Phil Raschker didn’t show up in a housedress with curlers in her hair when she accepted the Amateur Athlete of the Year award for metro Atlanta last Monday night. She was dressed to the nines. Below are some photos from the event, plus a press release sent out that gives more details on Phil’s special night.

Here’s the release:

RASCHKER WINS ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL AWARD
ATLANTA (Feb. 11, 2008) – Philippa Raschker, an accountant from Marietta, received the Atlanta Sports Amateur Athlete of the Year Award at the Atlanta Sports Council Annual Awards Dinner today at the Historic Fox Theatre’s Egyptian Ballroom. Created by the Atlanta Sports Council and presented by Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar, the Atlanta Sports Awards honor the most accomplished athletes and teams at all levels throughout the metro Atlanta community.
An elite masters track and field athlete, Raschker competes in several events: 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400 meter run, 80 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole vault, and multievents. Her accomplishments for the past year would be a lifetime achievement for most other athletes: 12 World Records, 31 American Records, 10 World Championship gold medals, and 27 gold medals at the five U.S. National Championship Meets. Raschker has received several accolades recognizing these achievements: Athlete of the Year by Masters Athlete magazine, Outstanding Athlete at the World Championship Tra ck and Field Meet in Italy where over 9000 athletes competed, and Female Masters Track and Field Athlete of the Year in Monaco by the World Masters Athletics Association.
Emceed by Erin Andrews, sideline reporter for ESPN, The Atlanta Sports Awards Dinner honored 11 award recipients who distinguished themselves from the five million people living in the 29 metro Atlanta counties and surrounding areas. That includes all six Atlanta professional sports teams, 14 universities, 12 junior colleges, and more than 250 public and private high schools. Morten Andersen, placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons, presented Raschker her trophy following a video highlighting her performances.
An all-star lineup of athletes, celebrities, coaches and media members honored and recognized the outstanding achievements of the winners during the dinner celebration. Other winners were
· Billy Payne – Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Coca-Cola for bringing the 1996 Olympics to Atlanta
· Ilya Kovalchuk – Professional Athlete of the Year, Atlanta Thrashers (Hockey), presented by SunTrust
· John Smoltz – Sports Person of the Year, Atlanta Braves (Baseball), presented By Georgia-Pacific
· University of Georgia Women’s Gymnastics – Team of the Year presented by The Home Depot for winning its third consecutive NCAA Championship
Aside from the winners, a number of celebrity sports figures were in attendance, including Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, former Georgia football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley, and Georgia Tech head football coach Paul Johnson.
“It’s just astounding to see the quality of superior athletes, both past and present, in the room tonight and they all deserve to be congratulated for their athletic achievements,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Sports Council president. “Events like this continue to underscore Atlanta as a true sports town and we look forward to honoring the accomplishments of local elite athletes for many more years.”
The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development with the goal of building Atlanta’s reputation as the sports capital of the world. Visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com for more information.