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All-America
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An All-American "team" is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players, those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position, who are referred to as All-America or, less precisely, All-American athletes.
ently, the term is used in U.S. team sports to refer to players who are selected by members of the national media.
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Encyclopedia
An All-American "team" is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players, those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position, who are referred to as All-America or, less precisely, All-American athletes.
Term usage
Currently, the term is used in U.S. team sports to refer to players who are selected by members of the national media. The term is used primarily with regard to college and, occasionally (and more controversially), to high school players. Outstanding professional players usually are referred to as All-Stars, or, in the case of professional American football, All-Pros (as opposed to Pro Bowlers, who are selected by players, coaches, and fans to compete in Pro Bowl games).
Selection to an All-America team for high school and collegiate players, however, is honorary in nature, and All-America "teams" do not typically play any games as a unit, unlike many of the all-star teams. Therefore, to be an All-American does not constitute being on a team.
The original use of the term "All-America" seems to have been in reference to a list of college football players who were regarded by the football pioneer, Walter Camp, as the best at their respective positions. Camp first compiled this list in the 1890s.
The United States Army 82nd Airborne Division was given the nickname "All-American", since its members came from all 48 states.
Other uses
The use of the term has been expanded in recent years to honor persons outside of the field of sports, especially informally; for example an individual may be popularly referred to as, an "All-America" level debater, drama coach, or other activity, having nothing to do with athletics.
Additionally, it has been applied to sports in a different way recently in that, Academic All-America teams also are named to honor the academic achievement of student-athletes, whether their sports skills are at an "All-America" level or not. The term "Academic All-America" is a registered trademark of the College Sports Information Directors of America. The organization began the program in 1952 which recognizes college athletes at all levels of competition and in all collegiate sports. Other organizations often misappropriate the term for their respective sport or coaches' association.
This concept of team selection is confined largely to the United States because in almost all other countries, national teams that participate in international competitions play a much greater role in sports culture at both adult and age-restricted levels.
In a broader sense, the term all-American is colloquially used to describe stereotypically clean-cut, mainstream/conventional middle-class people, particularly teenagers and young adults, as used for example in the Bobby Bare song All-American Boy. The professional wrestler Jack Swagger currently using The All-American American as a nickname in the WWE. Wrestling diva Michelle McCool uses her own nickname, The All-American Diva.
Collegiate sports
Each year different sets of All-American teams are recognized toward consensus and unanimous selection recognition. A unanimous selection is a player who is listed as a first team All-American by all recognized lists. A consensus All-American is a player who is listed as a first team All-American by at least half of the recognized lists. Today, the National Collegiate Athletic Association recognizes College Football All-America Teams selected by the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) to determine consensus All-Americans.
Now, there are many All-America teams selected annually in many other major collegiate sports.
Wrestling: In all NCAA and NJCAA divisions the top 8 placers at the national championship tournament are considered all americans.
Swimming and Diving: In NCAA Division I, athletes and relays who make the championship final (top eight) are considered First-Team All-Americans. Athletes and relays that make the consolation final (places 9-16) are considered Honorable Mention All-Americans.
Cross Country: Selections are administered by the United State Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The top 30 overall finishers at the meet, as well as the top 30 American finishers, are all named to the All-America team. The additional rule is explained by the following example: if 14 foreign athletes are among the top 30, then the next 14 American finishers (no matter how slow they might finish) will also earn All-American honors.
Track and Field: Also administered by the USTFCCCA, the selection rules are similar to those of cross country, in that American finishers who finish outside of the top eight in their event but are among the top eight American finishers also earn All-America designation. Relays are judged strictly on a top-eight basis. The cutoff of eight places is the same for both indoor and outdoor competition.
High school sports
At the high school level, the most recognized All-America teams are those selected by Parade magazine in football and the McDonald's restaurant chain in basketball. The McDonald's All-American Team is unlike other All-America awards because it stages an annual game involving these players. Since 2001, the United States Army has sponsored its own All-American Bowl for the top eighty high school football players across the nation.
In 2005, began publishing a Top 100 ranking for nation's the top high school football athletes. The rankings have been featured on Rivals.com, Scout.com, and most recently Sports Illustrated. The is held every January, featuring the top-ranked athletes.
Cross-country athletes who place in the top 15 at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships are awarded All-American.
See also
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