NFF Team of Distinction
Since 2018, the top high school scholar-athlete submitted by each NFF Chapter is recognized as part of the NFF Team of Distinction. The initiative honors the top high school scholar-athletes from around the country and the NFF Chapter Network as the best and the brightest at the local level. The members of the 2024 team all played their final high school season during the 2023-24 school year, and they are being recognized solely for their academic, football and community accomplishments during their high school careers.
Criteria to make the NFF Team of Distinction 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.
From 1991-2017, each chapter's nominee became a finalist for the award before being narrowed down to the five recipients of the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards.
Click Here to See the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Award Recipients from 1991-2017.
Note: The national office only accepts nominations from the chapters.
Local Chapter High School Scholar-Athletes
The NFF Chapters have honored high school scholar-athletes for more than 65 years with the first outposts established in Northern California and Portland, Oregon, in 1959. By the end of 1961, the NFF had launched 70 additional bases throughout the country. Today the NFF Chapters nationwide serve as the local stewards of the NFF’s mission at the grassroots level, promoting and protecting the game for future generations.
Holding annual awards banquets remains a key component of the NFF Chapter Network, and the organization collectively honors more than 3,500 high school scholar-athletes each year. The NFF Local Chapter High School Scholar-Athletes represent the best of the best from the more than 500,000 high school football players at the 5,000 high schools covered by the NFF Chapter Network.
Local committees comprised of administrators, coaches and businessmen from the community make the selections while also raising and distributing more than $1 million in annual scholarships. Criteria for recognition include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accomplishments and community leadership.
NFF Chapters have honored more than 92,000 scholar-athletes since the first chapter banquet in 1959 while distributing more than $25 million in scholarships.
Click here to find a local chapter near you.
