Success as a student-athlete requires commitment in more than one place. It means putting in the work during practices and games while also staying focused in the classroom, managing responsibilities, and continuing to grow as a student and teammate.

To recognize young people who demonstrate that level of dedication, Geoff McDonald & Associates created the Student Athlete of the Year Award, a nomination-based program honoring an outstanding Virginia high school student-athlete each year.

For the past three years, Geoff McDonald & Associates has selected a student who demonstrates both academic dedication and athletic achievement. The award is designed to recognize students who understand that being a successful athlete is about more than what happens on the court or field. It also takes discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and a commitment to education.

Each Student Athlete of the Year receives $500 as well as an official certificate recognizing the achievement, which the recipient can include with college applications and other academic or professional accomplishments.

The award has special meaning for Geoff McDonald & Associates because athletics and youth development have long been important to our firm. Geoff McDonald experienced firsthand the work required to balance academics and competitive sports during his own career as a college football player. He has continued that involvement in Virginia through coaching and programs designed to encourage young athletes to develop both on and off the field.

Those same principles—hard work, teamwork, growth, and perseverance—are values we continue to recognize through the Student Athlete of the Year Award.

By making the program nomination-based, we also give families, coaches, educators, teammates, and community members an opportunity to recognize a deserving Virginia student-athlete whose efforts may otherwise go unnoticed. Academic success and athletic accomplishments both require countless hours of preparation, and we believe students demonstrating excellence in both deserve to be celebrated.

Supporting Virginia’s young people is an important part of our community involvement at Geoff McDonald & Associates. From Richmond and Central Virginia to Virginia Beach and communities throughout the Commonwealth, we are proud to recognize students who are working hard to build successful futures.

The Geoff McDonald & Associates Student Athlete of the Year Award is our way of celebrating one of those exceptional students each year and encouraging Virginia’s next generation to continue pursuing excellence both in the classroom and in athletics.