It’s that time of year again. The excitement and anticipation of a new basketball season is upon us. Your professional organization continues to work very hard for high school basketball in our state. During this season there will be even more opportunities to showcase our great game. By now every head coach should have received membership information. It is the head coach’s professional responsibility to join the IBCA and make sure that all the high school assistants, junior high and elementary coaches become members as well. The success of any organization is due to the support of its' members. In this 100 year anniversary of High School Basketball in Indiana, the IBCA would like to attain the goal of 100 % membership of our boys' and girls' head coaches. As always the IBCA appreciates the support of all member coaches.
As I mentioned this is the 100 year anniversary of state championship basketball in Indiana. Also the 2010 NCAA Final Four will be in Indy the first week of April. For the first time in memory the IBCA, NCAA, IHSAA, the Pacers, Hall of Fame, and City of Indianapolis are joining forces to celebrate the 100 year anniversary and plan activities related to the NCAA Final Four.
When these plans are complete, an announcement will be made. This will be an opportunity for national exposure for our renowned “Indiana” brand of High School basketball. To my knowledge this is the first time that the NCAA has made this kind of an effort to tie in a state’s high school basketball programs with their high profile Division I tournament.
Another huge opportunity for the IBCA will be the possible involvement in a new program developed by the NCAA & NBA called I-HOOPS. This program is an effort by the two organizations, NCAA and NBA, to positively influence grass roots basketball in the United States. Together each organization has committed 50 million dollars over the next five years to make this happen. It plans to bring more structure and accountability to AAU as well as supporting youth programs at the community level.
January will again be Coaches vs Cancer month for high school basketball in Indiana. (See coaches vs cancer activities in this news letter.) The past two years the coaches have stepped up and embraced this program and have raised over $125,000 for cancer research. Besides research of this deadly disease, coaches are also teaching our young boys and girls a skill (giving back to one's community) that they will carry with them throughout their lives and into their communities where they will eventually work and serve.
On behalf of the IBCA, good luck this season, maintain high standards for your players, don’t sacrifice principles for victories and may the best teams win.
Yours for better basketball,
Steve Witty
Executive Director IBCA
