• Track and FieldTrack and Field image by Kaistudio from Fotolia.com
  
  Athletes have a range of career and academic opportunities open to them through athletic awards. Athletic awards take the form of athletic scholarships, awards of recognition, induction to halls of fame and the championship awards. Whether as trophies, ribbons, clocks or cash, athletic awards keep the fires of competition and high achievement glowing.
  
  

Athletic Scholarships

• Athletic gold medalgold medal image by eXodia from Fotolia.com
  
  Deserving athletes who display good sportsmanship, excel on the field, and can maintain good academic scores are usually the nominees for athletic awards for scholarships. The athlete must be able to show that she can balance sports, academia and life’s demands to qualify, since most athletic scholarships stipulate that the awarded athlete must score a certain grade point average.
  
  Organizations such as the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) grant scholarships and internships to student athletes. Linked with multiple educational institutions and conferences, this body is committed to promoting the all-round development of athletes. Most athletic scholarships go toward funding undergraduate education at college.
  
  

Athletic Halls of Fame

• Financial awardsmoney money image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
  
  Each state in America has an athletic hall of fame where pioneers and athletes obtain recognition by an award or induction into the superior society. They exist either as a sports hall of fame or an athletic hall of fame. This award serves to motivate and pay homage to athletes who have distinguished themselves.
  
  The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame functions to honor outstanding achievement and immortalize records of positive-minded champions in athletics. Also, the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame has organized itself to accolade not only esteemed players, but also coaches and sports journalists.
  
  A few high schools and universities also have athletic halls of fame where candidates are inducted and awarded at a ceremony.
  
  

Athlete of the Year

• To receive an award, the athlete has to overcome many hurdles.sprinter at the hurdles image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
  
  Athlete of the year awards go to nominees who have consistently performed well and who have manifested certain exemplary characteristics. Every year, the international body of athletics, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation), awards about $100,000 to prominent athletes. This award is called the World Athlete of the Year Award. Numerous schools, cities, states and countries give these awards to athletes with developed careers and with special abilities.