East Valley native and Gatorade Washington Cross Country Player of the Year, Logan Hofstee, awarded Girls on the Run of Spokane County with a $1,000 grant to help accomplish their mission.

Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Sports have seen a double-digit decline over the past decade, largely due to tighter budgets in communities, but young people that participate in sports are found to be happier, healthier and better students. As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner.

“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Kara Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like, Girls on the Run of Spokane County, that positively impacts the youth in their own communities.”

“Being selected as the recipient of the Gatorade grant is not just a recognition of our organization's efforts but a testament to the impact we're making in empowering young girls in our community. With this support, we can continue to inspire and uplift the next generation of strong, confident, and healthy leaders. We are deeply grateful to Gatorade for their commitment to fostering positive change through sports." - Lindsay Box, Executive Director of Girls on the Run of Spokane County

All 610 Gatorade State Player of the Year recipients are awarded a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choosing. Each Player of the Year can also submit a video about why their organization is deserving of one of 12 Spotlight Grants, which awards an additional $10,000 to the organization. To date, Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $4.9 million across more than 1,900 organizations.

Gatorade has a longstanding history of serving athlete communities and it’s ambition is to continue doing more to create positive change. Most recently, Gatorade announced its Equity in Sports commitment, a multi-year initiative to help everyone have equal opportunities to play sports and realize their potential.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter #GatoradePOY. For more on Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grants, the Gatorade Player of the Year, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit PlayerOfTheYear.Gatorade.com