Kubb All-American Team 2023

Welcome to year three of the Kubb On All-American team! This year my motto is, “better late than never.” As a quick reminder, an All-American designation is an annual honor bestowed upon amateur athletes playing in National Collegiate Athletics Association sports who were deemed to have the best season at their respective positions. These lists are picked by veteran sports writers from many national publications. A few years ago, I thought that I should bring this concept to kubb. It’s meant as a fun offseason activity to highlight others and get people talking. This year, I’m sorry it’s so late. 

Remember, this is just one man’s opinion and I’m using criteria I came up with on my own that I feel keeps it fair and consistent when comparing players from all over the country. Is it perfect? No. Can it be improved? Probably. Does this list need to be the only one? No! Let’s recognize those folks that were left off my list. There are so many deserving players that this year I decided to do a First Team and Second Team. That’s double what I did last year, but it’s still only fourteen people out of our entire kubb community.

How it works

Skip ahead to the team picks

The minimum criteria for selection to my list is that each selected player must have three, top-three finishes in the calendar year. I felt that this was fair because it is similar to other sports having a minimum number of appearances or at-bats or innings pitched to be eligible for postseason awards. My criteria also does not care how big or small a tournament had to be to be considered a top-three finish at a tournament. I considered all tournaments. Big ones, small ones, scramblers, virtual leagues, in-person leagues, everything was considered. I decided all tournaments, regardless of where played, count towards the player resumes. Lastly, and most obvious, you need to be American.

Then I started to consider, how to select a team? Naturally, I decided on selecting six players for my All-American team. One player for each baton on my team. I decided to name two blasters, two 8 meter players, and then have two flex positions. Think of the flex as the flex on a fantasy sports team. They can be that flexible player that can do it all, be an extra 8 meter player, or an extra blaster—whatever we need them to be. 

I also decided to pick two players to distinguish as the best inkastare for each team. These players can be repeat players (They could also be selected as a blaster or 8 meter player inkastare.) or they can be selected in just the inkastare position. 

2023 First Team

Now with the refresher out of the way, here’s the 2023 First Team…

The previous high mark for total first place finishes in a season was nine, and it was set last year by Adam Holtz. In 2023, both men finished the season with 11 first place finishes, which is a new record! It is fitting that these teammates would share this honor as their seasons share many of the same successes. If we did a Team of the Year, it would GloriHoltz. Cody and Adam once again dominated kubb all over the country. Sweeping all three Kubbapalooza games, winning in the Northwoods Kubb Classic, and winning the East Coast Kubb Championship were some of the major championship highlights of their 2023 season. Cody did more than just dominate podiums with Adam, he also won with others. He won the Illinois Kubb Champioship with me, Jesse Fraim. He won the Blasters with Bob Hickes and won the Atlantic Kubb Tour. This is Cody’s second consecutive All-American selection.

Joe’s 2023 season consisted of one championship highlight, winning the Stoughton Invitational, but this dedicated lefty (and the rest of Flux Capacitors for that matter) is always fighting for a spot on the podium. Joe had impressive podiums from heavyweight tournaments like the U.S. Kubb Open, the Eau Claire Kubb League, and Dallas Oktoberfest. Joe has proven himself to be one of the very best blasters and inkastares each and every season. This is his second All-American selection in the first three years of the award. 

Matt is the most liked man in kubb. That is, until you see him on the other side of the pitch playing against you. He’s a man that can do it all and this Utility selection is meant as a badge of honor! He can blast and he’s done that for many seasons! A few years ago, he re-dedicated himself to the game and decided to become a better eight-meter player. Over the course of the last few years, few people have been more consistent than him with eight-meter shots. Don’t let him fool, this man can inkast too! His 2023 highlights show off his diversity in skills. He continues to show up, put his team in the best position to win (regardless of what his role will be), and continues to find podium finishes regardless of who he’s playing with. This is Matt’s second consecutive selection to the All-American team.

Many would say Chad is an 8 meter guy, and he made the 2022 team is an 8 meter player. On my team, Chad would be throwing a whole lot of 8s but I also know he is a more than capable short game player. He proved this during the U.S. Kubb Open when he found himself clearing piles and giving Cory batons to clear baseline kubbs. While many of us specialize in one specific area, Chad is capable at being successful in any role you put him in. His 2023 championship highlight is the Dallas Oktoberfest tournament but he also had very solid finishes at the U.S. Kubb Open, Kubbing to Kick Cancer, and the Northwoods Classic. This is Chad’s second consecutive selection to the All-American team. 

