High school soccer athlete earns prestigious award Published March 9, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- C.M. Russell high school junior Nick Downs was announced as the 2011-12 Gatorade Montana Boys' Soccer Player of the Year, Feb. 22. The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic achievement, but high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. Downs scored 14 goals and eight assists to help CMR proceed to the 2011 Class AA tournament. During his junior season, he scored 32 goals and 13 assists. Downs is a two-time All-State selectee, two-time Montana Coaches Association Academic All-State honoree and member of the 2011 Great Falls Tribune Super-State team. He is also a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV Olympic Development Program team. With his 5-foot-8-inch, 140-pound frame Downs, forward for C.M. Russell high, maintains a B-plus average, volunteers locally as a youth mentor and, on behalf of the Kick for Nick charitable campaign, donates his time to coach soccer in exchange for soccer balls to be sent to children in Afghanistan and Iraq. Downs is now eligible for the Gatorade National Boys' Soccer Player of the Year award, to be announced in May. Past winners of this prestigious high school award include Peyton Manning, Kerri Walsh and Dwight Howard. It recognizes state and national winners in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field and cross country for boys and girls. Downs is the son of Mark Downs, general manager of Army and Air Force Exchange Services at Malmstrom Air Force Base, and his wife, Maria. He is only the second CMR student to ever win the prestigious Gatorade award.