For most of us, the high school experience is filled with classes, crushes, college prep and Friday night football games. But for a select group of kids, these formative years are a time to shine, in and out of the classroom, and a pathway to the next level. The 12 athletes awarded the title of Gatorade 2025–26 National Player of the Year represent the country’s best high school student-athletes, chosen from a pool of 610 from every state and Washington, D.C., across football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, cross country and soccer.
Gatorade has handed out honors to high school student-athletes for their accomplishments on and off the field since 1985. The list of former winners is a star-studded club of excellence, featuring Hall of Famers, Olympic medalists, MVPs and all-time greats, including LeBron James, Allyson Felix, Peyton Manning, Candace Parker and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, to name a few.
