Feature Article

May 13, 2013

The 2013 Postseason Awards Guide

By Aaron Brown

The postseason is in full swing, with eight boys teams and eight girls teams surviving to play in the state tournament this upcoming weekend at Stevenson High School. For the rest of the teams, the competition season has come to an end, but there is still plenty to watch for over the next few weeks. The following information is meant to answer any existing questions and hopefully get everyone on the same page concerning the upcoming postseason awards:

All-Sectional Teams

The All-Sectional Teams are voted on by the coaches from each sectional and are usually announced in the middle of this week. In the past two years, I have received and posted this information on Thursday in the week following the sectional playoffs. Individual coaches normally receive this information before I do, so you may find out before Thursday, so I would recommend checking for the awards late in the week.

To my understanding, each coach selects 14 players and the leading vote-getters receive the award. The top seven players make the First Team, the next seven players make the Second Team, and the next seven vote-getters receive an Honorable Mention. There is a specific criteria that states the sectional winning team automatically get four players amongst the Top 14 and the second-place finishers get three players amongst the Top 14. Further, only the players who make the First and Second Team are eligible for the All-State Team, which receives its own category below.

Any questions or inquiries about these awards can be sent to illpolostaff@gmail.com; keep in mind that I am just the messenger posting the results submitted to me. I would be more than happy to answer questions and potentially steer you in the right direction should you have any concerns.

All-State Teams
The All-State Teams are determined by a vote of two coach representatives (16 total coaches) from each sectional on Monday, May 20. As listed above, players who are named to the All-Sectional First and Second Teams are eligible for the All-State Team. 40 players receive the award and the teams are broken into First Team, Second Team, Third Team, and Honorable Mention. Players receiving this award at the All-State Banquet (more information listed below) are also eligible to play in the IWP All-Star Game (more information also listed below) at the end of the season.

All-State Banquet

The All-State banquet takes place on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:00pm at Diplomat Banquets in Elmhurst, IL. The event features a reception, dinner, and awards ceremony (awards are given for All-State, All-Sectional, Hall of Fame, Player of the Year, etc). More information about the event can be located here.

All-Star Game

The IWP All-Star Game takes place at Stevenson High School on Sunday, June 2 beginning at 11:00am. An age-group game will kick the event off at 11:30am, followed by the girls’ All-Star game at 12:45pm, and ending with the boys’ All-Star game at 2:00pm. After the games are over, a reception with pizza, salad, and beverages will be provided free-of-charge to coaches, players, parents, and fans in attendance. The All-State Team members are eligible to play in the game, while any fans can attend to watch the event and participate in the reception. More info about the event can be found here.

All-Illpolo Teams
The All-Illpolo Teams are a separate set of awards given and listed specifically on this site based on season-long performances by players and teams. These are the opinion of the site and are only as official as you choose to make them. They will be posted in the week following the state tournament.

Rankings
The rankings for the 2013 season are nearly complete, but there is still plenty that could change based on the results of the state tournament. Check the latest rankings that were posted on Sunday night and check again when they are finalized after this coming weekend’s festivities.

Upcoming Updates

-Rankings (Sunday)

-Sectional Super Ballers (Sunday)

-Sectional Champions Gallery (Sunday)

-The Postseason Awards Guide (Monday)

-All Sectional Teams (Monday)

-Sectional Ballers (Tuesday)

-The State Tournament Weekend Guide (Tuesday)

-State Tournament Game Previews (Wednesday)

-Players to Watch: State Tournament Edition (Wednesday)

-State Tournament Coverage (Thursday-Saturday)

-Final Rankings (Sunday)

-State Tournament Ballers & Super Ballers (Sunday)

-All State Teams (Tuesday)

-All Illpolo Teams (Monday-Wednesday)

-Illpolo.com Postseason Awards (Thursday)

Donations

Donations (including sponsorships and advertising) are a helpful way to keep Illpolo.com going strong. The site is a voluntary endeavor that attempts to provide the best water polo coverage possible, so please consider helping keep the site afloat by making a generous donation if you enjoy the free coverage. Also keep in mind that the site is once again nearing the one MILLION page view mark for a three-month season, so a donation (that can also include an ad on the site) might be a positive way to spread the word about your respective club, team, business, etc. while ensuring players get recognized and information about IL high school water polo is always available. Click the following link for more information on how to donate.

Best of luck in the postseason and beyond,

Aaron Brown

illpolo.com