwest Regionals and new course records for his final six races. He also has a 3.98 GPA, volunteers in his local church and is a singer and actor.

The award was presented to Simmons by Caser Clinger, the former Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. Gatorade presents these awards annually for 12 sports with one winner in each state.
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Utah News UPRHigh School SportsAthleticsSports
Duck Thurgood
All my life, I have loved writing and sharing stories. Since I joined UPR in 2022, those stories have had a lot more fact-checking and a lot fewer magical animals, but they've brought me just as much joy. I've also found a secret love for announcing on-air, which my family would probably tell you is no surprise considering how many hours they've listened to me ramble.
See stories by Duck Thurgood