Staff writer
Lauren Pickens has been nominated by KWCH television as one of four high school track standouts in the running for a “Catchy” award as female track athlete for spring 2009. The Catchy awards are an offshoot of the KWCH sports program “Catch It Kansas,” which features information about high school teams and athletes.
Catch It Kansas staff developed the Catchy awards to give athletes and fans input into post-season honors. With coaches and media selecting for league, area, and state awards, the Catchys are something of a “peoples’ choice” award. Voting is done at the Catch It Kansas.com Web site through July 31. There are 120 nominees in 29 categories including best athlete in every sport.
School size runs the gamut from 1A to 6A, pitting student athletes against the best no matter what size school district they attend.
“This is the second year for the Catchys,” Kelli McDonough, Catch It Kansas representative with KWCH, said. “More than 2,200 athletes and fans voted in 2008 and we are hoping for more this year.
“People can vote by going to the Catch It Kansas site and clicking on the Catchys banner. The list of nominees will come up and the voter just needs to click on his or her choice,” she said. “The voter will have to vote for one nominee in each category. It is easy and doesn’t take very long.”
According to McDonough, a committee from the television station reviews all high school sports for the previous year and makes the nominations for each award. The public does the voting and KWCH will announce the winners after the July 31 deadline.
Pickens just completed her sophomore year at Peabody-Burns High School. She took first place at the state track meet in the 2A 100, 200, and 400 meter runs. She also broke the 27-year-old 2A 400-meter record.
Darren and Tammy Pickens of Peabody are her parents.