Ethridge Awarded Gamer of the Week Honors

Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald are pleased to present this week’s Female Gamer of the Week to Sophomore, Ava Ethridge of the Winfield High School cross country team.

Winfield’s Ava Ethridge is having a great sophomore year during the 2023 cross country season. Ethridge placed 1st at Dutch Miller Invitational, 1st at the Ripley Covered Bridge Invitational, 3rd at the Midland XC Festival, and 1st at the Region 4 AA Cross Country Championship. Ethridge’s coach Bailey said that Ava is a very competitive, dedicated, hardworking and focused kid with exceptional talent. 

Ava first got her start in cross country in 6th grade because her two friends decided to run in middle school and asked her to go to a practice and she has loved it ever since. “What I love most about this sport is how it has such a team atmosphere. Cross Country is all about your entire team running and working together to improve yourselves. Cross country is also such a safe space for me. No matter how tough a day can get, running with my team always brings me happiness”.  

This season has been a great season for Ethridge individually and as a team. “I feel like my team has improved so much since the beginning of this season, and I know we all have the end goal of a great performance at states”. Role models for Ethridge include two seniors who graduated from her team last year. Mariam Alzoubi and Rachael Withrow. “Although I haven’t gotten to run with them for a while, they always talk to me before and after races and continue to support me.”

Ethridge believes her team has been successful this season because “I feel like we work very well with each other. All of us, including our amazing coaches, encourage each other when needed and build each other up. I also feel very blessed to have such great coaches, as they have definitely been the reason we have gotten so far”. After high school Ethridge plans to run in college and pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology. Outside of cross-country Ava is involved in show choir at Winfield. 

Please look for other local high school athletes to be named in next week’s female Gamer of the Week Sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc., and The Putnam Herald. 

MEGAN SCARBERRY, MS, POTENTIAL PLUS INSTRUCTOR AT TEAYS PHYSICAL THERAPY CENTER INC.