Michael Zehr of Dubois is the winner of the Mildred Ball Award.
Zehr has been officiating for 43 years, and he has called high school basketball games at the varsity level for 38 seasons. Highlights from his career include working the State Finals on seven occasions – the boys in 2014 and the girls in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2018.
In addition, Zehr has officiated volleyball for 37 years and baseball for 25 years. He worked the volleyball state Finals five times (2005, 2006, 2010, 2014 and as a line judge in 2016) and the baseball State Finals five times (2007, 2010, 2011, 2016 and 2017).
He is a member of the Southwestern Indiana Officials Association, which he has served as president and as a sport chairman for basketball, baseball and volleyball. He currently is the SWIOA’s chairman for its golf scramble and scholarship programs.
He also has served as rules interpreter for the IHSAA in the sport of basketball.
“I thank God he has given me the good health needed to officiate as long as I have,” Zehr said.
Zehr graduated from Dubois High School in 1972. He is retired from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance as a material damage specialist, a position he held for 28½ years.
In addition to officiating, Zehr’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, gardening and playing golf.
Zehr and his wife, Marian, have two adult children – Alex and Audra – and four grandchildren.
