Welcome back coaches! I hope you had a productive summer and are excited about the upcoming season. We look forward to working with you.
Along with continuing the traditions we are known for, the IBCA has some new initiatives for this year. As a result, we need you to become involved in the process because it will take even more coaches to get these things accomplished. Please return your membership applications for your entire coaching staff prior to the beginning of the season.
Following is a brief summary of the new challenges that we are pursuing. First of all, even though we have over six hundred women’s coaches as members of the IBCA, it is our goal to increase the voice of the women’s coaches within our organization. For this to happen, we need more women’s coaches to join the IBCA. We plan to increase the number of women’s coaches that serve as district representatives and on our board of directors. Please contact me or your district representatives if you have questions as we proceed in this endeavor.
Another new challenge we are happy about is our goal to become more involved in the Indiana All-Star process. Pat Aikman will provide you with details in another article in this newsletter. We are eager to partner in what has been one of the pillars of Indiana high school basketball.
In addition, the IBCA has begun discussions with officials’ associations to discuss the evaluation process for officials working the state basketball tournament. We need to become part of the solution and be supportive of those officials working hard to provide us with professional service based on the values of integrity, sportsmanship, and quality.
As always, under Coach Witty’s leadership as the IBCA Executive Director we continue to experience positive changes. We will strive to continue the enhancement of our association and our profession.
Finally, show your support to our sponsors. Our partnership with New Balance has proven very worthwhile to the IBCA. Please show them your patronage and try their products. They have a great shoe and sporting line for basketball and provide excellent service when you need them.
Most important, let’s all remember why it is we coach. We have to be about more than just winning basketball games. We have a great responsibility to teach our players the skills necessary to win in life. Good luck to you this season and I hope you have many victories on and off the court.
In His Court,
Wayne Barker
