SILEX – Lincoln County’s very own nine-year-old, Hailynn McIntyre, is one step away from the semifinals of a national competition for Youth Athlete of the Year.

Hailynn’s soccer coach submitted her for the competition in late June of this year.

“Hailynn is unique. Not only is she a skilled player, but she also embodies qualities at a young age that take an athlete from being talented to being great,” her coach stated in nominating Hailynn. “She is coachable, a consistent teammate, driven, a leader, compassionate, kind, and humble. After reading about the competition’s purpose, it felt right submitting her for this, as it aligns with who Hailynn is, she deserves this.”

Youth Athlete of the Year is an online competition that invites young athletes across the country of all skill levels to compete to appear in a Colossal/3 Brand advertisement in Sports Illustrated magazine and take home $25,000 in prize money. Competitors will be supporting two charities during the competition: The V Foundation in its mission to save lives and accelerate Victory Over Cancer, and the Why Not You Foundation in its mission to equip today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders.

“Growing with my teammates and putting in the time and effort to grow myself,” is what Hailynn shared about her love for the sport. “My mom and grandmother are there for everything, they make me feel good about myself. Gracie Lynn, my teammate, is always there to encourage me through the victories and through the mistakes.”

Only weeks away from a winner being announced, Hailynn, with the help of family and friends, has consistently moved ahead in each round. Daily voting helps the competitors to keep moving forward. As Hailynn reaches the final rounds, community support only helps. Voting is free on social media.

“Supporting my granddaughter Hailynn is not just about watching her play soccer, it is about showing her, and other kids in our community, that hard work pays off,” said Hailynn’s grandma, Judy Dunnerman, fondly referred to by Hailynn as Ju Ju. “When we stand behind her, we are telling her we believe in her.”

Youth Athlete of the Year is more than a competition. The nationwide campaign celebrates young athletes who lead with integrity, play with heart, and bring their very best to every game, practice and teammates. This is meant to inspire the next generation to follow their dreams.

As a daddy’s girl from day one, “Hailynn not only has the drive to do her best on the field, she also pushes to help her teammates. She is the most caring girl and big sister a parent could ask for,” said her dad, Mat.

The grand prize winner not only receives a national feature, the athlete will benefit from mentorship and motivational content provided by a star-studded lineup including, but not limited to: Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson, WWE Superstar Thadeous Bullard and NHL standout Macklin Celebrini.

“Let’s come together and show Hailynn that the community is proud of her and has her back,”said Dunnerman.

To vote in the Athlete of the Year competition and support Hailynn go to https://athleteoftheyear.org/2025/hailynn-4ca3.

There is no charge to vote but there is a limit of one vote per day.