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Category: Press Releases

  • Dave Logan among seven inductees for the 2020 NFHS Hall of Fame class

    Ralston Valley Cherry Creek football
    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS – Seven outstanding former high school athletes highlight the 2020 class of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame, including three who went on to earn gold medals in the Olympics and four others who excelled in professional football, basketball and baseball.

    Joining the seven former athletes in this year’s class are three highly successful high school coaches, one former state association administrator and one speech and debate coach in the performing arts area. The 12 honorees will be inducted July 1 at the 38th induction ceremony of the National High School Hall of Fame, which will be held at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

    The four high school athletes who went on to professional stardom are Dave Logan of Colorado, Tim Couch ofKentucky, Matt Holliday of Oklahoma and Alex English of South Carolina. Other athletes in the 2020 class are three female stars who landed Olympic gold in the Olympics: Karyn Bye Dietz of Wisconsin, Maicel (Malone) Green of Indiana andMichele Smith of New Jersey.

    Logan was a three-sport standout (football, basketball and baseball) at Wheat Ridge (Colorado) High School in the early 1970s and was drafted by teams in all three professional sports. He was a two-sport star at the University of Colorado and then was a wide receiver with the Cleveland Browns (eight years) and Denver Broncos (one year). In his second career also worthy of Hall of Fame notice, Logan has coached four different Denver-area schools to eight state high school football championships during the past 26 years.

    Couch had a record-setting football career as a quarterback at Leslie County High School In Hyden, Kentucky, in the mid-1990s. Couch set three national career passing records – 872 completions, 12,104 yards and 133 touchdowns. He was named National Player of the Year as a senior. Couch also excelled in basketball, leading the state in scoring as a senior with 37 points per game. He had a stellar career at the University of Kentucky and played five years with the Cleveland Browns.

    Holliday was a three-sport player – and two-sport star – at Stillwater (Oklahoma) High School in the late 1990s. As a quarterback in football for three years, Holliday passed for 68 touchdowns. He was a four-year starter in baseball and hit .443 as a senior with 12 home runs. He played with four teams during his 20-year professional baseball career, which ended in 2018 with the Colorado Rockies. Holliday was second in the MVP voting with the Rockies in 2007 and won a World Series in 2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

    English is perhaps the greatest basketball in history in the state of South Carolina. He was a three-time all-state selection and Player of the Year at Dreher High School in Columbia, and he was the leading scorer in University of South Carolina history. English played 16 years in the National Basketball Association, including 10 years with the Denver Nuggets when he scored 2,000 points in eight consecutive seasons.

    Dietz was a three-sport star at River Falls (Wisconsin) High School in the late 1980s and was a trailblazer for girls in the sport of ice hockey in the state. She was team captain and three-time all-conference while playing on the River Falls boys hockey team. She also played field hockey and softball. She later excelled in ice hockey at the University of New Hampshire and played on the 1998 Olympic women’s ice hockey team that won a gold medal.

    Green was a track and field star at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1984 to 1987. She won 11 of a possible 12 state titles in the three sprints (100, 200, 400)   during her four years at North Central.  She set state records in all three events and helped North Central to two state championships. She later won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics as a part of the 400-meter relay team.

    Smith was a three-sport athlete at Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner, New Jersey. She participated in field hockey, basketball and softball, which became her top sport. Smith had a 51-6 record with 11 no-hitters as a pitcher and helped her team to the state title as a junior. She had an outstanding career at Oklahoma State University with an 82-20 record and was the starting pitcher for the U.S. Olympic teams that won gold medals in 1996 and 2000.

    Three outstanding high school coaches are a part of the 2020 class, including Rickey Baker, who led Hopi High School in Keams Canyon, Arizona, to a national-record 27 consecutive state cross country championships from 1990 to 2017. Another coach in this year’s class is Charles Berry, who retired in 2018 after a 57-year career as a girls and boys basketball coach in Arkansas. With most of his years at Huntsville High School, Berry won 1,377 games as a boys and girls basketball coach. The final coach in the class is Terry Michler, the winningest boys soccer coach in history from Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Missouri. Michler has won 1,004 games and nine state championships during his 48-year career.        

    Completing the 2020 class are Bill Farney, who served on the administrative staff of the Texas University Interscholastic League for 32 years, including 14 years as executive director, and Robert Littlefield, one of the top speech and debate educators in North Dakota and nationally for 45 years.

    Following is biographical information on the 12 inductees in the 2020 class of the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame.

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    ATHLETES

    Tim Couch

    During his football career at Leslie County High School in Hyden, Kentucky in the mid-1990s, Tim Couch set three national career passing records – 872 completions, 12,104 yards and 133 touchdowns. He helped Leslie County to a 13-1 record as a junior while completing an amazing 75 percent of his passes – a national record that stood for 15 years. As a senior, he passed for 42 touchdowns and led his team to an 11-3 mark, and was named Gatorade and USA Today National Player of the Year while earning Mr. Football honors in Kentucky. ESPN.com selected Couch the sixth-best high school athlete in history. Couch was equally dominant on the basketball court. He scored 3,023 points in his career, leading the state in scoring as a senior at 37 points per game. He was two-time all-state in basketball. Couch’s football prowess continued at the University of Kentucky, where he passed for 8,159 yards and 73 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He led Kentucky to the Outback Bowl after his junior season and was fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Couch was the No. 1 pick in the 1999 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns and passed for more than 11,000 yards and 64 touchdowns in his five years with the Browns.   

