The inaugural RVA Sports Awards brought together local athletes, coaches, teams + leaders on Saturday. It was all broadcast live on CBS 6, featuring UVA alum + former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber as the emcee.
The Richmond Region Tourism Foundation, Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, and Colonial Downs Racetrack played host to the awards. Nominations for different categories were taken + the winners were chosen by a public vote and a board of city sports organizations.
Let’s get to know the winners…
Female Athlete of the Year
Keira D’Amato: A Midlothian mother who smashed the American women’s marathon record at the Houston Chevron Marathon last month. Her time was 2:19:12 — that’s a 5-6 minute per-mile pace.
Male Athlete of the Year
Chris Marston: He started competing with Sportable, Richmond’s adaptive sports league, back in 2019. He went on to win the Paralympic Paratriathlon National Championship two years later.
Team of the Year
Patrick Henry High School boys volleyball: This team took home its 5th consecutive state title with its 2021 season, even with their regular season shortchanged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coach of the Year
Marcus Lewis: Varina High School’s football coach led the Blue Devils to a 12-1 record + the VHSL Class 4 State championship in 2021. The Varina alum and former All-Metro player was also named Regional Coach of the Year by the League.
Moment of the Year
Chesterfield’s Abrielle Shaw, the second girl to play in PONY Baseball league, pitched to the 3rd girl in the league, Aubrey Easey, at the 11U World Series back in July.
The Community Champion Award
Local businessman Bobby Ukrop has been a key part of Richmond sports since his basketball days at George Wythe High School. The lifetime achievement award acknowledges his work to build the Diamond, cofound Sports Backers, help start the nonprofit SwimRVA.
Power of Sport Award
Michael Robinson, Super Bowl Champion and the founder of Excel to Excellence Foundation, picked up this first-time award for his dedication to helping kids find a passion in sports. The E2E Football League emphasizes not only teamwork on the field, but also integrity and leadership off the field.
You can watch highlights from the Sports Awards here.