Page 49 - 2022 IHSAA Annual Report

OUTREA CH OUTREA CH

OUTREACH Title IX Campaign

This campaign presented the Association
with an opportunity to ask all Hoosiers to join
in celebrating female student-athletes while
simultaneously advocating for high school
Always Reaching Out Influencer Campaigns athletics in Indiana.

Corporate outreach is an organization’s While campaigns and their delivery The Association also made Title IX a focal
involvement and activity within the method vary yearly, in 2021-22, the point at all state tournament events. In
community. Taking that into consideration, Association continued to employ addition, commemorative patches that could
everything the Association does could “influencer campaigns” as an effective be placed on player uniforms were sent to
be classified as outreach since our and economical way to reach audiences. all member-schools, and the Champions
organization exists to serve member- Network produced five original video
schools and their communities. Interestingly, influencer campaigns can segments centered around Title IX.
only be successful through teamwork
Still, the Association puts forth great and collaboration with member-schools. Celebrating Title IX wasn’t only an expression of gratitude to Indiana trailblazers, it was an important
effort and significant resources into In fact, our member-schools act as our reminder of how essential high school sports are in providing opportunities for student-athletes to develop
its outreach campaigns, which intend influencers—we provide them high-quality, and thrive in Indiana.
to educate not just Indiana student- shareable content that is automatically
athletes but every IHSAA stakeholder. routed to their social media channels
with a simple click of a button.
While outreach campaigns vary year to year,
the same values that are taught in the second This means the IHSAA’s almost 200,000 #ThisIsYourIHSAA and Face of
classroom are the same values that inform followers see the campaign content in Sportsmanship
the content of the Association’s outreach addition to all who follow a member-school’s
campaigns, no matter the intended audience. social media channel. The number of If an ethos is the characteristic spirit of Additionally, the Face of Sportsmanship
impressions increase exponentially when a culture, then the #ThisIsYourIHSAA campaign offered a public thanks to the many
content is shared, liked, and reposted. campaign has come to represent the ethos IHSAA contest officials and reminded fans,
Oftentimes, student-athletes can be the ones of the Association. Commissioner Neidig players, and coaches that treating officials
educating their peers and adults on the life originally spearheaded the campaign to with respect is an act of good sportsmanship.
lessons of education-based athletics. The acts communicate that the IHSAA belongs to and
of teamwork, respect, and integrity that are serves all Hoosiers. Campaign deliverables included a customized
constantly on display at Hoosier high school digital toolkit for each member-school,
athletic events inspire much of the IHSAA’s In 2021-22, another driving factor behind the printed posters, Face of Sportsmanship pins,
outreach content. campaign was to sell tickets—specifically by and a parents’ pamphlet outlining how to best
helping member-schools directly sell tickets support student-athletes. The Association
to help fund their athletic departments. is grateful to Ivy Tech for sponsoring the
campaign, now in its 18th year of existence.
The campaign employed influencer social
media content as well as custom-made videos.
In addition, audio PSAs were produced for the
fall, winter, and spring seasons all centered
around a similar message: Support education-
based athletics by buying a ticket and
attending a contest at your local high school.

The Face of Sportsmanship campaign also
returned in 2021-22 slightly reimagined. The
campaign celebrates proper fan conduct at
IHSAA events and sportsmanship in general.
Messaging this year celebrated those student- As a part of the Face of Sportsmanship campaign,
athletes, parents, and fans who do the right the IHSAA provides posters, pins, social media, and
thing, both on the playing field and off it. digital toolkits to all member-schools.

4 8 INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIA TION Annual Report 2022 49