"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Sequoyah Athlete Finalist

***"Nathan Stanley, Sequoyah quarterback, finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year for state of OK."***

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma – Nathan Stanley, a senior at Sequoyah Schools and football team quarterback, has been named a finalist in the Gatorade Player of the Year competition for the state of Oklahoma.

“Nathan is the total package,” said Brent Scott, Sequoyah head football coach. “He’s had a great year here at Sequoyah and he’s made us proud.”

According to the Gatorade web site, Gatorade State Players of the Year are selected not only for their outstanding athletic performance, but for their academic achievement and exemplary personal character.

Stanley is concurrently enrolled in classes at Northeastern State University and maintains a 3.65 grade point average. He has been on the Sequoyah Schools’ football team for four years and was an Offense/Defense Bowl All-American, an Oklahoma All-State player and a Channel 8 Player of the Week. Stanley, 18, of Terasita, is the son of Gina Stanley and Eric Stanley. He has also earned the titles of District Newcomer of The Year twice, the Muskogee Phoenix All-Area Team and Co-Offensive Back of the Year.

The selection process for the Gatorade Player of the Year is administered by RISE Magazine, a sports and lifestyle magazine for teens. Featuring an editorial staff of prep sports writers from across the nation, RISE has comprehensively covered the world of high school sports for more than a decade, and its 25 regionalized editions are currently distributed in more than 6,500 high schools nationwide.

All state winners are automatically eligible for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. From the pool of state winners, one is selected and named Gatorade National Player of the Year. The Gatorade National Player of the Year winners then become eligible for the program's culminating honor, the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year award. Sequoyah’s Angel Goodrich was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Oklahoma in 2007. Former nationally known Gatorade Players of the Year include Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith.

Sequoyah Schools, a boarding school for Native American students operated by the Cherokee Nation, originated in 1871 as an orphan asylum to care for children who were orphaned by the Civil War. Now known as Sequoyah Schools, it is named for Sequoyah, the scholar who developed the Cherokee syllabary. Located near Tahlequah, Okla., Sequoyah is regionally and state accredited for grades 7-12 and has become the school of choice for more than 400 high school students every year. For more information call 918-453-5400.