The Board of Control conducted its final meeting of the 2012-13 academic year at the KHSAA Offices in Lexington on Tuesday. Among the items discussed, the Board of Control approved a draft for new alignment in Track and Field, selected a new site for the Ebonite/KHSAA Bowling State Championship, and approved a recommendation to elevate Assistant Commissioner Butch Cope to Associate Commissioner.

The new proposed alignment for Track and Field, which was last aligned in 2008-09, places approximately 35% of schools in Class 1A, 40% of schools in Class 2A, and the top 25% of schools in Class 3A based on enrollment figures. The new alignment was created with the aim that larger schools have an inherently higher probability of having multiple athletes in different events and should compete more among themselves (as in football), but also recognizes that many of the smaller schools do not field a full team and would not necessarily need to have as few schools in Class 1A. Documentation on the complete realignment is available on the Track and Field page at KHSAA.org. There was also recognition that trying to control travel was of primary concern, even if regions end up with an unbalanced number of teams.

The Board approved a recommendation for a venue rotation for the Ebonite/KHSAA State Bowling Championship. Beginning in 2013-14, the bowling state tournament will move to Collins Eastland in Lexington, after the first two championships were held at Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville. The KHSAA will enter into a one-year agreement with Collins Eastland, with a provision for a second year upon review, and continue to evaluate other venues throughout the state for future championships.

“With the growth of Bowling as a sport-activity, we realize that there are a limited number of venues across the state that can hold the state championship, but we want to continue to explore those options,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett.

Currently in his 19th year with the Association, Cope came to the KHSAA in 1995 as Sports Information Director, and was promoted to Director of Promotions and Media Relations in 2002. Elevated to Assistant Commissioner in 2008, Cope’s day-to-day sport responsibilities include overseeing Volleyball, Baseball and Competitive Cheer, in addition to corporate partner recruitment and fulfillment.

“Butch’s longevity with the KHSAA and interpersonal skills will be a valuable asset as we continue to expand his role within the Association,” said Tackett.

Cope also supervises the KHSAA Hall of Fame, Sportsmanship Recognition Program, Event Novelties, NFHS Student Leadership and HYPE Student Conference, while serving as second in command at the boys’ and girls’ Sweet Sixteen® Tournaments. A 1986 graduate of Marshall County High School, Cope earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing in 1990 and a master’s degree in sports management in 1995, both from the University of Kentucky.

In other action taken during Tuesday’s meeting:

●The Board chose at this time not to introduce a proposal for the full annual meeting to lower the number of games played in various team sports, but will continue to evaluate the current standards in place after surveying its membership.

●The Board approved the financial audit of fiscal year 2011-12, and approved the Association’s working budget for 2013-14.

“I was pleased with the results of our financial audit, especially in a school year (2011-12) when the revenue in our marquee events was down,” added Tackett.
 

– KHSAA –
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

KHSAA Tennis, Track and Field State Championships Approaching

Tennis regional tournaments got underway over the weekend, and will continue through Friday, May 10th leading up to the 2013 KHSAA Tennis State Championships (May 15-18). Four singles players and four teams of doubles will advance from each of the 16 regions to make up the 64-person state bracket in boys’ singles, girls’ singles, boys’ doubles and girls’ doubles.

The winning team from each region will advance to team sectional play, which will be held the Saturday prior to the State Tournament (May 11). The winning sectional teams (four boys’ teams and four girls’ teams) will advance to the semifinals at UK’s Boone/Downing Tennis Complex on Wednesday, May 15. The boys’ team finals will be held Thursday, May 16th at the Boone/Downing Tennis Complex at 6 p.m., with the girls’ team championship decided on Friday, May 17th at 6 p.m.

Singles and doubles competition runs May 16-18, with Thursday’s bracket play split between Shillito Park and the Boone/Downing Tennis Complex. The boys’ singles and doubles competition will be held at Shillito Park on Thursday, with the girls’ singles and doubles events taking place at the Boone/Downing Tennis Complex. All matches on Friday and Saturday will be played at the Boone/Downing Tennis Complex. Complete brackets for the state tournament will be released Monday, May 13th following the seeding meeting at the KHSAA Offices.

