Congratulations to the Roy Gardner Award Winner: Mike Waisnora
Mike Waisnora recently completed his 38th season as a licensed IHSAA basketball official and has a wealth of experience on the court.
A 1971 graduate of Munster High School and a 1976 graduate of Purdue University, Waisnora began his officiating career in 1975. Over the years, he has worked 35 boys basketball sectionals, 23 boys basketball regionals, 12 boys basketball semistate and boys basketball State Finals in 1993, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Waisnora also was worked the girls basketball State Finals six times (the same six years as the boys’ finals) and served as a local association clinician for Certification Clinic in 2004, 2007 and 2013.
He has been a member of the Lake County Indiana Officials Association for 38 years and previously was a member of the Calumet Officials Association for 36 years.
Waisnora currently calls boys basketball games at the varsity level and works as an observer at the JV level. He also mentors younger officials so they can move up the ranks and achieve their goal of working at the varsity level. His current goal is to continue officiating and work future State Finals.
Waisnora has worked as a sales representative for 20 years for Main Sporting Goods in East Chicago, Ind.
He and his wife, Diana, have three children and nine grandchildren.
