True to our mission, the Tacoma Athletic Commission facilitates an Athlete of the Year program for high school student athletes in the Pierce County area. This program features a quarterly luncheon where recognition is given to an outstanding male and female athlete. It encompasses all sports and focuses on the academics as well as athletic accomplishments.

Athletic Directors, with input from their coaches, are asked to designate the Athlete of the Year from their school in each of the 23 boys and girls sports. All 34 Pierce County high schools are invited to participate. The Fall Sports student-athletes are honored in December, the Winter Sports student-athletes in March, and the Spring Sports student-athletes in June. Each nominated athlete is invited to attend a luncheon and be introduced to receive an Athlete of the Year certificate and t-shirt plus a complimentary lunch.

Our Spring events honor the memory of Tom Names, a former star athlete at Stadium high and the University of Puget Sound. Named the Tom Names Salute to Sports, the events were held at Curtis high and the LeMay Museum to honor our TAC Athletes of the Year. Thanks to the Tom Names family and the Names Family Foundation there were six scholarships granted. The TAC’s Female and Male Athletes of the Year each received $10,000 college scholarships (the Scott Names and the “Sis” Names awards) and four other $5,000 scholarships were given (Tom and Clint Names awards).

If you have a son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter involved in high school athletics, you should consider joining the Tacoma Athletic Commission and help show your support through the Athlete of the Year program.

Each month a list of honorees are selected during the school year. These individuals were the ones from which the Columbia Bank Male and Female Athletes of the Year were selected.