Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

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MEDIA INFORMATION February 2, 2005

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director

E-Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

LEE KELLY NAMED DISTRICT III MEDIA SERVICE AWARD WINNER

Lee Kelly, Radio/Television teacher at New Albany High School has been named the 2004-05 recipient of the IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award in District III.

Besides his classroom duties, Kelly also heads the school’s student-run radio station, WNAS, 88.1 FM, and a local cable channel. He has worked with and trained student broadcasters at high school sporting events since beginning his teaching career at the school in 1973.

He will be honored during a special ceremony on Wednesday evening, February 9 during the Louisville Male-New Albany boys basketball game at New Albany High School. IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress and Jeffersonville High School Principal Bill Amerson, a member of the IHSAA Board of Directors, will be on hand to make the presentation.

Following graduation from Sellersburg’s Silver Creek High School in 1965, Kelly began his career at WJCD-AM-FM in Seymour in 1969 and later moved to New Albany’s WREY-AM where he worked from 1970-73.

He has broadcast countless numbers of Bulldogs sporting events in football, volleyball and boys and girls basketball over the years for WNAS as well as Floyd County’s Insight Cable Channel 25. His game calls have also been broadcast on the radio station’s website at http://www.wnas.org/index.php since 2000 so they can be heard around the globe.

Following New Albany High School teams has allowed him to broadcast the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals in 1971, 1973, 1994 and 1996 as well as the 1999 Girls Basketball State Finals and the 2004 Volleyball State Finals.

“My favorite part of the job has always been broadcasting and televising high school sports,” Kelly recently said.

He and his wife of 35 years, Sally, have two children, Dena, 29, and Josh, 23, as well as two grandchildren.

This is the 21st year the IHSAA has recognized an outstanding member of the Indiana media from each of the three IHSAA legislative districts for excellence in the coverage of high school sports. Kelly is the second honoree for this year, joining Tom Byrum, sportswriter for The News-Gazette in Winchester and broadcaster for WZZY Radio in Richmond (District II). The third award recipient for the year (District I) will be announced in coming days.

On behalf of its 398 member schools, the Indiana High School Athletic Association is pleased to salute Lee Kelly and recognize his dedicated service to high school athletics in the state of Indiana by presenting him with the 2004-05 District III Distinguished Media Service Award.

Previous award recipients from District III were:

Jimmie Angelopolous, Indianapolis News, 1984-85

Tom Carnegie, WRTV-TV, Indianapolis, 1985-86

Tom Reck, Terre Haute Tribune-Star, 1986-87

Frank Fisse, Indianapolis Star, 1987-88

Don Jellison, Noblesville Ledger, 1988-89

Jim Jerome, WAXI, Rockville, 1989-90

Mark Schneider, Indianapolis Star, 1990-91

Steve Fields, Greencastle Banner-Graphic, 1991-92

Carl Jones, Terre Haute Tribune-Star, 1992-93

Jim Russell, Indianapolis News, 1993-94

Don Hein, WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, 1994-95

Andy Amey, Terre Haute Tribune-Star, 1995-96

Steve Herman, Associated Press, 1996-97

Michelle Garmon, Tipton Tribune, 1997-98

Ivan Gratz, WISH-TV, Indianapolis, 1998-99

Tom Douglas, Spencer Evening World, 1999-00

Jerry Baker, IHSAA Network, 2000-01

Dan Egierski, WGBF, Evansville, 2001-02

Mark Downey, The Evening World, Bloomfield, 2002-03

Brian Bohne, Ferdinand News, Ferdinand, 2003-04

IHSAA 04-05/28