Gatorade Player of the YearState Winners Selection ProcessEach year, from the nominations received, a total of 10 athletes from each state and the District of Columbia are selected in football, volleyball, baseball, softball, and boys' and girls' basketball, soccer, and track and field. State winners are selected not only for their outstanding athletic performance, but for academic achievement and individual character.
The selection process is administered by Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director magazine, which works with sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of top prep sports writers to determine the state winners in each sport.
All state winners are eligible to be named a Gatorade National Player of the Year in their respective sport.
Player of the Year Advisory BoardThe Gatorade Player of the Year program is administered by Coach & Athletic Director magazine. The magazine, along with the Gatorade Advisory Board, vote on and decide the national and state athletes of the year.
The media advisory board consists of the following:
* Larry Ames, Ventura County Star
* David Baron, Houston Chronicle
* Bill Buchalter, Orlando Sentinel
* Doug Fritz, Johnson City Press
* John Gillooly, The Providence Journal
* Doug Huff, Student Sports Inc.
* Kurt Kragthorpe, Salt Lake City Tribune
* Chris Lawlor, USA Today
* Bruce Moran, Newark Star-Ledger
* Stu Pospisil, Omaha World-Herald
* Bobbi Roquemore, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The sports chairs consist of the following:
* Baseball – Allan Simpson
* Boys Basketball – Joe Terranova
* Girls Basketball – Mike Flynn
* Football – Tom Lemming
* Boys Soccer – Gene Chyzowych
* Girls Soccer – Shannon Cirovski
* Softball – Doug Huff
* Boys Track – Jack Shepard
* Girls Track – Mike Kennedy
* Volleyball – Barbara Boskovich