Nine championships wasn’t enough for Adam. In 2023, he ended the year with 11 total championships. He also added a second and third place finish. Adam was one half of the famed team, GloriHoltz, that won almost every tournament not taking place in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He’s one the nicest players you will meet off the pitch, but one of the fieriest competitors on it. His championship highlights include a sweep of the Kubbapalooza Games, the East Coast Kubb Championship, Wisconsin State Championship, Northwoods Classic, and Dallas Oktoberfest. This is Adam’s third consecutive All-American team selection. He is the only player to be named in every list.

Playing under the Chaska banner, Trevor has separated himself from many in the kubb crowd and is a proven player on the national scene. He plays with confidence, charisma, with a touch of care-free play sprinkled in. He has risen to an elite level inkastare, a clutch 8 meter thrower, and a force to be reckoned with. His championship highlights include the very competitive Great Lakes 1v1, The Pre, and the U.S. Kubb Open. That’s a 1v1 tournament, a three-man tournament, and a two-person only tournament. No matter what the format is, you know you are going to have a knock-down, drag-out fight when Trevor Bailey is involved. This is Trevor’s first selection to the All-American team.

Gregg qualified for selection by winning the Kubb City Scramble with Eric Anderson in December. He also won the Eau Claire Kubb League in fall. Last July, the five-time U.S. Champion was runner-up to Kubboom Jr in the big dance. If he’s elgible, you can’t keep him off your list. What can you say about Gregg that hasn’t already been stated? Nothing. He could just as easily be listed under any of the other positions. But in 2023 there was no one better at throwing the blocks than him. This is Gregg’s second consecutive selection to the All-American team.

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2023 Second Team

Bob dominates East Coast kubb—that is a fact. He has had an opportunity to come out to the Midwest the last couple of years and compete in some of the more established tournaments. In 2023, he had a second place finish the highly competitive Great Lakes 1v1. He finds himself just outside of the first team with an impressive eight top-three finishes.

Some view JP as more of utility player, but he can blast for my second team. He’s the type of player that isn’t afraid of any kind of shot. He just wants to win! Blast, cleanup, 8 meter, it doesn’t matter. Put him in, coach, he’s ready to play! JP finds himself just outside of the First Team with impressive wins at The Pre and U.S. Kubb Open.

Bryce has been around for a few seasons, but really started to shine this past season. He has the skills to consistently knock down 8s but he can help your team in just about every way. He found himself a win in Superior at the start of the year and continued to land on the podium throughout the summer. 

Spencer travelled and played all over in 2023. He found himself on quite a few podiums during the summer, and not just in Wisconsin, but all over the Midwest. When you isolate him on 8s, there are few as consistent as Spencer. He also has the skills to blast or clean up if you need. He also is better than many at tossing the blocks, so he finds himself in the utility spots on my second team. 

You’ll always find John right at the heart of Chaska Kubb. He’s been a mainstay in the club for many years. But in the last few years, John has been playing more and more with his sons Nathan and Zach and is still finding ways to dominate the competition. It’s been a ton of fun to watch John mentor, teach, and provide guidance to his sons. This family team will be tough to beat for years to come. The Omans won Kubb on a Stick and the Twin Cities Kubb League. John was also on other Chaska teams that finished on the podium and he snagged second at the World 1v1. He’s been tremendous at 8 meters for years, but gives way to his sons when the time is right. He can blast with the best of them and is a very underrated inkastare. Both of the Chaska talents on this list could easily have made the First Team.

Julian has been a consistent top talent for years, but has had limited opportunities to qualify for the All-American list because of the three podium minimum. Julian has been on a big run during Keystone Kubb’s Virtual Kubb League, winning the whole thing in the spring. He also won the West Coast Kubb Championship, however his biggest accolade is his team’s third place finish in Eau Claire. He’s known in kubb circles as one the best and most consistent 8 meter players in recent history, and has already had many big time matches while playing at the U.S. National Kubb Championship. It will be hard for him to make the First Team in most years as he has very limited opportunities to qualify.

There are many great inkastares as our sport continues to grow. Gordon has made the list two years in a row as a Utility player. Few other players are more consistent at 8 meter than Gordon and he can also handle any pressure clears. No team is complete without him on the roster. With my second team, I want him throwing my blocks. 

Runner Up to National Player of the Year: Cody Glorioso

He had the same amount of first and second Place finishes and one more third place finish than Adam, however both Cody and Adam shared many of those finishes as GloriHoltz. So how do you differenate the two? Adam had a few more high profile podiums than Cody, but it was really close. Adam being on the winning teams in Kubbing to Kick Cancer, Wisconsin State Championship, and Dallas pushed him ahead of Cody.