THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

     I, the Kornerman, admits it. I'm proud of my 30 years of work, 1970-2000, for the Iowa High School Athletic Association. I hope you viewers, whatever line of work you are in or were in, also feel a sense of pride in what you offered your employers.
     I was hired at the IHSAA as the Publications Director and had a variety of duties. The IHSAA provides lots of written information to its member schools, its athletic officials and the news media. We have a rather large printing operation that would amaze those not familiar with it. As Director, it was my job to see that all that printing got done in a timely manner. Writing some of the materials, including press releases, proof  reading that material and making up print orders for what was to be   printed were prime parts of the job. It was similar to the type of work I was familiar with as an earlier employee of the Boone News Republican.
     In addition to providing all types of material for state news media outlets, I did photography work, taking pictures of all the championship teams and individuals in all the sports. Another part of my job was to chair committees, in each sport, who's task it was to select Hall of Fame inductees. I was also assigned the job of introducing those Hall of Fame members and presenting championship trophies to teams and individuals at all the State Meet events.
     Perhaps you will find the following historical information about the IHSAA interesting.
     Originally, the IHSAA was located in Des Moines and a former BHS teacher, Lyle Quinn, became the Executive Director. The word was that Lyle tired of a drive to Des Moines and back home and, thus, on a weekend, moved the association and its very small staff to the Security Savings Bank building on the northeast corner of Eighth and Keeler Streets. That was in January of 1944. The move to the current location on South Story Street occurred in 1975. Despite the advance in technology, the IHSAA staff has grown through the years with over a dozen now employed on site.
     Boone residents, Rick Wulkow and Al Beste served as IHSAA Executive Directors prior to retirement. The current director is Tom Keating.
     Here are some other memory makers:
     (1) The first television of a state boys basketball tournament occurred in 1953 when WOI-TV of Ames provided the coverage.
     (2) In July of 1969, the IHSAA and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union cooperated in hosting the first state coed golf tournament.
     (3) The first State Wrestling Tournament held at Vets Auditorium in Des Moines occurred in February of 1970. Previously, that event had been held in Waterloo.
     (4) The state football playoffs began in November of 1972.
     (5) In September of 1981, Jackie Parkin of Fairfield, a community school board member, became the first female representative on the IHSAA Board of Control.
     (6) In June of 1995, the first spring state soccer tournament was held at Muscatine.
     (7) In February of 2005, the Iowa Hall of Pride was opened in Des Moines.
     (8) In May of 2005, the IHSAA celebrated the 100th birthday of the state track competition at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. It also became the first time both the boys and girls had their state meet at the same time, same site.
     (9) In February of 2010, the IHSAA sanctioned, for the first time, a State Bowling tournament held in Des Moines.
     (10) In October of 2011, the IHSAA became the first such state organization in the nation to add wheelchair competition to the cross country program.
     (11) For over 90 years, member schools of the association had paid $2.00 yearly dues to belong. But in May of 2018, that membership fee was dropped.
K-----K
     In answer to a question in a recent Korner, Jan Stumbo tells us that the 1965 class reunion will be held at the VFW on July 31 and Cedar Pointe on August1.
K-----K
     The Kornerman was sorry to learn of Jerry Kinney's passing. One of Iowa's most well-known "music men" passed away at age 89 on February 19.
     Jerry was very familiar in this area.......well, actually, all over Iowa. All he did was spend 67 years teaching music at Iowa high schools........13 all told. And, they were schools of all sizes, ranging from Iowa's largest, West Des Moines Valley, to many much smaller schools......Wall Lake, Adel, Lake City, Orange City, Red Oak, Ogden, Perry, Pella, Colfax-Mingo, Des Moines Diocesan Middle Schools, Sacred Heart of West Des Moines and oh yes, also Blair, NE.
     Perhaps he made his biggest impact at Valley, where his March Masters became very well known nationally, as well as locally. Anytime I'm traveling east on Highway 30, I'm reminded of Jerry Kinney. Just east of Colo, on the south side of the road, in a farmyard, rests one of the March Masters old traveling units.........well worn and probably the present home of livestock.
     As I recall, when Jerry was at Ogden, the Bulldog program took a big leap forward, just as his various programs tended to do.
     A musician, himself, Jerry played in various municipal bands, including time as a  member of the Boone municipal band.
     Survivors include his wife, Sandra, of West Des Moines.
     P.S. Can your believe that Waukee HS is now threatening Valley as Iowa's largest high school?
K-----K
     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Mary McVicker, 78, Boone/Omaha..........Kevin Miles, 65, Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-72. Traveled several years with a show band. Since 1977, an employee of Rolfes Company of Boone. Has served as company president in recent years. Survivors include his brother, Erik, a sister, Krisha Barrett, and his special friend and companion, Lisa Kubernusz......Larry Swank, 79, Boone. Born in Boone. U.S. Navy vet. Married Barbara Snyder in 1962. Worked in construction. Survivors include his wife, his son, Chris Swank, and sisters, Kathleen Mickle and Harriett Creasman, all of Boone.......Susan Rouse, 55, Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-82. Married James Rouse in 1987. Was a fork lift operator for PDM Distributing. Survivors include her husband, her mother, Ellen Peppels, and step-brother, Chad Tillman, all of Boone. Also surviving are a brother and several brothers and sisters-in-law........Ray Elsberry, 82, Ogden. Married Joyce Moorman in 1958. Served in the National Guard. Worked for Fareway, as an Ogden Fire Chief and served on the Ogden City Council. Survivors include his wife, a son, four daughters, a brother and a sister........Christian Thornhill, 24, Ankeny. Born in Boone. Ankeny HS-2014. Survivors include his dad, Ronald, a brother, a sister, his grandparents, including Ginger Jones of Pilot Mound and two aunts, including Tina Campbell of Boxholm.......Delores Geneser, 84, Woodward. Born in Madrid. MHS-54. Worked for Look Magazine in Des Moines. Married Bill Geneser in 1955 and the couple farmed. Survivors include her husband, five children, three brothers and a sister-in-law.........Maurice Reimers, 84, Ames. Born in Ogden. OHS. Earned a civil engineering degree from ISU. Married Mary Jean Lockard in 1956. Worked for Pittsburgh Steel in Des Moines for 43 years. The couple lived in Des Moines, Beaverdale and at Lake Panorama. Survivors include a brother-in-law and sister-in-law.......Vera Cory, 89, Ankeny. Survivors include a sister, Veda Dyer, of Madrid.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters  are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.