Page 41 - 2022 IHSAA Annual Report

THE IHS A A F OUND ATION THE IHS A A F OUND ATION

THE IHSAA Contest Official Recruitment

and Retention
FOUNDATION The Foundation spearheaded two new
initiatives in 2021-22 aimed at recruiting
and retaining officials.

In the winter of 2022, the Foundation helped
create a pilot program that allowed 240
students across seven member-schools to take
To Build the Future Member-School Grants an elective course on officiating. The course
counted as school credit, and all students who
Though this Annual Report is a synopsis Member-school grants directly impact completed the course received a provisional
of the 2021-22 academic year and sports student-athletes in meaningful ways. In the license to officiate lower-level contests.
seasons, the future of education-based spring of 2022, grant money was directed to
athletics is often referenced. member-schools to send student-athletes to To accomplish its goal of retainment, the
the IHSAA Student Leadership Conference. Foundation directed money to purchase Pictured here is David Cranfill (left) at the Girls
The Association believes a student’s future The funds distributed to schools also allow cutting-edge technology to provide further Basketball State Finals in 2019 with former IHSAA
is brighter when they become a student- them to create their own Student Advisory training and education for its officials. Commissioner Bobby Cox (right). Thanks to the
athlete. Looking at education-based athletics Committee (SAC) and continue the program Investing in the professional development donations to the Foundation in Cranfill’s name,
through this future lens can help qualify into the future. of our more than 6,500 licensed game officials a $1,000 post-secondary scholarship will be
the importance of high school sports in will help ensure their satisfaction in their role given in his memory to one female and one male
the present moment and the urgency we An SAC helps provide students with and improve retention rates. student-athlete each school year in perpetuity.
must operate with as we preserve them for leadership development. Student-athletes
future generations—and that is where the work closely with an athletic director or
Foundation comes in. faculty member to identify projects and AD and Coach Development Coincidentally or not, a true-hearted
goals they want their schools to be involved teammate comes to mind when we
The role of the IHSAA Foundation is to in—adopting and overseeing Unified sports While the Foundation refocused some of its consider what the Foundation means to
ensure the economic viability of education- programs, increasing sportsmanship scores, efforts toward new programs and initiatives the Association—as its primary concern is
based athletics in Indiana. In 2021-22, the or implementing community service projects. in 2021-22, it remained dedicated to funding preserving education-based athletics for
Foundation made a concerted effort to refocus its athletic director and coach development current and future Indiana student-athletes.
funding priorities and initiatives considering program—the InsideOut Initiative.
current and future student-athletes. The adverse treatment of contest officials at
the expense of poor coach and fan behavior This transformational leadership training
has seemingly turned into a national epidemic. program aims to upend the “win-at-all-costs” BREAKDOWN OF
Regardless of causation or correlation, there is a mentality and helps remind athletic directors
shortage of game officials—and, without officials, and coaches that winning comes second to FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
the education-based curriculum cannot be taught. teaching student-athletes valuable life lessons. (SCHOLARSHIP NAME AND TOTAL NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS)

C. EUGENE CATO SCHOLARSHIP 12
Scholarships
DAVID CRANFILL TRUE HEARTED TEAMMATE AWARD 2
Like its AD and coach development
initiatives, the Foundation continued funding BOBBY AND KATHY COX POST-SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIP 4
scholarship programs last year and is thrilled
to have increased its offerings from nine total SPARKS FOUNDATION POST-SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIP 2
scholarships in 2020-21 to 23 scholarships
in 2021-22. PARKER AMET SCHOLARSHIP 1

The increase in scholarship offerings LEE LONZO CHAMPIONS TOGETHER SCHOLARSHIP 2
included the creation of new scholarships and
awards. Among those was the David Cranfill
Truehearted Teammate Award. TOTAL 23

40 INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIA TION Annual Report 2022 41