05/04/20 – Official of the Year Winner Announced for Swimming

May 4, 2020 2019-2020 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2020

Following the completion of the 2020 KHSAA Swimming & Diving season, the Association has chosen the finalists for the sport’s Official of the Year Award. Of the 204 licensed officials in swimming, Ruth Ann Bode (Fisherville) and Terri Tonges (Versailles) were chosen as finalists with Bode selected as the 2020 KHSAA Swimming Official of the Year.

The KHSAA will honor the top licensed officials for the 2019-20 season during the course of the year, with the honorees for each sport chosen in the weeks immediately following each respective sport’s championship. Finalists in each sport are selected through a combination of not only on-field/court performance but local association activity and leadership, training efforts and the mentoring of newer officials.

One official in each sport will be named “Outstanding Official of the Year” for his/her sport in appreciation of their dedication and service to schools and student-athletes across the state. Winners are selected following consultation with local assigning secretaries, veteran officials’ observers, coaches throughout the state and additional staff review. Each finalist will receive a commemorative watch and certificate courtesy of the Officials Division Trust Fund, with the Official of the Year receiving an additional recognition award.

With officiating numbers declining at the national level, the KHSAA is always accepting applications from individuals interested in giving back to their community. Officiating remains a great avenue to stay active, earn extra spending money and ensure that high school athletics are preserved for the current and future generations. To get involved as an official, visit https://khsaa.org/officials/officiating-information/.

2019-20 KHSAA Outstanding Officials (winners in bold)
FIELD HOCKEY – Megan McGrath (Louisville), Jamie Gatewood (Louisville)
SOCCER – Terry Linscott (Radcliff), Gustavo Turmero (Madisonville)
VOLLEYBALL – Mike Wooten (Paducah), Doug Grinnell (Elizabethtown)
FOOTBALL – Shaun Williams (Lewisport), Jordan Tarrence (Lexington), Gary Wise (Louisville)
WRESTLING – Brett Branson (Cincinnati, Ohio), Jon Eschan (Union)
SWIMMING – Ruth Ann Bode (Fisherville), Terri Tonges (Versailles)

– 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 non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and 6 sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 106,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches, and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.