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Photo by Phillip Jeffery
July 28, 2025
Teen athlete nominated for Youth Athlete of the Year
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Local teen athlete Matthew Jeffery has been nominated for Youth Athlete of the Year, in partnership with Sports Illustrated, V Foundation, 3BRAND and Why Not You Foundation.
Jeffery, 16, recently returned from competition in Grand Rapids, Mich., earning national championships and numerous gold and silver medals (please see the story at https://www.banderaprophet.com/250723-teen-athlete-dedicates-performance-to-flood-victims.html ).
If Jeffery is named Youth Athlete of the Year, he will be featured in a 3BRAND ad in Sports Illustrated, and take home $25,000, which would help fund future domestic and international competitions. Jeffery, who has limited range of motion and swims without the use of his arms due to congenital condition Radial Dysplasia, has set a goal to compete in the 2028 paralympics.
As of July 28, he was in 9th place. Voting for the top 20 ends Thursday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m.
Go to https://athleteoftheyear.org/2025/matthew-3e81 to vote.
Jeffery, 16, recently returned from competition in Grand Rapids, Mich., earning national championships and numerous gold and silver medals (please see the story at https://www.banderaprophet.com/250723-teen-athlete-dedicates-performance-to-flood-victims.html ).
If Jeffery is named Youth Athlete of the Year, he will be featured in a 3BRAND ad in Sports Illustrated, and take home $25,000, which would help fund future domestic and international competitions. Jeffery, who has limited range of motion and swims without the use of his arms due to congenital condition Radial Dysplasia, has set a goal to compete in the 2028 paralympics.
As of July 28, he was in 9th place. Voting for the top 20 ends Thursday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m.
Go to https://athleteoftheyear.org/2025/matthew-3e81 to vote.