With the 2013 KHSAA Track & Field State Meet less than two weeks away, postseason competition begins tomorrow with the first regional meet at Bardstown High School. A complete list of regional sites is available at: http://khsaa.org/track/2013/regionalmanagers.pdf.

The 2013 KHSAA Track & Field State Meet will take place May 17-18 at UofL’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park in Louisville. The 2013 State Championships open with the Class 2A meet at 3:15 on Friday, May 17. The Class 1A meet will begin at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, followed by the Class 3A meet at 3:45 p.m.
 

Sweet Sixteen® Championship Programs Available For Purchase Online

Fans interested in obtaining a commemorative copy of the 2013 KHSAA Boys’ or 2013 Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® Championship programs can visit TheBookPatch.com to place an online order. The KHSAA is utilizing TheBookPatch.com to provide a full-color ($19.00) and black-and-white ($5.00) program from the boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments for interested collectors. A direct link to purchase the programs is available on the KHSAA.org homepage. The KHSAA will offer programs from its other championships through TheBookPatch.com as they become available.

Credential Applications Open For Spring Championships

Applications for media credentials for each of the KHSAA’s 2013 Spring Championships are now being accepted online. Interested media members can apply for credentials online by going to credentials.khsaa.org, and following the link to “Request Spring Sports (TN, TR, FP, BA) Credentials.”
 

– KHSAA –
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

Beechwood’s Alexis Hunter and Monroe County’s Chad Wilson were honored as the statewide winners of the 2013 Forcht Bank/KHSAA Sportsmanship Recognition program at the 17th annual awards banquet on Sunday in Lexington. Hunter and Wilson were each awarded a $3,000 scholarship, and were chosen from a pool of 32 regional winners. Each regional winner received a $350 scholarship, along with an award from Forcht Bank and the KSHAA.

This marks the 17th year for the Sportsmanship Recognition program, which is open to all seniors that have participated in athletics and/or sport activities (cheerleading, bowling, archery and bass fishing). One male and one female are recognized from each school, with the local school honorees narrowed down to 32 regional winners, one male and one female from each of the 16 regions. To qualify for consideration in the program, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, verification of no game disqualifications for unsportsmanlike conduct, and be involved in leadership roles within the community.
 

2013 FORCHT BANK/KHSAA SPORTSMANSHIP RECOGNITION PROGRAM REGIONAL WINNERS
Region 1 – Noah Steele (Marshall County), Catherine Miller (Paducah Tilghman)
Region 2 – Cameron Brandon (Caldwell County), Jamie Gray (Lyon County)
Region 3 – Cody Meinhardt (Edmonson County), Sierra Fields (Butler County)
Region 4 – Chad Wilson (Monroe County), Tayler McMurtrey (Metcalfe County)
Region 5 – Ian Black (Elizabethtown), Brittanie Mahanna (North Hardin)
Region 6 – Hunter Wood (Bullitt East), Victoria Dircksen (Mercy)
Region 7 – Ryan Long (Christian Academy-Louisville), Katharine Joss (Christian Academy-Louisville)
Region 8 – Deric Hyman (Shelby County), Natalie Newman (North Oldham)
Region 9 – Dexter Smith (Lloyd Memorial), Alexis Hunter (Beechwood)
Region 10 – Tanner Kelsch (Augusta), Andrea Porter (Scott)
Region 11 – Raymond White (Model), Riley Davis (Woodford County)
Region 12 – Landry Woods (Wayne County), Tori Gray (Mercer County)
Region 13 – William Lewis (Harlan County), Kari Beth Corum (Clay County)
Region 14 – Austin Pray (Perry Co. Central), Cassidy Spencer (Wolfe County)
Region 15 – Ethan Rowe (Pikeville), Sarah Dawahare (Pikeville)
Region 16 – Johnathan Burke (Fairview), Jordan Gillum (Greenup County) 
 

– KHSAA – 
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

First KHSAA Bass Fishing State Championship This Weekend At KenLake Marina

The first-ever KHSAA Bass Fishing State Championship will take place this weekend (April 26-27) at the KenLake Marina in Hardin. Forty-five teams advanced from the four regional tournaments to the state championship, which begins Friday morning with the opening day boat launch at 7 a.m. (CT). Each two-person team is allotted eight hours on the lake, with the weigh-in beginning at approximately 3 p.m.

