NFF Proudly Announces 2023 TEAM OF DISTINCTION
Pictured (clockwise from top left): Five of the 79 members of 2023 NFF Team of Distinction at their respective chapter events (clockwise from top left): Sarah Ball (Willowbrook HS [IL]), Dya'Ron Grundy (Springfield HS [TN]), Isaac Carter (Grove City HS [OH]), Cameron Hammond (Colleyville Heritage HS [TX]) and John Shuster (Windber HS [PA]).
NFF’s Chapter Network recognizes 79 stellar high school scholar-athletes from across the country for their combined performance on the football field, in the classroom and in the community.
IRVING, Texas (June 22, 2023) – From a pool of 3,500 scholar-athletes identified by a nationwide Chapter Network, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the 79 members of the 2023 NFF Team of Distinction. As part of its mission to promote the scholar-athlete ideal, the initiative allows the NFF to honor the top high school scholar- athletes from around the country as the best and the brightest at the local level while highlighting the work of the NFF Chapter Network.
The members of the team all played their final high school football season during the 2022-23 school year. As part of the award, all of the honorees will be part of a permanent digital display at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Criteria to make the team include (but are not limited to) academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement. Each chapter is limited to one honoree, distinguishing them as the top scholar-athlete from all the high schools covered by the chapter.
"This initiative allows us to shine a national spotlight on some of the most deserving high school student-athletes honored at the local level by our expansive Chapter Network," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "This honor is one of the most prestigious national awards that a high school player can receive. We would like to congratulate all 79 honorees for their success on and off the field, especially with the challenges caused by the pandemic during their senior year. We also want to salute all of our NFF Chapters who continue to play an important role in promoting football in their communities."
Since 1954, the NFF Chapters have played an integral role in supporting and promoting the game of football at the amateur level while honoring the top scholar-athletes in their local areas. With more than 12,000 members, the nationwide NFF Chapter Network impacts more than 500,000 student-athletes at 5,000 high schools across the country each year.
The centerpiece of the Chapter Network's efforts are the annual chapter awards banquets, which recognize more than 3,500 of the nation's top scholar-athletes and distribute more than $1 million in scholarships.
2023 NFF Team of Distinction Notes
79 Honorees
35 States Represented
4.0 Average GPA
67 Team Captains
43 All-State Selections
5 Valedictorians
48 National Honor Society Members
9 National Merit Finalists and Honorees
NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter
Cameron Hammond – DE/LB, Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas.
5.22 GPA
Team captain and all-district selection
Member of the National Honor Society and Academic All-State Selection
For the full list of the 2023 TEAM OF DISTINCTION, please go to: NFF Proudly Announces 2023 TEAM OF DISTINCTION - National Football Foundation.