Every morning, high school athletes wake up at 5 a.m. to go to morning practice. Then, they go to school, go to practice, go home, do their homework, and go to bed, only to repeat the grueling routine the next day. PHS has a history of athletic success because of hard-working athletes. To reward their efforts, athletic director Alphonso Powell will start a new athlete of the month program.

Starting the first week of Oct., one male athlete and one female athlete will be nominated every month for the award that will be accompanied by a prize, Powell said.

“[The athlete of the month is] a good way to recognize athletes,” Powell said.

The athletes will be nominated by their coaches, who will pick one player from their team to be nominated for the award. A committee will vote on the two athletes of the month and will be made up of coaches of the seasonal sports, a TPH representative, and Powell.

“I think this would be a cool thing that would bring together the entire athletic community of Piedmont,” junior Jake Richmond said.

The program will run from Oct. to May and cover fall, winter, and spring sports.

The athletes will be an example of hard work and serve as an encouragement for their peers and teammates. Powell said he is working with Mulberry’s to reward the winners with a free Mulberry’s sandwich.

“The program is a real thing,” Mulberry’s general manager Salvador Viveros said. “It is exciting, and is a good thing for students.”

Furthermore, Powell said that the athletes would be recognized in The Piedmont Highlander, as well as on a poster that would be hung up at school.

Powell is working incredibly hard to get the program on its feet. Additionally, Powell’s plan is to have an athlete of the year that will be decided and voted on just like the monthly award. The athlete would be chosen from the athletes that won the monthly award. Although this is still in the works, Powell said he hopes to have it done this year.

Junior Claire Lichty said she really enjoys the idea of an athlete of the month, especially because she is an athlete herself.

“I think an athlete of the month would be a great idea because it celebrates all the amazing athletes we have here,” said Lichty. “It would be really fun to see my friends or myself in the paper.”

Richmond said the prize is a good way to reward the many good athletes on campus by recognizing them for their hard work.

“It sounds like a good idea,” freshman Eli Tucker said. “It rewards people for trying hard in sports, and this encourages students to put in as much effort as possible.”

Athletes will be able to win the award multiple times throughout the year, Powell said.

“It is about performance and hard work, so athletes will definitely be able to win it more than once,” Powell said.