Dunbar Receives Gamer of the Year Honors
Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald are pleased to present this year’s Male Gamer of the Year to AJ Dunbar of the Poca high school Track and Field and Football teams.
Poca High School athlete AJ Dunbar has been a standout performer on the track and football field, which has earned him the Gamer of the Year award. The award recognizes not only athletic accomplishment but also academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.
Dunbar started competing in track and field his sophomore year, and found success early winning a state title in the Shot Put with a throw of 47’ 11.5”. He followed this performance with a better performance 49’ 5.5” his junior year, but placed 3rd in the event. Dunbar would bounce back in a big way his senior throwing 55’ 3” on his last throw to win the state title in a highly competitive event.
“There is no one more deserving for Gamer of the Year than AJ. You hear about all of his accolades as a football player, thrower in track and field, and classroom. However, what you don’t hear a lot about is just how great a person AJ is. He is always willing to help. It doesn’t matter who asks. He is always there…. He tutors kids in math through Mu Alpha Theta. He helps underclassmen with throwing, with OL and DL techniques and is simply an all-around leader,” said Head Track and Field Coach Kyle Gwinn.
As a four-year starter football team, Dunbar earned two second team all-state honors and multiple all-conference honors with his outstanding performance on the offensive and defensive lines. “AJ Dunbar is one of the best student athletes that I have had the pleasure of coaching. He embodies everything we represent at Poca Football. His class, character, and concern that he has for his teammates, school, and community is just one of the few things that make him so special,” said Head Football Coach Seth Ramsey.
In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Dunbar is the Student Body President, Vice President of National Honor Society, President of Mu Alpha Theta, and a member of Link Crew and Science National Honor Society at Poca. This Fall Dunbar will join the track and field team and study civil engineering at Marshall University.
“I just wanted to give everyone a big thank you for helping me become who I am and helping me be the athlete I am, especially my coaches Kyle Gwinn and Seth Ramsey,” said Dunbar.
Please look for other local high school athletes to be named in next week’s male Gamer of the Week Sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc., and The Putnam Herald.
AJ WHITE, MS, MBA, CSCS, IS AN INSTRUCTOR AT POTENTIAL PLUS.