    Karyn Bye Dietz

    Karyn Bye Dietz was a three-sport star at River Falls (Wisconsin) High School in the late 1980s and was a trailblazer for girls in the sport of ice hockey in the state. Amazingly, Dietz was a three-time all-conference and team captain of the boys ice hockey team at River Falls. With the formation of girls hockey teams still almost 20 years down the road, Dietz became one of the state’s top players on the boys team. She also earned four letters in tennis and was a three-time state qualifier, and she was captain of the River Falls softball team and was three-time all-conference and all-state as a senior. She batted over .500 in both her junior and senior seasons. Dietz was the leading scorer all four years on the women’s ice hockey team at the University of New Hampshire and was team captain in her final two seasons. Dietz was a member of the USA National Ice Hockey Team for many years and was Player of the Year in 1995 and 1998. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic teams that earned a gold medal at the 1998 Games in Japan and a silver medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

    Alex English

    Prior to his stellar college and professional careers, Alex English was one of the top high school basketball players in South Carolina history during his days at Dreher High School in Columbia. English was a first-team all-state selection three consecutive years, Player of the Year in South Carolina in 1971 and 1972, and was a two-time all-American. He set the all-time scoring records at Dreher, and his No. 22 jersey was later retired. English stayed home for his college career and is still known as the greatest player in the University of South Carolina history. He ranks first in scoring and third in rebounding in Gamecocks’ history and was a two-time all-American, and he had his second No. 22 jersey retired by USC. While he played for four teams during his 16-year professional career, English will always be remembered for his decade of the 1980s with the Denver Nuggets. He was the NBA’s leading scorer in the 1980s with 19,682 points and was the first player in league history to score 2,000 points in eight straight seasons. English set 31 records in 10 seasons with the Nuggets and is the team’s all-time leader in points (21,645) and assists (3,679). English was an eight-time all-star – all with the Nuggets – and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997. 

    Maicel (Malone) Green

    As a member of the girls track and field team at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1984 to 1987, Maicel Malone was one of the most decorated athletes in Indiana high school track and field history and was, perhaps, the first superstar in any Indiana girls sport. She was an 11-time state champion in the 12 sprint events during her four years of competing in the state track and field meet. She won the 100 and 400 meters all four years and the 200 meters three years (finished second as a sophomore). She is still the Indiana state record holder in the 200 (23.12 in 1986) and the 400 (52.42 in 1986), and her 100-meter state record (11.52 in 1986) stood until 2015. She is the only Indiana female athlete to set three state records (100, 200, 400) in the same meet (1986). Malone (now Maicel Green) helped North Central to two state championships – as a freshman in 1984 and in her senior season in 1987. She was a four-time NCAA champion in the 400 meters (three indoor, one outdoor) at Arizona State University, and she was a member of the 400-meter relay team that won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She won five other gold medals in international competition and was inducted into the Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1993.         

    Matt Holliday

     Matt Holliday would rank high on a list of the top high school athletes in Oklahoma history, thanks to his days as a three-sport player and two-sport star at Stillwater High School in the late 1990s. He was a three-year starter at quarterback in football and led his team to a 30-6 record while passing for 6,211 yards and 68 touchdowns. In baseball, he was a four-year starter at third base and he also was a pitcher. He hit .438 as a junior and .443 as a senior with a combined 18 home runs. In between those sports, he was a three-year starter on the basketball team. Holliday was highly recruited in both football and baseball by a number of top universities, including his hometown choice of Oklahoma State University, but he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft and embarked on a 20-year professional baseball career that ended in October 2018. Holliday played for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees and returned to the Rockies to close his career. In 15 major league seasons, Holliday hit 316 home runs and finished with a .299 career average. His best season was 2007 when he hit .340 with 36 home runs and 137 runs batted in for the Rockies and finished second in the MVP voting. He was a member of the 2011 Cardinals team that won the World Series.

    Dave Logan

    In a state rich with standout high school athletes, Dave Logan was second to none during his days as a three-sport star at Wheat Ridge (Colorado) High School from 1969 to 1972. And with his eight state championships as a high school football coach the past 26 years, Logan has become the face of high school sports and activities in Colorado. He was two-time all-state in football as a wide receiver and defensive back and received the Gold Helmet Award as a senior as the state’s top senior player, scholar and citizen. He was a three-year starter in basketball and was Colorado Sidelines Player of the Year after averaging 24.1 points per game. In earning three letters in baseball, Logan hit .380 and was 7-2 as a pitcher as a senior and claimed all-state and team MVP honors. And if that wasn’t enough, Logan was a trombone player in the school band. He was one of only three multi-sport players who was drafted by all three major sports organizations. Logan was a two-sport star at the University of Colorado and then played nine years as a wide receiver in the National Football League, including eight years with the Cleveland Browns and his final season with the Denver Broncos. Logan has coached four schools to state football titles, including the 2019 championship with Cherry Creek High School in metro Denver. Finally, Logan is the radio voice of the Denver Broncos and hosts a popular midday radio talk show. 

