Rick Maese is an award-winning veteran sports features writer for The Washington Post specializing in stories that transcend sports to connect with and inspire a broader audience. His long-form features have been honored by a variety of organizations, including the Associated Press Sports Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Headliner Awards, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Society for News Design, and the Online News Association, among others. His recent feature on Dan Cates became one of the most popular features of the year in The Washington Post. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and three children.