2026 Portland Press Herald Fall Athlete of the Week: Week 2
Portland Press Herald Launches Weekly “Fall Athlete of the Week” Series for Local High‑School Stars
The Portland Press Herald is turning the spotlight on Maine’s high‑school athletes with a new weekly feature that runs alongside its regular sports coverage. Beginning in September, the paper will name a “Fall Athlete of the Week” every Friday night, starting with Week 2 of the 2026 season.
The program is designed to highlight the hard work and standout performances of local high‑school players. Each week, the Press Herald’s sports writers review games from the prior week and nominate one or more athletes whose play made an impact on the field, court, or rink. Readers can then vote online for their favorite nominee. The athlete who earns the most votes will be announced in the paper the following Sunday.
“We want to give our community a way to celebrate the talent that’s growing right here in Maine,” said a spokesperson for the newspaper. “It’s a simple, engaging format that encourages parents, students, and fans to get involved.”
The feature debuted in Week 1, and the second edition was posted on September 18, 2026, at 4:10 p.m. and updated at the same time. The announcement includes a brief note that the article is accessible to anyone on the site—no subscription is required to view the nominations or vote—but the paper notes that subscribers can receive the entire series, including past winners, in their digital newsletters.
High‑school sports coverage is a major part of the Press Herald’s “Varsity Maine” section, and the new athlete‑of‑the‑week series fits squarely into that tradition. While the program is free to read, the newspaper also promotes its subscription service, noting that subscribers can gift five articles each month.
The initiative is part of the Press Herald’s broader effort to keep high‑school sports in the public eye, a focus that also includes weekly summaries of games, feature stories on standout teams, and coverage of playoff action. With the new series, the paper hopes to build a stronger community around Maine’s youth athletes, giving them the recognition they deserve and fostering local pride in their accomplishments.
The next edition, slated for the following Friday, will again invite readers to vote on the athlete who best exemplifies dedication and skill during the week’s high‑school matchups. The winner will be announced in the Sunday print and online editions, keeping the conversation going and the momentum high for the rest of the fall season.