    Michele Smith

    Michele Smith was an accomplished three-sport athlete at Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner, New Jersey, in the early 1980s. As a pitcher in softball, she was 51-6 and recorded 11 no-hitters. She helped her team to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state softball title as a junior with a 23-1 record, 0.17 earned-run average and 229 strikeouts. She was selected to the all-state softball team three consecutive years. In field hockey, Smith was named first team all-conference as a junior and senior, and in basketball, she scored 1,114 points in her career and was a two-time all-conference selection. At Oklahoma State University, Smith compiled an 82-20 record as a pitcher, and her career batting average was .343 with 15 home runs. She was a three-time All-Big Eight Conference selection and was a two-time Division I All-American. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic softball teams in 1996 and 2000, and she was the starting pitcher for both gold-medal winning teams. She also played on three gold-medal winning World Championships teams and two teams that won gold medals at the Pan American Games. Smith joined ESPN in 1995 and has been the lead college softball analyst since 1998. In 2012, she was the first woman to serve as commentator for a nationally televised Major League Baseball game. 

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    COACHES

    Rickey Baker

    Rickey Baker has become one of the most successful boys cross country coaches in the nation since his arrival at Hopi High School in Keams Canyon, Arizona in 1987. Three years later, Baker led Hopi to its first state boys cross country championship, and his teams didn’t lose another state title until 2017 – a streak of 27 consecutive team championships. The 27 consecutive state cross country titles is a national record and is third all-time when considering all sports (girls swimming and boys swimming). Baker’s 1999 team scored a perfect 15, which means Hopi runners finished 1-2-3-4-5. Perhaps most amazing about the streak is that Hopi continued to win despite moving into larger classifications. Hopi won 11 straight 2A titles (1990-2000), six consecutive 3A titles (2001-2006) and 10 straight 4A titles (2007-16). Since the streak ended, Hopi has finished runner-up the past three years. Baker started coaching the girls cross country team three years ago and has led his teams to two second-place finishes. He has also coached Hopi’s boys basketball team for 18 years, with a 2A state title in 1997, and the girls and boys track and field teams for the past 10 years. Nine of his track and field athletes have won individual state titles. During his days as a high school athlete, Baker was Arizona’s one-mile champion in 1977 while attending Winslow High School, and he was a member of Winslow’s state cross country team in 1976.

    Charles Berry

    Charles Berry retired in 2018 after an amazing 57-year career as a boys and girls basketball coach in Arkansas. After four years in the Hector School District and two years in Plemerville, Arkansas, Berry moved to Huntsville in 1967 and remained for 51 years. He resurrected a dormant boys basketball program upon his arrival and coached the boys team for the next 20 years. In 1978, he established the girls basketball team, which he coached until his retirement in 2018. Berry’s overall combined record as a high school boys and girls coach was 1,377-686, with a 1,116-619 record at Huntsville. Along the way, he won two Arkansas Activities Association state girls basketball championships (1997, 2008), and his girls teams finished second two other times (1984, 2013). Berry’s teams made 30 appearances in the state tournament, and they won 16 conference championships and six regional titles. The Huntsville High School gym was renamed Charles H. Berry Gymnasium in 2006, and Berry was inducted into the Arkansas Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016. 

    Terry Michler

    Terry Michler is the winningest boys high school soccer coach in history, and this past season, he eclipsed the 1,000-victory mark in his 48th season at his alma mater, Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from Rockhurst College in Kansas City and playing professional soccer for three years, Michler returned to CBC in 1972 to direct the soccer program. After the 2019 season, Michler’s career coaching mark stands at 1,004-284-117. His CBC teams have claimed 31 district championships and have won nine Missouri State High School Activities Association State Soccer Championships in 15 appearances. Michler’s state titles have been distributed throughout his career, with his first in 1983 and his last in 2018. His teams have been ranked nationally in 13 different seasons, and he has had about 300 former players who played at the college level and more than 30 who played professionally. Michler has written – or helped to write – four books on soccer, and he has been inducted in numerous other halls of fame, including the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame and the CBC Sports Hall of Fame.   

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    ADMINISTRATOR

    Bill Farney

    Bill Farney retired as executive director of the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) in 2009 after leading the nation’s largest state association staff for 14 years. Farney joined the UIL in 1977 and served as an assistant director and athletic director for 18 years before assuming the executive director’s position in 1995. During his tenure at the UIL, Farney developed the academic and fine arts programs into the most expansive offerings of any state association. He also helped to expand more opportunities for girls by adding team tennis, soccer, softball and wrestling as sanctioned sports. Farney also developed a waiver process to help disadvantaged students with unavoidable circumstances, and he also implemented the Coaches and Officials Positive Expectations (COPE) course for coaches and players to learn proper sportsmanlike conduct. Farney was a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent at schools in Oklahoma and Texas for 15 years before joining the UIL, including the final seven years as superintendent of schools in Crawford, Texas. Farney earned his bachelor’s degree from Tulsa University and his master’s and doctorate from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He was a member of the NFHS Board of Directors, NFHS Basketball Rules Committee, NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and the NCAA Football Rules Committee.  