The tournament format will be repeated on Saturday, with the boats launching in reverse order from day one. Each team can turn in a maximum of five fish each round, with each day’s catch counting towards the team’s total for the competition. All fish will be kept in a live well once caught and released immediately following the weigh-in. Trophies and medals will be given to the top three team finishers, in addition to a Big Bass award and the Kentucky National Guard Best of the Brightest, and Forcht Bank/Kentucky National Insurance Uncommon Excellence honors.
 

Year’s Top Officials Honored At KHSAA Officials Recognition Banquet

On Sunday, the KHSAA honored the top officials for 2013 at the Association’s 20th Annual Officials Recognition Banquet. The ceremony, conducted at the KHSAA Offices, honored the top three finalists for each sport in which the KHSAA licenses officials. The finalists for each sport are listed below, along with the top official for the 2012-13 academic year (in bold).

Baseball – Brian Napier (Hazard), Manny Gonzalez (Lexington), Randy Ross (Morehead)
Basketball – Tim O’Hara (Newport), Dale Conn (Harold), Kevin Hembree (Middlesboro)
Football – Marion Crutcher (Vine Grove), Toby Durham (Somerset), Joe Woods (Lexington)
Soccer – John Smith (Louisville), Athanasios Mastoroudis (Sonora), Ja Osterhage (Villa Hills)
Softball – Kenny Clark (Worthington), Jason Alexander (Glasgow), David Benson (Henderson)
Swimming & Diving – Bill Sherrard (Taylor Mill), Alan Hall (Russellville), Ray Stoess (Louisville)
Track & Field/Cross Country – Patty Rouse (Elizabethtown), Buddy Dittus (Burlington), Peter Urda (Louisville)
Volleyball – Rebekah Button (Bowling Green), Matt Costello (Louisville), Adell Kemper (Lexington)
Wrestling – Joe Cattan (Louisville), Robert Johnson (Wilder), Jason Sedoris (Louisville)
Larry G. Boucher, Jr. Supervisor of the Year – Paul Pietrowski (Corbin)
 

iHigh To Broadcast KHSAA Baseball-Softball Draw Show Tuesday Afternoon 

The Draw Show for the 2013 Forcht Bank/KHSAA Baseball and Rawlings/KHSAA Softball State Championships will air tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. (ET) on KHSAA.tv. Brackets with complete pairings will be posted to the Riherds/KHSAA Scoreboard and the KHSAA website immediately following the conclusion of the program.

The 2013 Forcht Bank/KHSAA Baseball State Tournament will be held June 3-8 at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington, with the 2013 Rawlings/KHSAA Softball Championships taking place June 6-8 at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro.

– KHSAA – 
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.
 

After reviewing the 2013 KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16®, the Board of Control voted today in favor of a proposal to move the championship games of the boys’ and girls’ Sweet 16® to Sunday starting in 2014. The format change allows for the semifinals to be conducted as a standalone event on Saturday, and gives the participants more time to prepare and recuperate leading up to the championship game. 

“We examined the format of our basketball tournaments from a number of different perspectives, and in the end, felt like it was time to move the championship game to Sunday. Separating the championship game from the semifinals, really makes an event out of the Saturday games for those final four teams,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “We think the added rest leading up to the championship game will not only benefit the health and safety of the students, it will also have an impact on the quality of play, and provide coaches a chance to better prepare their teams for the most important game of the year.”

The new format was applied for the first time at the 2013 KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® because of a scheduling issue with the University of Kentucky playing Florida at Rupp Arena on the same day as the KHSAA semifinals. A record crowd of 20,172 turned out to watch the Boys’ Sweet 16® Semifinals on Saturday night between Madison Central-Hopkinsville and Ballard-Montgomery County, with 17,351 fans returning for the first-ever championship game on a Sunday – the largest crowd for a title game since 2009.

