Withrow Earns Gamer of the Year Honors
Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald are pleased to present this year’s Female Gamer of the Year to Rachael Withrow of the Winfield high school cross country and track team.
Winfield High School athlete Rachael Withrow has been a standout, earning her the Gamer of the Year award. The award recognizes athletic accomplishment, academic achievement, and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track. Her tenacity, discipline, and hard work have driven her success in both cross country and track and have earned her recognition and respect in the athletic community. “Rachael is a very dedicated and hard-working young lady. She is an example by her work ethic. She is a blessing to coach,” said her cross country and track coach, David Bailey.
With her unwavering determination and inner strength, Rachael quickly became a prominent figure in her high school's cross-country team. As a freshman, her talent and grit catapulted her to the top six at the state meet with an impressive time of 20:04. The following year she worked hard all season and finished runner-up with a time of 19:39. The year 2022 marked a turning point for the team, winning the state championship after years of hard work and dedication. Rachael was able to clinch first place with a time of 20:04, giving the team the much-needed points to secure the victory. Her senior season, the team gained some talented freshman runners and secured another state championship. Rachael was able to edge out a Fairmont Senior runner, their prime competition, in the last 400 meters to secure second place which aided her team's victory over Fairmont Senior by 14 points.
Rachael is not just a talented athlete in one sport. Her abilities expand to track as well, and she has been an essential member of the state championship-winning team three years in a row, in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Her contributions to the team have been immense, and her performance on the track has been nothing short of outstanding. Rachael is a three-time state champion, excelling in both the 1600m and 3200m events. This past state meet she had her best performance in the 3200m with a time of 11:02.98 and then in the 1600m she broke the state meet record in AA with a time of 5:07.33.
Outside of sports, Rachel is an exemplary student and a member of the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Mu Alpha Theta. She is committed to running track and cross country at Bowling Green State University. She plans to study speech pathology.
Please look for other local high school athletes to be named next week’s female Gamer of the Week Sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc., and Putnam Herald.