Amado Peña-Gonzalez wins newly named Tatyanna Bailey Courage Award

Austin American-Statesman

Crockett High School's Amado Peña-Gonzalez was the recipient of the newly named Tatyanna Bailey Courage Award Wednesday night at the Austin Area High School Sports Awards, presented by Thomas J. Henry Law.

Thomas J. Henry Law also was the sponsor of the Courage Award.

The Courage Award is always a special award at the ceremony, but on Monday night, it meant a little more.

Austin-area award winners receive their award at the High School Sports Awards at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, June 6, 2023.

During last year's Sports Awards, Bailey, the 2023 winner of the Courage Award, stood on stage and was all smiles, having battled through brain surgery to remove a tumor during her season. She was even cleared to return to play, scoring 12 points in an emotional game for all in attendance.

But in heartbreaking news last summer, Bailey lost her fight to cancer. She was 17 years old.

Bailey was described by coaches and teammates as courageous, which is why the Austin American-Statesman, along with Thomas J. Henry Law, wanted to honor her memory by renaming the award after her.

Amado Pena-Gonzalez: Austin Area High School Sports Awards

And Peña-Gonzalezis a testament of what courage, determination and fight can do for a student-athlete.

Not liking where his life, and his football career, were headed the Crockett senior turned his diet, work ethic, and mentality around, going from 425 pounds to 295.

And it's all paid off.