In other action taken during Monday’s meeting:

●The Board of Control approved a measure to move the championship match of the KHSAA Volleyball State Tournament to Sunday. Prior to the format change, volleyball was the only KHSAA sport required to play three complete rounds of play in the winner’s bracket on the same day during the state tournament. Starting in 2013, the first round will be played on Friday, followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals on Saturday. The championship match will be played on Sunday, allowing for additional rest for the participants, likely resulting in improved quality of play for all teams involved.

●The Board of Control confirmed President-Elect Bill Beasley (KDE Appointed Member, Henderson/Paducah) as Board President for 2013-14, and voted Carrell Boyd (Superintendent Caldwell County schools) as its President-Elect for the upcoming year.

●The Board of Control approved a motion for changes to the date and location for the KHSAA Competitive Cheer Championships. Beginning with the 2013-14 academic year, the Competitive Cheer Championships will be held the second week of December and relocated to Alltech Arena in Lexington.
 

– KHSAA –
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.
 

2013 KHSAA Hall of Fame Class To Be Honored Saturday

The KHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2013 will be honored at the Association’s annual banquet on Saturday, April 13th at the Lexington Center’s Bluegrass Ballroom. The nine-member Class of 2013 features Pascal Benson (football, baseball and basketball), Julie Ditty (tennis), Tyson Gay (track and field), Burney Jenkins (officiating), Roger Klein (tennis), Frank Miklavcic (track and field, and cross country), Ron Myers (baseball), Jaime Walz Richey (basketball) and John Dee Wilson (basketball).

The Hall of Fame banquet will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction and social hour, followed by dinner and the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets to the banquet are $60 each and can be purchased by contacting the KHSAA by phone at (859) 299-5472. Full 10-person tables are also available for purchase at a discounted rate of $500.
 

Regional Winners Announced For 2013 Forcht Bank/KHSAA Sportsmanship Recognition Program

Thirty-two regional winners have been selected as part of the 2013 Forcht Bank/KHSAA Sportsmanship Recognition program, and will now be eligible for consideration for the statewide scholarship. Each regional winner will receive a $350 scholarship, an award from Forcht Bank and the KSHAA, and an invitation to the Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 28. One male and one female from the pool of regional honorees will be selected as the statewide winner at the Awards Banquet, with each winner receiving a $3,000 scholarship.

This marks the 17th year for the Sportsmanship Recognition program, which is open to all seniors that have participated in athletics and/or sport activities (cheerleading, bowling, archery and bass fishing). One male and one female are recognized from each school, with the local school honorees narrowed down to 32 regional winners, one male and one female from each of the 16 regions. To qualify for consideration in the program, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, verification of no game disqualifications for unsportsmanlike conduct, and be involved in leadership roles within the community.

2013 FORCHT BANK/KHSAA SPORTSMANSHIP RECOGNITION PROGRAM REGIONAL WINNERS
Region 1 – Noah Steele (Marshall County), Catherine Miller (Paducah Tilghman)
Region 2 – Cameron Brandon (Caldwell County), Jamie Gray (Lyon County)
Region 3 – Cody Meinhardt (Edmonson County), Sierra Fields (Butler County)
Region 4 – Chad Wilson (Monroe County), Tayler McMurtrey (Metcalfe County)
Region 5 – Ian Black (Elizabethtown), Brittanie Mahanna (North Hardin)
Region 6 – Hunter Wood (Bullitt East), Victoria Dircksen (Mercy)
Region 7 – Ryan Long (Christian Academy-Louisville), Katharine Joss (Christian Academy-Louisville)
Region 8 – Deric Hyman (Shelby County), Natalie Newman (North Oldham)
Region 9 – Dexter Smith (Lloyd Memorial), Alexis Hunter (Beechwood)
Region 10 – Tanner Kelsch (Augusta), Andrea Porter (Scott)
Region 11 – Raymond White (Model), Riley Davis (Woodford County)
Region 12 – Landry Woods (Wayne County), Tori Gray (Mercer County)
Region 13 – William Lewis (Harlan County), Kari Beth Corum (Clay County)
Region 14 – Austin Pray (Perry Co. Central), Cassidy Spencer (Wolfe County)
Region 15 – Ethan Rowe (Pikeville), Sarah Dawahare (Pikeville)
Region 16 – Johnathan Burke (Fairview), Jordan Gillum (Greenup County)
 

– KHSAA –
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

First-Ever KHSAA Archery Championships Begin Today In Louisville

The inaugural KHSAA Archery State Championships begin this week (March 18-19) at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville (221 Fourth Street). In its first year as a KHSAA-sponsored sport activity, the Association has partnered with the KY National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) to manage the KHSAA State Championship in conjunction with the National Field Archery Association Championships in Louisville.

The competition begins at 3 p.m. on Monday, with Tuesday’s action scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Over 1,000 student-athletes are expected to participate in the event, as qualifiers for the tournament include the regional team champions and all squads that scored over 3,000 points at the regional competition. Male and female individuals placing 1st through 5th also qualified for the KHSAA State Championship.

Tickets to the event are $5 per day as set by the NASP, with kids under 12 admitted free. For more information visit khsaa.org or nasptournaments.org.

Kentucky High School Volleyball Teams Raise $7,724 For The Side-Out Foundation

Franklin County, Atherton and Boyd County High Schools raised a total of $7,724 for The Side-Out Foundation in 2012 through their Dig Pink® fundraising events. The Side-Out Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises money for breast cancer research through the sport of volleyball. Franklin County High School raised $4,488.42 for the cause in 2012 through its Dig Pink® event, followed by $2,785.75 from Atherton High School and $450 by Boyd County High School.

Middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country raised a total of over $1.1 million for Side-Out’s Dig Pink initiatives in 2012. The Side-Out Foundation also awarded 10 students with scholarship and/or community service awards through the Side-Out Ambassador Program. For more information visit the organization’s official web site (www.side-out.org).

KHSAA To Host 2017 National Association of Sports Officials Summit

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) has chosen Kentucky as the host state for the 2017 NASO Summit (July 30-Aug. 1). In conjunction with the event, the KHSAA will host “Officiate Kentucky” Day on July 29, 2017 to kick off the National Conference and help promote, educate and celebrate the efforts of officials across the state.

The 2017 NASO Summit will be held at the Louisville Marriott (July 30-Aug. 1). The annual meeting provides officials from across the nation an opportunity to learn, discuss and evaluate the latest topics and trends in officiating, while examining new products and services. More details about the 2017 NASO Summit will be provided in the months to come.
 

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

2013 Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® This Week In Bowling Green

The Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament returns to E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green this week (March 13-16). DuPont Manual heads to the campus of Western Kentucky University hoping to defend its 2012 state title, while Marion County enters the tournament with a perfect 35-0 record.

First round action will take place Wednesday and Thursday, with sessions beginning at 12:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (CT). Quarterfinal action on Friday starts at 12 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., followed by two Semifinal games on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tip-off for Saturday night’s championship game is slated for 8 p.m.

Free live video from all 15 games will be available at khsaa.tv, with an audio feed of the KU/KHSAA Radio Network broadcast available at khsaa.ezstream.com. For more information, including pre-tournament stats, rosters and the championship program, visit khsaa.org.

First-Ever KHSAA Archery Championships Next Week In Louisville

The inaugural KHSAA Archery State Championships will be held next week (March 18-19) at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville (221 Fourth Street). In its first year as a KHSAA-sponsored sport activity, the Association has partnered with the KY National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) to manage the KHSAA State Championship in conjunction with the National Field Archery Association Championships in Louisville.

The competition begins at 3 p.m. on Monday, with Tuesday’s action scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Over 900 student-athletes are expected to participate in the event, as qualifiers for the tournament include the regional team champions and all squads that scored over 3,000 points at the regional competition. Male and female individuals placing 1st through 5th also qualified for the KHSAA State Championship.

Tickets to the event are $5 per day, with kids under 12 admitted free. For more information visit khsaa.org or nasptournaments.org.
 

– KHSAA – 
 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

Sweet 16® Single-Session Tickets Available For Purchase 

Single-session tickets for the KHSAA Boys’ and Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® are available for purchase through khsaa.org. The KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® will take place March 6-10 at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Single-session tickets are $17 for lower arena seats, and $12 for upper arena.

The Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® will be held March 13-16 at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green. Single-session tickets are available for $11 for reserved seating.

Complete results from the regional tournaments and brackets for the Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet 16® are available at khsaa.org. Media members can apply for credentials online at credentials.khsaa.org.

NFHS Honors Logan County and Magoffin County With “National High School Spirit of Sport Award”

Logan County and Magoffin County High Schools have been selected to receive the 2013 “National High School Spirit of Sport Award”, as announced today by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.

The two schools, separated by 281 miles, formed a bond of compassion and friendship following the aftermath of the EF3 tornado that wound through the Appalachian valley and descended upon Salyersville around 11:40 p.m. on March 2, 2012. The tornado began a 49-mile path of destruction that stretched across four counties, destroying buildings, businesses and homes. Both the middle school and high school in Salyersville were condemned following the storms.

The tornado touched down the night before the KHSAA 15th Region girls’ basketball championship game between Magoffin and Paintsville. The championship game was rescheduled for Monday, and despite the heavy toll the storm had take on the team and the community, the Lady Hornets defeated Paintsville, 49-40, to earn a trip to the Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen®. Head coach Scott Castle served as the inspirational leader for his players as they tried to enjoy the thrill of victory despite the devastation around them, proudly proclaiming “One team. One goal. One Promise. We are Magoffin.”

Three days later, Magoffin County opened its stay at the Girls’ Sweet 16® with a 63-59 victory over Ashland Blazer, a school which was also devastated by the tornado. Prior to the game, the two teams gathered at center court for a moment of silence and then celebrated survival.

Watching the game that Thursday night, Logan County coach Scott McAlister was inspired by the undersized but feisty Magoffin County team’s upset of Ashland Blazer. He informed Magoffin County that they could use Logan County’s facility as a “home away from home” to practice, seek refuge or just get away. When the Lady Hornets arrived at Logan County, they were amazed to be greeted by 300 student-athletes who had organized a pep rally and a pizza party in their honor.

The students of Logan County weren’t done yet, however, giving up their own time and at their own expense, to drive 30 miles from Russellville to E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, where they filled one of the end zones dressed in the Magoffin County school colors for the Lady Hornets’ quarterfinal game. The Logan County contingent enthusiastically supported Magoffin throughout the game with various cheers and chants they had practiced beforehand, creating an electric environment in the arena. Though Magoffin lost the game to Lincoln County, Logan County’s selfless involvement became the big story of the tournament.

Nine months later, the Magoffin students made the decision to return the favor with a surprise appearance at Logan County’s first home game of the 2012-13 season. On December 1, busloads of Magoffin County students made the five-hour drive from Salyersville to Russellville. Only a few Logan County school administrators were aware of Magoffin County’s impending arrival at their game.

As they poured into the gym that night, it was apparent to all in attendance the impact it had on McAlister, who was moved to tears. “When you do the right thing like we did in March, you really don’t expect anything in return,” he said. Though Logan County was not able to win the game that night, all in attendance were enriched by the overwhelming show of support and the bond shared by the two schools.

The schools will be recognized as part of the 94th annual NFHS Summer Meeting (June 23-27) in Denver, Colo.

Longtime Official Jerry Kimmel To Be Inducted Into National High School Hall of Fame

Jerry Kimmel of Beechmont will be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2013, as announced Tuesday by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 1993, Kimmel recently retired after 56 years as an active official and assigner for the KHSAA.

Kimmel spent 16 years as a basketball and baseball official (1956-72), during which time he officiated three state baseball tournaments, 15 district, 14 regional and six state basketball tournaments, including four-straight from 1965-68. He was Third Region representative from 1962 through 1972, and Basketball Assigning Secretary from 1972 through 1989, when he accepted the position of Sectional Director with the KHSAA. He served as a Baseball Assigning Secretary for 14 years. He later returned to service as the Basketball Assigner for the 4th Region up until his retirement in 2012.

An innovator in training and development, Kimmel was the first supervisor to use video tape for evaluating and training, and has several of his recommended concepts currently in use in the National Federation Officials Manual. A 25-year veteran of college basketball officiating, Kimmel also served as the Supervisor of Officials for Men and Women in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (NCAA II), a position he began in 1985 and held until 2004.

Kimmel will be inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame June 27th at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. The 31st Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be conducted as part of the 94th annual NFHS Summer Meeting.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.