For all seasons — Tiger 4x4: four sports, four years

This year's pick for Deseret Morning News' female athlete of the year in Utah County was a no-brainer — she's been a star in every sport she's participated in for several years.

Athlete of the year

Delyse Downey, Orem High Tigers: This pint-size bundle of energy didn't just tackle three sports in her athletic career, she mastered four and in the process earned 16 letters.

In a day and age where athletes are sticking to a single sport more and more, taking on four athletic endeavors every year is a challenge Downey couldn't pass up. Her teammates call her "Peewee," but her diminutive size didn't stop her from accepting the opportunity to take two of those sports to the next level. Downey will next be seen on the Snow College basketball courts and softball diamonds after spurning several offers to play golf at colleges and universities.

Yes, Downey began each of her four high school years on the golf course with the boys and her father, Steve, who happens to be the Tigers' golf coach and athletic director. She was good enough on the driving range and the putting greens that it seemed golf would be her ticket to college athletics.

But that was before she led her team to the basketball state title as a junior and back to the title game as a senior, finally finishing in second place. The point guard was quick and stingy on defense, ran her team with precision and could drive or shoot. She was so good that despite her size, Snow's coaches wanted her to man their hardwood.

But after basketball season ended things really got dicey for "Peewee" and the hair she dyed green for the state basketball tournament. That's when she decided to take on two sports at once.

As the shortstop on the softball team and the third hitter in the Orem lineup, Downey led her team in long balls and put up a wall on the left side of the infield. Her prowess from the plate and from the field impressed the Snow softball coaches, leaving her with some busy times ahead.

"I don't know how she'll do it, but she will," said Steve Downey about his daughter's two-sport collegiate career.

But Downey wasn't able to just focus on her softball during the spring as she had a couple of other things going on just a few yards away in track and field.