FAIRFIELD, OH (January 21, 2025)— Cincinnati native and Gatorade Ohio Football Player of the Year, Matt Ponatoski (Archbishop Moeller High School) awarded The Nuxhall Foundation and the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields with a $1,000 grant to help provide inclusive recreational opportunities for athletes with disabilities. Ponatoski was recognized for his achievements at a ceremony in front of the entire Archbishop Moeller community last week.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner.
“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Josh Lytel, Associate Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like The Nuxhall Foundation that positively impacts the youth in their own communities.”
Ponatoski, Moeller’s junior quarterback, was just named Mr. Ohio Football by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. With his senior season still to come, Ponatoski already holds a number of records at Moeller, including the all-time passing yards record and the record for career touchdown passes. Ponatoski is a talented dual sport athlete, pitching and playing shortstop for the Moeller Crusaders Baseball Team.
“It’s easy to see that beyond the impressive statistics, Matt Ponatoski is an athlete who leads with impeccable character,” says Tyler Bradshaw, Executive Director of The Nuxhall Foundation. “Matt has an overcomer’s perspective which resonates beautifully with our mission of serving athletes with special needs, and we are so thankful for this gift from him and Gatorade.”
Ponatoski was inspired to support the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields when he and his family visited the facility years ago. During the visit, Ponatoski got a chance to meet Franklin High School basketball star and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Luke Kennard. In addition to this history, Ponatoski’s mother, Becky, was awarded the Joe Nuxhall Scholarship in 1997 as a softball player from Ross High School. Ponatoski has also volunteered locally as a Victory Day Counselor, working with children with special needs.
All 610 Gatorade State Player of the Year recipients are awarded a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choosing. Each Player of the Year can also submit a video about why their organization is deserving of one of 12 Spotlight Grants, which awards an additional $10,000 to the organization. To date, Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $5.6 million across more than 2,000 organizations.
Gatorade has a longstanding history of serving athlete communities and it’s ambition is to continue doing more to create positive change. Most recently, Gatorade announced its Equity in Sports commitment, a multi-year initiative to help everyone have equal opportunities to play sports and realize their potential.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter #GatoradePOY. For more on Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grants, the Gatorade Player of the Year, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit PlayerOfTheYear.Gatorade.com
About Gatorade Player of the Year
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s most elite high school athletes for their success on and off the playing surface. Gatorade Players of the Year are not only the best in their sports, but they’re also leaders in the classroom and in their communities. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport, touting an all-star group of alumni that includes Peyton Manning, Jayson Tatum, Mallory Swanson and Paige Bueckers.
About The Nuxhall Foundation
The Nuxhall Foundation is the legacy foundation for former Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster, Joe Nuxhall. A central project of The Nuxhall Foundation is The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields—an entirely accessible baseball and recreational facility where every player with every challenge gets every chance to play. More than 300 players between ages 4 to 80 participate in programs at the Miracle League Fields.
For more information, visit http://www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org.
For all media inquiries or to schedule an appearance, please contact:
Tyler Bradshaw
(513) 839-6164
###