Since 1992, the Augusta Sports Council has honored more than 2,000 area high school and adult athletes with the Greater Augusta Medals for Excellence in Sports (G.A.M.E.S.) Awards. The G.A.M.E.S. Awards program is the only program of its kind in the area, honoring local high school, college, club sports and adaptive athletes. In addition to the medals presented in each of the G.A.M.E.S. Award categories, two deserving high school seniors, chosen from the field of G.A.M.E.S. Finalists, will be awarded $1,000 scholarships.

The Augusta Sports Council is now accepting nominations for the 2012 G.A.M.E.S. Awards. Nomination criteria are as follow:

• Awards will be presented in the following categories: Adaptive Athlete, All-Around Athlete, Amateur Star, Collegiate Star, Outstanding Athlete, Outstanding Coach, Outstanding High School Team and Rising Star.
• All nominees must be at least of high school age and residents of the Greater Augusta area, which includes Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie and Aiken Counties.
• Nominees may not be professional or have participated in professional sports at any time.
• Non-statistical data (Grade Point Average, civic involvement, etc.) will be considered in the overall evaluation of the candidate. Factors of race, religion, creed, and/or school affiliation shall never constitute grounds for including or excluding any nominee.
• Nominations must be received by May 7, 2012.
• Download a nomination form here: 2012 GAMES Awards Nomination Form.pdf (495.14 kb)

This year’s G.A.M.E.S. Award finalists will be honored at the Augusta Sports Awards banquet on May 31, 2012. The awards dinner is sure to be a special evening for athletes, their coaches, families and guests, and will feature guest speaker, Kyle Maynard.

Despite being born with arms that end at the elbows and legs near the knees, Maynard wrestled for one of the best teams in the Southeast, set records in weightlifting, fought in mixed martial arts, and most recently became the first man to crawl on his own to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. His story has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, ESPN’s SportsCenter, HBO’s Real Sports, ABC's 20/20 and Good Morning America, and as a cover story in USA Today. He continues to inspire as the author of his book, “No Excuses” (2005), a New York Times bestseller.

For more information regarding the G.A.M.E.S. Awards nomination process or awards dinner, please contact the Augusta Sports Council at 706.722.8326 ext. 231.

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and Augusta Sports Council (ASC) have announced the venues for the 2012 GHSA Golf State Championships. Earlier this year it was announced that the GHSA would bring the ten state golf championships to the CSRA in 2012. The Championships for A–AAAAA boys and girls will be held at ten area golf courses on Monday, May 7, 2012.  Combined, the tournaments will draw 880 golfers, plus coaches and fans.

This is the first time a single community has been selected to host all ten tournaments. Burke County High School golf coach and athletic director, Wade Marchman will serve as the overall tournament director.  The Augusta Sports Council will provide tournament support.

The 2012 tournament venues are as follows:

A
Boys – Forest Hills Golf Club
Girls – Pointe South Golf Club

AA
Boys - Waynesboro Country Club
Girls – Goshen Plantation Golf Club

AAA
Boys – Augusta Country Club
Girls – Applewood Golf Course

AAAA
Boys – Jones Creek Golf Club
Girls – Bartram Trail Golf Club

AAAAA
Boys – Champions Retreat Golf Club
Girls – The River Golf Club

The Augusta Sports Council is seeking nominees for its annual sports awards program, the Greater Augusta Medals for Excellence in Sports (G.A.M.E.S.) Awards. Since the Sports Council’s inception in 1991, G.A.M.E.S. Awards have been presented annually to the top area high school, amateur and adaptive sports athletes, coaches and officials. The awards will be presented at the Augusta Sports Awards Banquet to be held in May 2011.

All nominees must be at least of high school age and residents of Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie or Aiken Counties. A downloadable nomination form is available here. The deadline for submitting nominations is April 22, 2011.

Greater Augusta Medals for Excellence in Sports Award Categories
Adaptive Star
All-Around Male & Female Athlete
Amateur Star
Collegiate Star
Outstanding Male & Female Athlete
Rising Star (Male & Female)
Outstanding High School Team
Outstanding Coach
Outstanding Official

For more information, please contact the Augusta Sports Council at 706.722.8326 ext. 231.

The Georgia High School Association has selected Augusta as the host city for all ten state golf championships in 2012.  The GHSA State Golf Championships for A – AAAAA boys and girls will be held at ten area golf courses on Monday, May 7, 2012.  Combined, the tournaments will draw 880 golfers to the Augusta area. The host venues will be announced in early 2011.

This is the first time a single community has been selected to host all ten tournaments.  Gary Phillips, assistant director of the Georgia High School Association, says the GHSA is excited about bringing the entire tournament to Augusta.  “We have been looking to consolidate many of our athletic championships.  With golf, Augusta just seemed like a natural choice.  With numerous quality courses, and the level of support we have come to expect from the Augusta Sports Council, we have every reason to believe this will be a phenomenal experience for the kids."

The idea to host all ten high school golf championships began with Burke County High School golf coach and athletic director, Wade Marchman.  “As the golf capital of Georgia, I just feel like we have a great opportunity to put on a special tournament for these young men and women," stated Mr. Marchman, who will serve as the overall tournament director.  “With the support of the Augusta Sports Council and our ten host clubs we look to set a new standard for the tournament."