IHSAA Foundation
Supporting Education-Based Athletics in Indiana
Education-Based Athletics
Here are some facts about "education-based athletics" in Indiana that you might find helpful:
- The emphasis of education-based athletics is teaching life lessons that cannot always be effectively taught in the high school classroom and often are not taught at home - lessons like respect for the rules, the reward of hard work and commitment, time management skills, teamwork, the importance of practicing good sportsmanship, and a value system based on honesty, integrity, and mutual respect regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
- Research shows that students who participate in education-based athletics have, on average, higher grade point averages, fewer absences, and fewer disciplinary problems than their peers.
- Research overwhelmingly shows that high school students who participate in education-based athletics routinely become leaders in business, education, the professions, their community, and in government.
Foundation Purpose
The purpose of the IHSAA Foundation is to be organized and operate exclusively for the charitable benefits of IHSAA member schools and their student athletes. The Foundation shall maintain a fund and use the income generated from the fund to promote the educational purposes of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc., its member schools and support deserving student athletes in their pursuit of post-secondary education.
Foundation Mission
The IHSAA Foundation is dedicated to protecting, sustaining, and nurturing the proud tradition of education-based athletics in Indiana. The Foundation’s work will ensure IHSAA member schools receive the support they need to help their students excel in athletics, the classroom, and their lives.
Foundation Vision
To encourage Indiana’s high school student-athletes to achieve their full potential by cultivating a sustainable education-based environment that enables them to thrive.
Programmatic Themes
- InSideOut Initiative - A coach-focused initiative, supported in partnership with the NFL Foundation and the Indianapolis Colts, intended to redirect the focus of the “win-at-all-costs” sports culture and to reclaim the purpose of sport as an integral component of education in America. The InSideOut Initiative was founded by Joe Ehrmann, former Baltimore Colt, and Jody Redman, current Assistant Commissioner of the Minnesota State High School League. Important "coach-focused" questions are asked: Why do I coach? Why do I coach the way I do? How does it feel to be coached by me? How do I define success? Why do I lead?
- 105 Current Member Schools
- 66,000+ Student-Athletes
- Schools will receive IHSAA Sportsmanship Credit
- Habitudes for Athletes - A student leadership program created by Dr. Tim Elmore, president of Growing Leaders. Habitudes for Athletes uses images, conversations, and experiences to turn ordinary students into Growing Leaders. The four courses are: The Art of Self Leadership, The Art of Teamwork and Connecting with Teammates, The Art of Leading Others & Changing Team Culture, and The Art of Navigating Transitions.
- 25 Current Member Schools
- 25,000+ Student-Athletes
- Schools will receive IHSAA Sportsmanship Credit
- Champions Together/Unified Sports - Champions Together is a collaborative partnership between the IHSAA and Special Olympics Indiana. The program connects students with and without developmental/intellectual disabilities in athletic competitions. Track and Field and Flag Football are the two current Unified Sports that are sponsored by the IHSAA.
- Next-Step Grant Program - High school athletic departments could apply for a grant to accomplish a project or undertake an initiative deemed of high priority for the school and for which the athletic department has inadequate funding.
- Scholarships – The IHSAA Foundation is committed to providing scholarships to deserving student athletes in their pursuit of higher education.
