Helena Zuluaga {courtesy}
A young Parkland athlete is making waves nationally, and her community has a chance to help push her to the finish line.
Nine-year-old Helena Zuluaga, who specializes in tennis and gymnastics, is one of just five children remaining in her group of the Youth Athlete of the Year competition. This online contest highlights young athletes from across the country. Winners will be featured in a Colossal/3BRAND advertisement in Sports Illustrated and receive $25,000 in prize money.Â
The competition also benefits two charities: The V Foundation, which supports the fight against cancer, and the Why Not You Foundation, which empowers young leaders.
Helena’s mother, Ana Zuluaga, tells Parkland Talk that the competition has been a rewarding experience for her daughter. She explained that the current group stage will conclude this Thursday, September 4, and that if Helena finishes first in her group, she will advance to the final round, competing against the winners of the other groups.
Helena herself tells Parkland Talk that she has been blown away by the support she’s received so far and would be grateful for any additional votes moving forward.
“This experience has been amazing because it has shown me that with daily effort I can achieve my goals, not only in sports but in life,” Helena said, adding her initial goals were relatively small compared to what has followed. “Since the competition started on July 28, my mom and I set a goal of getting at least 10 votes every day. Those first 10 votes became a domino effect, with more and more people supporting me, even those who don’t know me personally.”
Votes can be cast daily at Helena’s voting page. Facebook users can vote once every 24 hours at no cost. Additionally, donations made through the site also count as votes and are directed directly to the supported charities.
Helena is no stranger to discipline. Outside of tennis, she has also excelled in gymnastics and track, running a 5K in under 30 minutes at the age of just 7; however, her true passion is tennis. Despite her age, she has already competed in and won tournaments against older players.
She shares with Parkland Talk that she would credit tennis with teaching her discipline, perseverance, and lifelong growth.Â
Her inspirations extend from professional athletes to family. On the court, Helena admires Men’s tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz, noting how he runs for every ball and stays positive no matter the result. Off the court, she looks to her mother as her superhero, saying she demonstrates that dreams require goals, effort, and the right attitude, even on tough days.
Ana hopes Parkland residents will rally behind her daughter. She said, highlighting Helena’s journey not only celebrates her hard work and achievements but also inspires other young athletes in the community.
Voting ends on September 4. Community members can support Helena by visiting her official voting page.Â
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