05/01/16 – KHSAA Celebrates Top Licensed Officials During Annual Banquet

May 1, 2016 2015-2016 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2016

The KHSAA honored the top officials for 2016 during the 23rd Annual Officials Recognition Banquet today at the Association’s headquarters. The ceremony recognized the finalists for each sport or sport-activity in which the KHSAA licenses officials, as well as the Larry G. Boucher Jr. Supervisor of the Year.

Finalists in each sport were selected through a combination of their service to their association and excellence in officiating. One official in each sport was 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.

Outstanding Official Nominees (winners in bold)
BASEBALL – Chris Minter (Richmond), Paul Schardein (Louisville), Creal Waddell (Bowling Green)
BASKETBALL – Harold Byrd (Mount Washington), Molly Caldwell (Lexington), Jim Cecil (Pikeville), Romonte Dishman (Louisville)
COMPETITIVE CHEER – Gayle Trame (Taylor Mill), Dewana Warrix (Lexington)
FIELD HOCKEY – Mary Brainard (Lexington), Yaphet Edghill (Louisville)
FOOTBALL – Jim Cecil (Pikeville), Jim Gutterman (Louisville), Joe Lewis (Paducah)
SOCCER – Keith Green (Wingo), Paul Terry (Bowling Green)
SOFTBALL – Steve Chasteen (Cynthiana), Pete Runyon (Pinsonfork)
SWIMMING & DIVING – Ray Stoess (Louisville), Mike Zehnder (Louisville)
TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY – David Clark (Dry Ridge), Kathy Johnston (Lexington)
VOLLEYBALL – Jimmy Beckett (Georgetown), Scott Wehr (Buckner)
WRESTLING – Allen Dennison (Rineyville), Garrett Pikul (Louisville)
SUPERVISOR OF THE YEAR – Mike Melton (Whitesburg)

– 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 277 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 43 state championships in 13 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.