    PERFORMING ARTS

    Robert Littlefield

    Robert Littlefield has been one of the top speech and debate educators in North Dakota and nationally for more than 45 years. After beginning his career as director of forensics and fine arts in the Barnesville (Minnesota) Public Schools in 1974, Littlefield worked at the high school and college levels in North Dakota until 2016, when he moved to the University of Central Florida. In addition to serving as debate coach at Shanley High School in Fargo, North Dakota, for eight years, Littlefield was the state planner and coordinator for speech clinics for high school teachers and students for more than 20 years. He also coordinated summer speech and debate camps for high school students and was founder and executive director of the Valley Forensic League. During his time at Shanley, Littlefield revitalized the program and had teams regularly place at regional, state and national competition. Littlefield has been involved in national leadership positions with both Pi Kappa Delta National Forensic Honorary and the National Speech and Debate Association. In addition to service on boards and committees with these organizations, Littlefield’s research, development and publication in scholastic journals and instructional workbooks has been extensive. During most of his time in North Dakota, Littlefield was a professor at North Dakota State University and directed the NDSU Speech and Debate Invitational for 25 years.   

  • CHSAA statement on Coronavirus and state events

    CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green has sent the following information to schools about the Coronavirus and state events:

    I am in contact with multiple state and local agencies in regards to any changes that may occur with CHSAA culminating championships. The state and local agencies as well as our facility administrators have me on their “high alert” communications. If there are closures, logistics will be communicated to the membership and posted to CHSAANow immediately.

    My suggestion is that these discussions and contingency plans happen at the local level should a school terminate contact and the state event still contested. Our plan is to conduct the championship events unless directed by state agencies and/or facility administration of cancellations.

    The safety and well-being of our participants, staffs, volunteers and fans will be in the forefront of all decisions.

  • Fall esports pilot season set to host first League of Legends championship

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    As the initial esports pilot season culminates, the first League of Legends championship will be held this Saturday.

    The competitive activity’s semifinals and championship rounds will be held at LocalHost in Lakewood (1882 S. Wadsworth Blvd). Semifinals begin at 3 p.m., and the championship match will be held at 7 p.m. LocalHost is the largest esports arena in Colorado.

    The venue’s main stage will play host to matches, giving fans an easy way to follow the action.

    “This is the culmination of our first pilot season in League of Legends, and we are really looking forward to a great event at a great venue,” said CHSAA Director of Digital Media Ryan Casey, who oversees esports. “LocalHost is one of a handful of esports-only arenas around the country, so this setting is an excellent way to showcase esports and give the participants and schools a top-level championship event.”

    Said CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green: “The engagement of gaming has changed from a pastime to a competitive activity, and the opportunity to provide an inclusive connection to the school culture is what CHSAA is meant to do. We are excited about supporting this grassroots initiative with our national partner, PlayVs.”

    The semifinals will feature Cherry Creek facing Highlands Ranch, and Gateway playing Bear Creek.

    In addition to the matches, the Denver Taco Truck will be on-site to help create a championship atmosphere.

    Admission to the event, including entrance to all matches all day, is $7. Purchase tickets at GoFan.co.

    The championship match will be streamed live on Twitch.

  • Colorado Summit on Inclusive Teen Athletics and Activities scheduled for September

    CHSAA student leadership camp
    (Courtesy of Kendle Davis)

    CHSAA is excited to announce a new partnership with the non-profit Youth Celebrate Diversity (YCD) and the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (UCCS) to create the Colorado Summit on Inclusive Teen Athletics and Activities.

    Scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, this unique program will empower high school athletes and activity participants and coaches/directors to come together across all geographic areas and backgrounds to talk about the diversity and inclusion issues affecting high school sports and extracurricular activity participants in Colorado, as well as to brainstorm solutions to those issues, so that all students feel welcome and included in high school activities.

    This program was started in reaction to high demand from teens participating in YCD’s programs to discuss inclusion and diversity issues connected to sports and activities.

    During the summit, participating students and coaches/directors will hear from a keynote speaker, join discussion groups with others from across the state, and attend workshops on topics chosen by the student Executive Committee. Topics can touch on any issue that would help make high school sports and athletics more inclusive and welcoming of all students.

    We encourage every CHSAA member school to consider sending a small delegation to join this Summit in September 2020.  Please save this date now and more information will be shared in the coming months!

    Student Volunteers Needed for Executive Committee

    We are seeking students across all activities currently sanctioned by CHSAA to serve on the Executive Committee planning this event.  The Executive Committee will have full control over the topics, workshops, speakers and content of the summit. Student athletes from the sports/activities listed below are encouraged to apply:

    1. Baseball
    2. Basketball
    3. Cross Country
    4. Field Hockey
    5. Football
    6. Golf
    7. Gymnastics
    8. Ice Hockey
    9. Lacrosse
    10. Skiing
    11. Soccer
    12. Softball
    13. Spirit
    14. Swimming
    15. Tennis
    16. Track
    17. Volleyball
    18. Wrestling
    19. Music
    20. Speech & Debate
    21. Student Leadership

    The group will be meeting virtually between February and September 2020, so student athletes from all corners of Colorado are encouraged to apply! Please spread the word in your school among interested students and make sure they apply before the deadline of Monday, February 3, 2020.  More information, including the form for students to join the Executive Committee is on the YCD website: ycdiversity.org/programs/colorado-summit-on-inclusive-teen-athletics-and-activities

    For questions, contact Micah Porter at (303) 982-8053 / micah.porter@jeffco.k12.co.us or Caleb Munro at (720) 507-0746 / cmunro@ycdiversity.org.

