(Midway, Ky.) – During the state swimming tournament, Midway University and the KHSAA presented the Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award for swimming to Sacred Academy’s Brooke Forde. The award caps off a career in which she set state records in the 200m freestyle, earned three All-State awards and was named an All-American.
Forde has received national and international recognition for her prowess in the pool. She has been a member of the U.S. Junior National Team since 2015 and was a 2016 Olympics Trials qualifier in four events. Rated the top swimming prospect in the country, she has signed a letter of intent to swim for Stanford University.
Away from the pool, Forde is a strong student who dedicates her time to serving others. She has spent four years working in the nursery at Holy Spirit Church and has volunteered to work with adults with intellectual disabilities at St. Mary’s Day School. In addition, Forde has served food to those in need at St. Vincent DePaul Shelter.
“Brooke is an exceptional talent in the swimming pool, in the classroom, and in the community. She always goes about her business in the most unassuming and humble way, is a role model for her peers, and is a willing contributor to our team’s success,” said Sacred Heart Swimming and Diving Coach Jim Luebbe.
“It’s an honor to present the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year Award to a young lady who has not only dominated her sport, but has achieved tremendous academic success,” said Midway University Athletic Director Rusty Kennedy. “It’s great to see a student-athlete who is able to balance her academic and athletic commitments while also providing service to others in her community.”
About the Midway University/KHSAA Female Student Athlete of the Year Awards
Nomination Process:
School administrators and/or coaches can nominate any qualified female high school student-athlete. Players can be nominated and win in more than one sport and are eligible to be nominated and win in multiple years of competition.
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges selected by Midway University and the KHSAA will review all nominations and make the selection of each individual sport Female Student-Athlete of the Year. The nominations will be judged on 60 percent weighting of overall athletic achievement, 20 percent academic achievement and 20 percent community service/leadership. In the event of a tie, the judges will have the discretion to select the final winner. Individual winners in each sport will be eligible for the overall Athlete of the Year Award, which will presented in May 2017.
Nominees must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher to qualify and be academically eligible to play in the season in which they are/were nominated.