High school sports in Southwest Ohio aren't just a hobby. They're a religion. If you grew up around here, you know the Friday night lights aren't just bulbs in a stadium; they're the pulse of the community. But once the lights dim and the weekend ends, the real battle begins on Monday morning. That’s when the cincinnati com athlete of the week polls go live, and the digital scrap for bragging rights kicks into high gear.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild how much weight these polls carry. It’s not just a little badge on a website. It’s a validation of every 5:00 AM practice and every bus ride back from a rainy Tuesday game in the middle of nowhere.
The Grind Behind the Ballot
The process is pretty straightforward, but the competition is fierce. Every week, the sports staff at the Cincinnati Enquirer sifts through a mountain of stats from Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana. They aren’t just looking for the kid who scored the most points. They want the stories. They want the goalkeeper who made 15 saves to preserve a shutout against a rival or the cross-country runner who shattered a personal record by 20 seconds.
Once the nominees are picked, the link goes live on Cincinnati.com. That’s when the "Get Out the Vote" campaigns start.
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You’ve probably seen it on your Twitter (X) feed or Instagram stories. Schools like Elder, St. Xavier, or Mason start blasting the link. Parents go into overdrive. It becomes a community-wide effort to ensure their kid gets that recognition. Is it a popularity contest? Sorta. But it’s also a massive display of school spirit that you just don’t see in many other metro areas.
Why We Care So Much About cincinnati com athlete of the week
Some people think these weekly awards are just filler. They’re wrong. In an era where recruiting is dominated by highlight reels and social media clout, having "Athlete of the Week" on your resume actually means something to local recruiters and coaches. It shows you can perform when the pressure is on and that you have a community backing you up.
Take recent standout Kya Epps, for example. While she’s currently making waves as the Big 12 Women's Athlete of the Week for the University of Cincinnati (as of January 14, 2026), her journey started on local tracks. She’s a prime example of how that local recognition builds the confidence needed to transition into the collegiate "Elite 16" or national rankings.
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The award covers everything:
- Football (The big-ticket fall staple)
- Boys and Girls Basketball (Winter's main event)
- Soccer, Volleyball, and Swimming
- Spring sports like Baseball, Softball, and Track
The Northern Kentucky Connection
We can’t talk about Cincinnati sports without mentioning NKY. The Enquirer doesn't just stop at the Ohio River. Athletes from Fort Thomas Highlands, Covington Catholic, and Cooper are constantly in the mix. In fact, seeing a Kentucky kid take the top spot in a "Cincinnati" poll is a point of pride for the Bluegrass state. It keeps the "Battle of the Bridge" alive all year long.
Common Misconceptions
People often think you have to be a senior to win. Not true. We’ve seen freshmen come in and dominate the voting because they put up insane numbers in their first month of varsity. Another myth? That only the "big schools" win. While Mason or Lakota West have huge student bodies to pull votes from, smaller schools like Wyoming or Madeira often rally their entire towns to pull off an "upset" in the polls.
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How the Voting Works (The Real Deal)
The Enquirer usually opens the polls on Monday afternoons. You have until Wednesday or Thursday—usually around noon—to get your votes in. There’s often a limit on how many times you can vote per hour to keep things fair, though "refresh marathons" are a time-honored tradition in some households.
Winners are typically announced on Friday. They get a write-up, a spot in the digital gallery, and sometimes a shout-out in the print edition. It’s a localized hall of fame that resets every seven days.
How to Get Your Athlete Noticed
If you're a parent or a coach wondering why your star player hasn't made the cut for cincinnati com athlete of the week, you have to be proactive. Reporters are good, but they can't be at every game.
- Send in the stats. Don't wait for them to find you. Use the "Preps" email or tag the Enquirer's high school sports reporters on social media immediately after the game.
- Quality photos matter. A grainy cell phone shot from the bleachers won't cut it. Having a high-res action shot makes it much easier for the editors to put your athlete on the front page.
- Detail the stakes. Did the performance happen in a blowout, or was it a game-winning drive against the #1 ranked team in the city? Context is everything.
The landscape of high school sports is changing. With the rise of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) even at the high school level in some states, these accolades are becoming more than just a pat on the back. They are part of an athlete's "brand." But at the end of the day, for most of these kids, it’s just about being recognized by their hometown. It’s about seeing their name next to that Enquirer logo and knowing that, for one week, they were the best in the Queen City.
To stay on top of the current leaders or to see if your favorite player made the cut this week, head over to the high school sports section of Cincinnati.com every Monday afternoon. If you’re looking to support a nominee, make sure to share the official voting link directly from the site to ensure the votes are verified and counted toward the final tally. Check the "Preps" tab frequently, as they often update stats and rankings for basketball and winter track throughout the month of January.