  • CHSAA Hall of Fame announces Class of 2019

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    31st Anniversary Class Features Jamie Carey, Katie Carter, Pete Falletta, Andrea (Melde) Hooks, Ben Montoya, Becky (Varnum) Bucolo and Scott Yates

    AURORA — The Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame has announced its 31st Anniversary Hall of Fame class. It’s a seven-member group that depicts the rich history of the Association, along with providing real-life examples of what participation, coaching, leading and advocating for students can do. Each of these people has established themselves as a role model for today’s young people seeking their way to adulthood.

    The CHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2019 includes four former athletes in Jamie Carey (Horizon), Katie Carter (Steamboat Springs), Andrea (Melde) Hooks (Air Academy) and Becky (Varnum) Bucolo (Cheyenne Mountain), along with track & field coach Ben Montoya (Fountain-Fort Carson) and football coach Scott Yates (Kent Denver). They will be joined by long-time coach and administrator Pete Falletta (Pueblo Centennial).

    “I am continuously amazed at the accomplishments of the many nominees. The Hall of Fame’s prestige continues to be elevated by the final decision the selection committee makes to represent educational activities and athletics in our state. Kudos to the selection committee that has forwarded our largest class of women since the inception of the ceremony,” Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said when announcing the class.

    The CHSAA Hall of Fame selection committee is headed by Bob Marken (Buena Vista). Committee members include Glenda Bates (Prairie View), Larry Brunson (CHSAA Hall of Fame), Dick Katte (NFHS Hall of Fame), Ellie Kempfe (Prospect Ridge), Jeremy Kerns (Byers), Gerry Valerio (MaxPreps.com), David Robinson (Montezuma-Cortez), Robert Framel (Kit Carson) and Cherie Toussaint (Pueblo SD 70 Schools). The committee was joined by four student members of the CHSAA Student Council state representatives – Lily Berg (Columbine), Lucie Nguyen (Columbine), Emily Hancock (Coronado) and Rachel Reese (Roosevelt).

    “The selection committee was focused on exceptional achievement, impact on the state of Colorado, community focus and character. They debated and advocated knowing that there are so many deserving of this recognition. The 31st class reflects the efforts, passion and love Colorado has for high school activities,” CHSAA Hall of Fame administrator Bert Borgmann said.

    The Class of 2019 will be inducted during a ceremony on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at the Marriott Hotel-Denver Tech Center (I‑25 and Orchard). Individual tickets may be purchased for $60 each by contacting the CHSAA. The festivities get underway at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited.

    The selection of the four student participants to the CHSAA Hall of Fame puts the total number of participants in the hall at 75. There are now 73 coaches/sponsors, 29 administrators, 17 officials and 12 significant service contributors enshrined in the CHSAA Hall of Fame that began in 1989. There are also five teams in the hall. The Hall of Fame now features 211 inductees.

    Biographies of the newest additions to the hall include:

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    Jamie Carey (Horizon HS) – One of the state’s top female basketball players, Jamie Carey was the state’s 1999 Miss Colorado Basketball. She was among the state’s top playmakers and scorers during her tenure at Horizon High School, guiding her team to three state playoffs. The team finished second in 1997. She had a stellar collegiate career, playing at both Stanford and Texas and she is currently the University of Texas’ Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach.

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    Katie Carter (Steamboat Springs HS) – Katie Carter is a four-year volleyball star from Steamboat Springs High School where she was a two-time Western Slope League 4A MVP, led her team to the 2002 runner-up position and was named the 4A Player of the Year. She went on to play at UCLA, earning All-America honors and helping the Bruins to a Final 4 spot. She currently plays professionally in Europe.

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    Pete Falletta (Pueblo School District 60) – Pete Falletta has a rich background in cross country and track & field, and served a lengthy run as athletic director at Pueblo’s Centennial High School. He is a member of the Greater Pueblo Sports Hall of Fame and was a member of numerous CHSAA committees. He also ran numerous CHSAA district, regional and state events (cross country, track, basketball, volleyball and wrestling) in Pueblo, in concert with District 60’s district athletic directors.

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    Andrea (Melde) Hooks (Air Academy HS) – Perhaps the best female soccer player to come from Southern Colorado, Andrea Melde voted to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary top 50 women’s soccer team. A standout at Air Academy High School, she was inducted into the Colorado Sportswomen Hall of Fame (1994) and attended Duke. She was a first team all-state player, Parade High School All-America and was selected to four other All-America teams in high school. She earned All-America honors at Duke, as well.

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    Ben Montoya (Fountain-Fort Carson HS) – The Fountain-Fort Carson High School cross country and track & field coach since 1986, Ben Montoya’s teams have won six state championships in boy’s track & field and finished second twice. He has 38 runners win gold medals at the state track meet. He received Coach of the Year honors from the Gazette Telegraph in 1987, 2015 and 2016, the Denver Post in 2010, the USA Track and Field 2015, and CHSAA 2011-12.

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    Becky (Varum) Bucolo (Cheyenne Mountain)

    Perhaps one of the most dominant tennis players in Colorado history, Becky Varnum was a four-time 4A State high school No. 1 singles tennis champion, posting a 68-0 prep record. She is a 2009 member of the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame and has been recognized by Sportswomen of Colorado. Varnum played collegiately at Notre Dame.

