The Ledger-Enquirer High School Girls Athlete of the Week poll winner is . . .
Janyla Russ is the Ledger-Enquirer High School Girls Athlete of the Week, based on our online poll.
She is a junior seter on Carver High School’s volleyball team. In an email to the Ledger-Enquirer, assistant coach Jailyn Shaw called Janyla “the true definition of a student-athlete and a leader. She consistently gives her all both on and off the court.
“On the court, she gives 110%, while showing skill, determination, and sportsmanship against every opponent. She encourages her teammates, keeps a positive attitude, and leads by example, in both games and practice.
“Off the court, Janyla is a stellar student. She understands what it truly means to be a student athlete, by putting her academics first. She balances her athletic and academic responsibilities, which show her strong time management and dedication to her studies. Her teachers and peers see her as a role model who demonstrates responsibility, respect, and commitment.
“Janyla isn’t just a great player; she is the kind of player and teammate both our coaching staff and the other players find a joy to be around.”
We invited the athletics director at each public and private high school in Muscogee County, Harris County, Chattahoochee County, Phenix City, Russell County and Smiths Station to nominate a female athlete for this poll.
Among this week’s six nominees, Janyla received 49% of the 6,660 votes from our readers. Voting started Tuesday and ended at noon Friday. The poll has no limit on the number of times a person can vote. Here are the complete final results:
This story was originally published September 2, 2025 at 12:26 PM.
