In its third decade of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in partnership with RISE Magazine, announced German Fernandez of Riverbank High School as its 2007-08 Gatorade California Boys Cross Country Runner of the year. As California's honoree for 2007-08, Fernandez becomes a member of the inaugural Gatorade State Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year class.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Fernandez as California's best high school boys cross country runner. Fernandez is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award.
The senior distance runner placed third at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships with a time of 15:09. Setting course records at every meet prior to the FLCCC, Fernandez captured the Foot Locker West Regional in 14:53 and the Division 4 individual state title. He traversed the Woodward Park state meet course in 14:24, winning the race by 1:14 and topping the next-fastest runner in any class by 49 seconds. In the process, the Bruins' star shattered the 21-year-old course record - held by former Olympian Marc Davis - by 14 seconds.
Fernandez has maintained a 3.06 core academic GPA in the classroom and participates in multiple community service initiatives, donating his time as a youth basketball instructor and as a volunteer at his team's annual fall festival.
"He has a lot of natural talents, but he has worked hard to get to the elite level," said Riverbank Head Coach Bruce Edwards. "He's definitely a rare breed in how he can push himself, and he's a competitor in everything he does. He's also a team man, all the way, and the best all-around person I have ever coached."
Fernandez remains undecided upon a college destination.
The Gatorade Player of the year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field. The selection process is administered by RISE Magazine, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Runner of the Year, visit gatorade.com/playeroftheyear.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Fernandez as California's best high school boys cross country runner. Fernandez is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award.
The senior distance runner placed third at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships with a time of 15:09. Setting course records at every meet prior to the FLCCC, Fernandez captured the Foot Locker West Regional in 14:53 and the Division 4 individual state title. He traversed the Woodward Park state meet course in 14:24, winning the race by 1:14 and topping the next-fastest runner in any class by 49 seconds. In the process, the Bruins' star shattered the 21-year-old course record - held by former Olympian Marc Davis - by 14 seconds.
Fernandez has maintained a 3.06 core academic GPA in the classroom and participates in multiple community service initiatives, donating his time as a youth basketball instructor and as a volunteer at his team's annual fall festival.
"He has a lot of natural talents, but he has worked hard to get to the elite level," said Riverbank Head Coach Bruce Edwards. "He's definitely a rare breed in how he can push himself, and he's a competitor in everything he does. He's also a team man, all the way, and the best all-around person I have ever coached."
Fernandez remains undecided upon a college destination.
The Gatorade Player of the year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field. The selection process is administered by RISE Magazine, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Runner of the Year, visit gatorade.com/playeroftheyear.