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    Scott Yates (Kent Denver School) – One of the state’s top football coaches and athletic directors, Scott Yates currently ranks second all-time in football wins in Colorado. He has been at Kent Denver School for 35 years, serving as coach and athletic director.  He is a member of three halls of fame and has been named coach of the year 12 times. Yates’ teams have won three state titles and been runner-up twice in 31 playoff appearances.

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    Pueblo’s Friends of Football, the group that has sponsored the 2A and 3A state football championships the past two years at CSU-Pueblo, will receive the 2019 Colorado Tradition Award for their contributions to the Association.

    The CHSAA staff has selected Sharon Lauer, long-time Colorado Springs athletic director and coach, as well as state swimming championship site director and member of the CHSAA Appeals Committee, to receive the Distinguished Service Award this year.

    Tickets are $60 per seat or $600 per table of 10. Please contact Laikyn Cooper (lcooper@chsaa.org) for reservations. Contact the CHSAA office with questions.

  • CHSAA and PlayVS partner to offer pilot esports program for students

    All-School Summit Esports
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA and LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, PlayVS furthers its mission to bring esports to high schools nationwide by announcing Colorado as the newest addition to its roster of partnered states. The current waitlist to build an interscholastic esports program with PlayVS is over 13,000 schools long — 68% of all high schools — and spans across all 50 US states. This puts esports on par with traditional programs like football, which is available in 14,247 schools.

    PlayVS is teaming up with the Colorado High School Activities Association to bring students a new opportunity. This opportunity reaches students who may otherwise have no outlet for their passions in traditional sports or extracurriculars. Introducing esports into these offerings provides a safe, supervised space to compete while coaches instill critical teamwork, communication and leadership skills.

    “We are really excited to start making video games competitive,” said Coach Matt Flori, Esports Coach, Gateway High School. “This new sport targets a whole new type of athlete to get them engaged in the school’s culture and spirit.”

    “We are excited as an Association to begin a fully integrated Esports pilot platform with PlayVS,” said Rhonda Blanford-Green, CHSAA-Commissioner. “We believe our partnership with PlayVS will elevate the student experience within an inclusive and education-based environment.” 

    “Esports provides a new opportunity for students to become athletes,” said Dr. Clint Kennedy, Director of Education & Acquisition at PlayVS. “It opens the door to scholarships, recognition, and newfound communities on campus. We are excited to work directly with teachers and schools to build out their esports programs this fall.”

    During PlayVS’s first year, esports teams nationwide had an average of 15 players per program, with one in three players participating in their first-ever school activity. Over 70% of the students who participated said they found a community to connect with, and more than 40% intend to use their esports experience to apply for colleges and universities.

    The cost to participate — $64 per player — is paid for by a parent/guardian or, in most cases, the school. This cost provides students with a full suite of unlocked, in-game content (valued at over $700) and access to the full games themselves (each valued at $20-$60). Most schools already have the required computer equipment in existing labs or libraries, making esports a simple, low-cost/high-benefit program to get off the ground. Schools can register their teams for this upcoming fall season by signing up at PlayVS.com. The deadline for schools to register for this upcoming Fall season is October 11th.

    For more information on PlayVS, please visit playvs.com.

  • Restart protocol amended in boys lacrosse

    Steamboat Springs Air Academy boys lacrosse
    (Chris Fehrm/Chris Fehrm Photography)

    INDIANAPOLIS — Starting next year in high school boys lacrosse, play may be restarted with a defensive player within 5 yards of the player in possession of the ball. In such cases, defensive players must adhere to certain conditions or they may be subject to a delay-of-game technical foul.

    The amended restart protocol was one of 10 rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee at its July 15-17 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    “The committee worked diligently in reviewing all proposals,” said Dr. James Weaver, NFHS director of performing arts and sports and liaison to the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee. “Year after year, the game of high school boys lacrosse continues to improve and make positive strides.”

    In a change to Rule 4-22-1, officials will no longer wait for defensive players to position themselves more than 5 yards from the player in possession of the ball when restarting play. While both offensive and defensive players are still required to move more than 5 yards away, two exceptions apply to defensive players only. Defensive players within 5 yards of the player in possession of the ball can avoid a delay-of-game technical foul by allowing the player a direct path to the goal and not defending that player until the player is 5 yards away from the defending player.

    “This change allows for rapid restarts to increase pace of play while making the game more engaging,” Weaver said. “Additionally, the change balances technique between offense and defense.”

    Under mandatory equipment listed in Rule 1-9-1, shoulder pads and chest protectors used by players must be designed for lacrosse. Additionally, goalkeepers must wear a chest protector designed for lacrosse that meets the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) ND200 standard at the time of manufacture beginning January 1, 2021, while shoulder pads for field players must incorporate the NOCSAE ND200 lacrosse standard for chest protection beginning January 1, 2022.

    NOCSAE ND200 protection will be available on the market for field players and goalkeepers this fall.

    “Health and safety of players is of the utmost importance,” Weaver said. “The NOCSAE ND200 standard for lacrosse will provide valuable protection for all players in the game.”

    In a change to Rule 5-5, the penalty for an illegal crosse is no longer a tiered penalty and is now a two-minute, nonreleasable penalty – regardless of the infraction.

    Throwing a crosse, referenced in Rules 5-10 and 6-5-2, is now an infraction in all cases. Throwing the crosse at a ball, player or other game personnel is considered unsportsmanlike conduct, which is met with a one- to three-minute non-releasable penalty and in all other cases falls under illegal procedure.

