"SportsKid of the Year" was introduced by Sports Illustrated magazine after the highly successful Sportsman of the Year award was introduced in 1954. The "SportsKid of the Year" award honors a young athlete, ages seven to fifteen, for superior performance on the field, in the classroom and service in the community.
In addition to being featured exclusively on the December Sports Illustrated Kids cover, the "SportsKid of the Year" receives a profile article and fold-out poster in the issue. The SportsKid is also honored at Sports Illustrated annual Sportsman of the Year celebration in New York City and in 2011 was featured on Cartoon Network's "Hall of Game" in Los Angeles.
The award has been given to the following recipients:
References
- ABA's Factory Redman rider Brock Heffron voted SI Kids "Youth Athlete of the Year" retrieved 30 June 2011^
- Sports Kid of the Year retrieved 30 June 2011^
- 2009 Sports Kid of the Year retrieved 2011-06-30^
- 2010 SportsKid of the Year: Jessica Aney retrieved May 10, 2016^
- Noah Flegel Named SI Kids' SportsKid Of The Year retrieved May 10, 2016^
- 2012 SI Kids SportsKids of the Year: The Long Brothers retrieved 30 June 2011^
- Gary Gramling. Sportskid of the Year 2013 — Jack Wellman Sports Illustrated Kids, December 5, 2013, retrieved May 10, 2016^
- Christina M. Tapper. SportsKid of the Year 2014: Mo'ne Davis Sports Illustrated Kids, December 1, 2014, retrieved May 10, 2016^
- Nolan Feeney. Swimmer Reece Whitley Is Sports Illustrated Kids' 'SportsKid of the Year' TIME, November 30, 2015, retrieved May 10, 2016^
- Elizabeth McGarr McCue. SportsKids of the Year 2016: The Sheppard Sisters SI Kids: Sports News for Kids, Kids Games and More, retrieved September 19, 2021^
- Jeremy Fuchs. Bunchie Young is Our 2017 SportsKid of the Year SI Kids: Sports News for Kids, Kids Games and More, retrieved September 19, 2021^
- Jeremy Fuchs. Leah Hayes is Our 2018 SportsKid of the Year SI Kids, 21 November 2018, retrieved 1 February 2019^
- 15-Year-Old Hanson Soccer Star Ally Sentnor Named Sports Illustrated's SportsKid Of The Year CBS Boston, November 22, 2019, retrieved January 19, 2026^
- JuJu Watkins of Windward gets her first magazine cover as SportsKid of the year Los Angeles Times, November 20, 2020, retrieved June 8, 2021^
- Zaila Avant-garde Named SportsKid of the Year for 2021 retrieved June 8, 2022^
- Mark Bechtel. Carter Bonas Is the 2022 SportsKid of the Year Sports Illustrated Kids, 2022-11-18, retrieved 2024-02-02^
- Sam Page. Fifi Garcia Is the 2023 SportsKid of the Year Sports Illustrated Kids, 2023-11-20, retrieved 2024-02-02^
- Meet the 2024 SportsKid of the Year: Arden Pala Sports Illustrated, September 7, 2025, retrieved September 7, 2025^
- Kim Curzi. Chyna Taylor Is the 2025 SportsKid of the Year Sports Illustrated, December 31, 2025, retrieved January 7, 2026^