High School Conference Ends All-League Teams

A Pennsylvania high school league has ended the practice of selecting all-league teams, according to The Express-Times.

Colonial League president Bryan Geist said that the league would stop selecting all-league teams in part because there are other organizations that select their own all-league teams and do a better job of it.

Geist, in an email explaining the decision, told The Express-Times that local media and sports medicine providers recognize student-athletes, adding that the league itself sometimes doesn’t get it right.

“We have devalued the subjective voting process that doesn’t get the correct individuals honored when appropriate,” Geist wrote.

Geist also explained that the all-league team process had negative impacts on student-athletes. The way in which all-league players were recognized — in announcements prior to league playoff games — created rifts with teams and left schools to deal with some disappointed athletes just moments before they were set to compete. 

While that problem may have been addressed simply by changing how all-league players were recognized, Geist said that there were other problems with the practice that trickled down throughout stakeholders.

“There were many other negative impacts on our student-athletes that coaches, administrators and parents had to manage after a release of an all-league team,” he said.

The league will continue to issue different honors, and may consider a replacement for all-league teams moving forward.

“The Colonial League is currently looking at a scholarship program for each of our member schools to replace the all-league team,” Geist said. “This would be giving back to our member schools and providing financial assistance to student-athletes and their families.”