    Under the Chief Bench Official’s (CBO) responsibilities in Rule 2-7-2, the CBO is no longer responsible for penalizing a team with too few players on the field. However, delayed substitutions — when a player gains an advantage by delaying entry onto the field — still fall under the CBO’s duties.

    The committee eliminated three definitions under “Play of the Ball Definitions” in Rule 4-5 – ball in flight, team possession and completed pass, which were deemed to no longer be needed.

    Changes to Rules 6-1-1 and 6-2-1 focus on streamlining changes made to the slow-whistle technique in Rule 7-8-2 over the past two seasons.

    Finally, Rule 4-24 clarifies that a time-out for a player with symptoms consistent with a concussion is an official’s time-out, not a team time-out.

    A complete listing of the boys lacrosse rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Lacrosse-Boys.”

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 113,313 boys participating in lacrosse at 2,957 high schools across the country.

  • CHSAA and Denver Broncos to host second annual media day

    Football media Broncos
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — The Denver Broncos, in partnership with the Colorado High School Activities Association, are hosting its second annual High School Media day on Friday, August 9, in the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse at the UCHealth Training Center in Englewood.

    The event is adding two special sessions — a prep sports media round table (9:30 a.m.) and an hour-long press conference for all non-football fall sports (11-noon). Following these two additions, the football event will mirror what was presented last year, featuring 20 of the best high school football teams in the state across all classifications, and will provide sports media members with a one-stop shop to visit with the top programs.

    “We are excited that we will be able to add the non-football sports component to this Media Day and thank the Denver Broncos for extending their hospitality to athletes in all our fall sports. This is a great opportunity for the media to hear from representatives from all fall sports,” CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said.

    The media round table features a chance for the media to learn about important CHSAA initiatives such as the new Mental Health Initiative that is garnering attention across the nation.

    All participants in attendance wearing game jerseys/uniforms and will be available for interviews including both time on the podium and one-on-one opportunities.

    All media personnel interested in participating in the activities that day should RSVP with the CHSAA office (Laikyn Cooper lcooper@chsaa.org and Bert Borgmann bborgmann@chsaa.org) prior to August 8 to reserve a spot.

    CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green and all CHSAA assistant commissioners who administrate the fall sports will be available for interviews, as well. Adam Bright (Football), Jenn Roberts-Uhlig (Cross country, Spirit), Bethany Brookens (Volleyball, Boys Tennis), Bert Borgmann (Softball, Gymnastics), Tom Robinson (Boys Golf), Justin Saylor (Boys Soccer, Field Hockey) are the sport administrators.

    Teams will rotate through other breakouts during the event: Media Relations 101 session with the Broncos Public Relations staff, including education on how social media can positively and negatively impact their reputation and high school experience; a photography session with professional photographers who will take head shots and group shots of all players and coaches; as well as a facility tour.

    A list of the fall sport participants and coaches who will be attending the Media Day, will be forwarded next week.

  • CHSAA set to begin 99th year of high school activities in Colorado

    CHSAA seal plaque
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — The Colorado High School Activities Association and its 365-member schools open the 99th school year with fall practice starting August 5, with boys’ golf. All other fall sports get underway on August 12.

    The Association has just concluded four days of meetings, with the CHSAA staff participating in the Colorado High School Coaches Association Summer Clinic last weekend, and then hosting its member schools’ administrators for the New Administrator and All-School Summit. There also was a session for League Presidents as the schools ready for the opening of the 2019-20 school year.

    Boys’ golf teams may begin scrimmages and competition August 8, with boys’ tennis and girls’ softball first competitions August 15. All other sports can scrimmage August 17 and then began formal competition August 22, except football whose scrimmages start August 22 and first games on August 29.

    Check out the CHSAA calendar for scrimmage dates (and football graduated practice dates) at CHSAANow.com. Game schedules for the season are located on CHSAA corporate partner MaxPreps’ Colorado webpage.

    In May, 1921, a group of superintendents and principals met in Boulder and organized the Colorado High School Athletic Conference. The purpose of this organization was to better regulate and develop the interscholastic school athletic program.

    There were nine leagues by the time the first constitution was published, including the Northern, North Central, Western Slope, Suburban, Southeastern, Arkansas Valley, South Central and San Juan Basin leagues.

    The first champions crowned that school year were Colorado Springs in football, Greeley in basketball, and Fort Collins in track and field.

    In 1924, the Colorado High School Athletic Conference joined the National Federation of State High School Associations and has remained an active member of that organization ever since.

    Loveland’s R.W. Truscott was the Association’s first president and Eaton’s J.C. Casey its first secretary (commissioner). Truscott replaced Casey as secretary in December, 1926 and held that post until July, 1948 when Glenn T. Wilson became commissioner. Ray C. Ball took over the commissioner’s post in 1966 and remained in the office until August, 1986 when Ray Plutko assumed the duties. Bob Ottewill became the Association’s sixth commissioner in July, 1990, followed by Bill Reader who served as Commissioner from 2002 until 2010, and Paul Angelico served in the position from 2010-2017, when current Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green took over the reins to the Association.

    The CHSAA has had 61 presidents dating back to 1921. Its current president, Buena Vista High School Athletic Director Troy Baker, is in the first year of a two-year term as president.

