Cobb Schools' Athlete of the Week (AOW) program is a weekly recognition of a male and a female student-athlete that perform at high levels in their sport, in the classroom, and in their school communities. The program is made possible by support from BSN. 

This week's winners are from Kell and North Cobb:

Crystal Henderson, Basketball, Kell

As a four-year starter for the Longhorns, Crystal has a lot of court experience. So much so that she has etched her name in the record books as Kell's all-time leading scorer. She has been named named to All Region, All State, Atlanta Tip-Off Club and received numerous other awards in her past three seasons. She was part of the state runner-up team in 2020, Elite 8 in 2021, and Final Four last season. She was most recently named the Hoops4Hunger MVP this past weekend.

"Crystal is a phenomenal student athlete and an essential part of the Kell Lady Longhorn program," said her proud coach Kandra Bailey. "She truly embodies what it means to be a student athlete. She stepped in freshman year and accepted her role as a leader on the court and has continued to grow and lead through her actions, words, and work ethic."

"She works hard in the classroom and on the court: she is dedicated to being successful at whatever she does. She leads her team vocally on the court, and continues to lead like a captain day in and day out," concluded Coach Bailey.

Damonte Pellot, Basketball, North Cobb

A senior guard and team captain, Damonte has been playing basketball since he was 12 years old. He is a three-year starter for the Warriors and is second in points for the team, as well as rebounds and assists. He is a key to the Warrior's defense and has helped the team get a strong start with a current 5-0 record. In a recent victory over Pope, Damonte scored 16 points, nabbed 6 boards, and contributed 2 assists to the 62-53 victory.

"He is a do-it-all player with a complete skill set," said North Cobb head coach Terry Gorsuch. "Damonte is a great representation of what we want our basketball players to be. He is a solid teammate, an unselfish and talented player as well as a hard worker. He has worked our summer basketball camps as a counselor and has helped with basketball events for the City of Acworth Parks and Recreation."

Damonte is also a great student. "He carries a 3.3 GPA," Coach Gorsuch continued. "He has grown in the classroom much like he has improved as an athlete. He decided to challenge himself academically by taking his first honors classes in his senior year. He is usually a quiet person off the court, yet he is competitive and becoming more vocal as a leader."

Great work, Crystal and Damonte! Congratulations on being recognized as this week's Athletes of the Week. Nice jobs also Kell and North Cobb for encouraging these student-athletes and helping them to become leading young adults on the court and in the classroom.