Page 9 - 2016 IHSAA Annual Report

A Letter from the Commissioner

“Optimism is the faith that leads to

achievement. Nothing can be done without

hope and confidence.” -H el e n K el l er

Advisory Committee, our featured speakers and numerous volunteers for
staging yet another inspiring and educational day for our student leaders. The
IHSAA Officials Summit continues to grow and develop into a valued teaching
and learning experience for both our contest officials and our staff. The
articulation achieved during this conference provides valuable insight and
creates a vision for the future of contest administration.

Again, it was an honor for the Association to present 13 C. Eugene Cato
Memorial Scholarships to truly outstanding seniors last spring during the
Brady Sports Achievement Awards Dinner. These grants along with the 42
mental attitude awards totaled nearly $75,000 bestowed to deserving young
people in our state.

I am humbled to report that our Unified Sports® Track and Field program
has doubled in size and now over 75 schools participate in this evolving
program. Our sincere gratitude is extended to Special Olympics Indiana for
their partnership and continued enhancements of our Champions Together
program. During the past two years, over 85 schools have conducted assem-
blies in efforts to display the beauty of inclusion.

Finally, I am thrilled to share with you the beginning of the IHSAA Founda-
tion. The infrastructure for this new endeavor has been created. An appointed
Board of Directors eagerly awaits the opportunity to grow this philanthropic
organization that will augment and enhance the interscholastic athletic
experience in our state. In time, the Foundation will not only provide the
funding for our scholarship program and our mental attitude recognitions,
but will also become a resource for our member-schools to request subsidy for
programs involving sportsmanship, citizenship and inclusion.

As the IHSAA concludes its 112th year of service to the students of Indiana
and enthusiastically looks to the future, I am reminded of the inspiring words
of Helen Keller who once stated “Optimism is the faith that leads to achieve-
ment. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” I invite you to join us
on a journey filled with optimism as we continue to promote the unconditional
value of education-based athletics in the great state of Indiana.

Cordially,
Bobby Cox
Commissioner
Indiana High School Athletic Association

INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIA TION Annual Report 2016 9