    The Association is led by a national-recognized staff that includes Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green is in her 3rd year at the helm, but 23rd overall with the Association. She previously headed the Nebraska Association for four years and served on the Louisiana staff prior to taking her position with CHSAA.

    Associate Commissioner Tom Robinson is in his 19th year on the CHSAA staff, while Assistant Commissioners Bert Borgmann, is in his 32nd year, Bethany Brookens is in her 11th year. Assistant Commissioner Jenn Roberts-Uhlig is in her sixth year with CHSAA. New to the staff for the 2019-20 school year are Adam Bright (former AD at Durango High School) and Justin Saylor (former Events Manager for Denver Public Schools). Ryan Casey is in his seventh year with CHSAA as Director of Digital Media and Kenzie Hewson is in her sixth year as the Association’s Director of Business Operations.

    Cathy Lenz is executive administrative assistant to Commissioner Blanford-Green, while Monica Tillman (Robinson), Laikyn Cooper (Borgmann), Sandra Williamson (Brookens), Lane Ververs (Roberts-Uhlig), Samantha rogers (Bright) and Whitney Cave (Saylor) are the executive administrative assistants to the other administrators. Anjelica Maestas serves the CHSAA Digital Platform assistant.

    [divider]

    CHSAA Board of Directors (Leagues Represented) [term expires]:

    CHSAA President/Colorado Association of School Executives: (Serving first year of two-year term): Troy Baker, Athletic Director (Buena Vista High School) [2021]

    District 1 (San Juan Basin, Western Slope, Southwestern): Luke DeWolfe, Athletic Director (Steamboat Springs High School) [2022]

    District 2 (Centennial, Northern, Frontier, Tri-Valley): Chase McBride, District Athletic Director (St. Vrain Valley Schools) [2020]

    District 3 (High Plains, Lower Platte, Mile High, North Central, Patriot, Union Pacific, YWKC): Steve Longwell, Athletic Director (Eaton High School) [2023]

    District 4 (Jefferson County, East Metro, Colorado 7): Nate Smith, Athletic Director (Englewood High School) [2021]

    District 5 (Denver, Metropolitan, Confluence): Caleb Coats, Athletic Director (STRIVE PREP High School) [2022]

    District 6 (Continental, Front Range, 5280): Michael Hawkes, Athletic Director (Shining Mountain Waldorf) [2021]

    District 7 (CS Metro 4A, CS Metro 5A, Pikes Peak, Tri-Peaks, West Central): Bret McClendon, Principal (Elizabeth High School) [2023]

    District 8 (Black Forest, Fisher’s Peak, Intermountain, Southern Peaks): Don Steiner, Athletic Director (Evangelical Christian High School) [2022]

    District 9 (Arkansas Valley, Santa Fe, South Central, Southeastern): Richard Hargrove, Superintendent (Springfield Schools) [2021]

    At-Large Representative: Gabe Trujillo, District Athletic Director (Westminster Schools) [2023]

    At-Large Representative: Terita Walker, Athletic Director (Denver East High School) (2021)

    Colorado Association of School Boards: Tracey Johnson, CASB (Academy School District 20) [2020]

    Colorado Association of School Executives: Jeff Durbin, Superintendent (Stratton Schools) [2021]

    Colorado Association of School Executives: Ryan West, Principal (Englewood High School) [2023]

    Colorado Department of Education: Wendy Dunaway, Colorado Department of Education [2023]

    Colorado State Assembly: Jim Wilson, Salida (State Representative, Salida) [2020]

  • NFHS adopts new logo as it leads high school sports and activity programs into next 100 years

    INDIANAPOLIS — As the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) heads into the next 100 years of leading high school sports and other activity programs nationwide, it will be doing so with a new logo.

    The new logo was unveiled to the membership earlier this month at the close of the NFHS Centennial Celebration. The NFHS and its 51-member state high school associations celebrated the organization’s accomplishments at the 100th Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

    The organization will continue to be branded as the NFHS in the new logo, and the N and F are connected as has been the case since 1979; however, the entire acronym is together on one line as opposed to the previous logo with the NF and HS on separate lines. While red and blue will continue to be the predominant colors, the new logo mixes white with red and blue to suggest a flag waving in the wind. The direction of the flag is pointing upward to symbolize forward-thinking and advancement.

    The new design maintains a resemblance to the shield that has been a part of the NFHS logo since 1997; however, the logo is flared at the top, and the bottom of the logo does not have definitive borders, which suggests the organization has moved past its first 100 years and is expanding its reach as the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts programs in the United States.

    While the organization’s logo from 1952 had four stars to signify the four charter members of the NFHS, the four stripes within the new logo represent the four homes of the organization in the first 100 years. 

    “We wanted to retain NFHS as the central component of the new logo because the organization’s national presence has continued to spiral upward in the 22 years since the NFHS acronym was adopted,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director. “However, as we celebrated our first 100 years, we felt it was important to establish a new look that would signify our ever-increasing role as the national leader in high school sports and performing arts programs.”

    Counting the Centennial logo that was used during the 2018-19 school year, the new logo will be 10th used by the organization since the first one was adopted in the 1930s. The new logo was created by Section 127, an Indianapolis-based design company.

    The NFHS was started in 1920 and had offices in Chicago until 1971, when it moved to Elgin, Illinois. The organization moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1979, and then to Indianapolis in 2000, where it remains today.

    Following is a progression of the NFHS logos: