News
Celebrating Our Coaches
Letter From Commissioner Bobby Cox
In the spring edition of The Spectator, you will find a piece about the important role of a coach in the life of a student-athlete. Stories like this are replicated across our state and nation in every sports season of every year. The special bond that can be created between a coach and a group of student-athletes in an education-based environment is both unique and beneficial. Unique in that window of adolescence when young people are developing their character, belief systems, and aspirations; a superior coach can be a wonderful beacon of experience and direction. Beneficial in the sense of contributions that may be conferred by both the student-athlete and the coach to the betterment of the team and the school community.
The Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach from the University of Tennessee, Pat Summit, once stated, “Coaching is the great passion of my life, and the job, to me, has always been an opportunity to work with our student-athletes and help them discover what they want.” I’m confident that hundreds of our member school coaches adhere to this philosophy and are guiding their pupils to wonderful destinations. It is evident in the breadth and depth of excellence being exhibited by nearly 40,000 student-athletes matriculating annually from our member-schools and their pursuits in the post-secondary space. However, our collective efforts can always be examined for opportunities to search for improvement to yet further enrich the high school experience.
The IHSAA Foundation is engaging in these quests in a concerted effort to create an even better education-based teacher-coach. The Foundation is working toward a partnership with the InSideOut Coaching Initiative created by Joe Ehrmann. This collaboration will allow the IHSAA and its Foundation to provide a critical examination of fundamental questions such as: Why do I coach? Why do I coach the way I do? How does it feel to be coached by me? These fundamental explorations, along with a laser-focused discussion of our vital purposes, promises to develop even better coaches and mentors for our young Hoosiers.
Without question, the interscholastic coach is a keystone figure in the journey travelled by our student-athletes. We take this opportunity to thank the thousands of Indiana high school coaches for spending long hours away from their families to be a leader. We celebrate your extrinsic and intrinsic victories and encourage you to seek even greater heights of success in the future. We acknowledge your efforts and applaud your enthusiasm and vigor.
The great high school coach from Maryland, Morgan Wooten, once stated, “That's the beauty of coaching. You get to touch lives; you get to make a difference. You get to do things for people who will never pay you back, and they say you've never had a perfect day until you've done something for someone who will never pay you back.”
I am enthusiastic about the potential to enhance the education-based athletic experience in Indiana and the herculean efforts being hoisted by our Foundation. I invite you to join in the journey.
Cordially,
Bobby Cox
Commissioner
Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.
Cato Scholarship Winners Honored
Thirteen Indiana high school student-athletes, all of whom were nominated by their school principals, were presented with a $2,500 C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday, April 20th.
The scholarships are presented as part of the annual Brady Awards banquet, a celebratory event presented by Methodist Sports Medicine that recognizes high school and college athletes who, through perseverance, a positive mental attitude, and hard work, have recovered from severe illnesses or injuries.
Congratulations to this year’s Cato Scholarship winners!
2017 IHSAA C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship Award Recipients
Aaron Bennett - Westfield
Courtney Blackwell - Whiting
Logan Bontrager - Center Grove
Nathan Bourne - Angola
Brant Buczkowski - Caston
Brandt Callahan - Bedford North Lawrence
Brayden Chou - Northwestern
Kayla Hawthorne - Indianapolis Crispus Attucks
Harley Sinders - Clay City
Megan Skadberg - McCutcheon
Erin Sullivan - Southport
Janaya Woehnker - Fort Wayne North Side
Mary Jane Zeh - Harrison (West Lafayette)
2016-17 Mental Attitude Award Recipients: Winter
Girls Swimming & Diving
- Lauren Parrish, Fishers
Wrestling
- Gunnar Larson, Avon
Boys Swimming & Diving
- Tyler Harmon, Zionsville
Girls Basketball
- 1A: Brenna Maikranz, Wood Memorial
- 2A: Taylor Drury, Eastern (Pekin)
- 3A: Killian Mountford, South Bend St. Joseph
- 4A: Madisen Parker, Homestead
Gymnastics
- Ashley Holliday, Columbus North
Boys Basketball
- 1A: Jacob Page, Lafayette Central Catholic
- 2A: Keegan Freestone, Frankton
- 3A: Justin Crabb, Twin Lakes
- 4A: RJ Turner, Ben Davis
IHSAA Champions Radio Network Now Offers Baseball
Each year, the IHSAA partners with dozens of radio stations in Indiana to broadcast football, boys basketball, and girls basketball state championship games for fans who cannot attend the games in person. For the first time, IHSAA baseball programming is being offered to all Champions Radio Network affiliates too. In addition, the live baseball draw was streamed exclusively on IHSAAtv.org earlier this spring.
Below is a list of IHSAA Champions Radio Network affiliates broadcasting this year’s baseball tournament. If you can’t attend the games in person, be sure to tune in to the station in your area!
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CITY |
STATION |
||
|
Boonville |
WBNL |
1540 |
AM |
|
Boonville |
WBNL |
97.7 |
FM |
|
Hammond |
WJOB |
1230 |
AM |
|
Hammond |
WJOB |
104.7 |
FM |
|
Hardinsburg |
WKLO |
96.9 |
FM |
|
Indianapolis |
WFNI |
107.5 |
FM |
|
Indianapolis |
WFNI |
1070 |
AM |
|
Jasper |
WITZ |
104.7 |
FM |
|
Jasper |
WQKZ |
98.5 |
FM |
|
Jeffersonville |
WXVW |
1450 |
AM |
|
Michigan City |
WEFM |
95.9 |
FM |
|
Paoli |
WUME |
95.3 |
FM |
|
Plymouth |
WTCA |
1050 |
AM |
|
Plymouth |
WTCA |
106.1 |
FM |
|
Richmond |
WKBV |
1490 |
AM |
|
Rockville |
WAXI |
104.9 |
FM |
|
Salem |
WSLM |
1220 |
AM |
|
Salem |
WSLM |
97.9 |
FM |
|
Seymour |
WZZB |
1390 |
AM |
|
Sullivan |
WNDI |
95.3 |
FM |
|
Washington |
WAMW |
95.9 |
FM |
|
Winchester |
WZZY |
98.3 |
FM |
2016-17 State Champions: Winter
Girls Swimming & Diving
- Team: Carmel
Wrestling
- Team: Brownsburg
Boys Swimming & Diving
- Team: Carmel
Girls Basketball
- 1A: Wood Memorial
- 2A: Eastern (Pekin)
- 3A: South Bend St. Joseph
- 4A: Homestead
Gymnastics
- Team: Valparaiso
Boys Basketball
- 1A: Tindley
- 2A: Frankton
- 3A: Crispus Attucks
- 4A: Ben Davis
A True Story About How High School Sports Can Change a Young Person’s Life:
From shy teenagers who become confident and strong … to teens from single-parent families who learn life skills they have not been taught at home … to tough neighborhood kids who need a strong hand to channel their energy in a positive direction … to vulnerable country kids who have too many temptations and not enough to do … to the thousands of students who mature into responsible young adults as a result of participating in a high school sport, education-based athletics in Indiana are changing lives.
The following story is one of many examples of how high school sports have made a significant difference in a young person’s life. It's one of thousands of examples of the value of education-based athletics in Indiana.
How you doing Coach? During these past couple of months, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on my life and how I’ve managed to get to the point where I am today. You continue to come to mind as a major influence in my life.
I’ll start off by saying, who knows how my life would have turned out if I hadn’t crossed paths with you? During my high school years, you not only coached me on the wrestling mat, but also in life. You exposed me to a lot of things that would later help shape me into the person I am today. As a black kid from the inner city, you opened my mind and changed the direction of my life. I got a chance to see and experience things that my mother was unable to provide for me.
When it came time for me to go to college, you treated me like I was your kid. My mother credited you with getting me out of Gary and ultimately saving my life. I know you may try to be modest and say you didn’t save my life, but think about how violent Gary was during those times. People my age were dropping like flies.
Corey Davis with his wrestling team alongside Head Coach Jim Wadkins.
I also give you some of the credit for helping make me a man. I didn’t have a man in my home to show me the way. You always held us accountable for our actions and didn’t allow us to make excuses. You taught me how to work for what I wanted and helped me develop a work ethic that I’ve since passed on to my own children.
I’m sure you’re wondering where all of this is coming from and why now. As you know, life is short and can be unpredictable at times. I didn’t want either one of us to leave this earth without me letting you know how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me and my family. I know I’m not the best at keeping in touch, but I NEVER forgot where I came from and who played a positive role in my life. You’re at the top of that list.
Thank you for everything, and I love you Coach!
Corey Davis
Calumet High School, Class of 1989
- June 2-3: Boys, Girls, and Unified Track & Field State Finals
- June 2-3: Girls Tennis Team State Finals
- June 9-10: Girls Tennis Singles / Doubles State Finals
- June 10: Softball State Finals
- June 13-14: Boys Golf State Finals
- June 16-17: Baseball State Finals