IBCA E-Newsletter

All-Star Attendance Up 13%

I want to thank the IBCA and Steve Witty for all of their help with the 2009 Indiana Kentucky All-Star games. We had a surge in attendance of 13 percent over the previous year. This would not have happened without the efforts of the Coaches' Association and Steve.

We held our inaugural IBCA Indianapolis Star All-Star game day shootout at Ben Davis. We invited all of the teams that had an All-Star to participate in a shootout the morning of the Indiana home game with Kentucky on June 13th. Nineteen schools accepted and we filled the other five spots with at-large participants. With the generous help of Randy Shields and McDonalds, Phil Morris and his Team Image company, along with Pat Strong and a great group of officials, we were able to offer meals, T-shirts, free play and a $16 All-Star ticket all for a mere $8 per participant.

We have received a lot of great feedback and this clearly allowed us to put the All-Stars' coaches and teammates in the stands to cheer on their former teammates. It was pretty clear that the attendance bump was a direct result of this effort. Steve and the Star are looking into expanding this idea by adding a middle school version of the shootout next year. This is a lot of work, but as you all know Steve and the IBCA have never been afraid to go that extra mile.

The Star has reaffirmed its' commitment to the games. We have a new three year agreement with the Pacers and Conseco. Anne Templeton and Jennifer Gombach at the Star are working hard and we are talking with various businesses to increase sponsorship of the games. We swept all four games with Kentucky this year and with the attendance increase the games are hopefully headed in the right direction.

We had six great coaches this year. Stan Benge, Beth DeVinney, Shelly Newell, David Wood, Bob Nobbe and Marty Gaff were awesome. My job is made much easier by having an endless pool of quality Indiana coaches to choose from. The same can also be said of the player pool due in great part to the quality of the coaching they receive. Thanks for all the great work you do with your kids. This time honored tradition of summer basketball would not exist if not for the efforts of our great coaches and players.

Thanks.

Charlie Hall
Indianapolis Star Indiana All-Star Games' Director

2008-2009 All Star Coaches

Boys' Coaches

Girls' Coaches