NCHSAA 100THANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONCLUDES
CARY— The 100th anniversary celebration of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association officially came to an end at the Embassy Suites in Cary as the NCHSAA hosted a black-tie gala.
The gala, attended by over 700 guests, celebrated the 100 years of the NCHSAA and culminated the centennial year, which has included a variety of special events. The theme for the centennial was “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Present and Shaping the Future” and occurred during the calendar year of 2013, meaning that it covered two different academic years.
During the course of the celebration, a special committee put together “100 To Remember” lists that were released at various times. The lists cited 100 administrators, 100 coaches, 100 female athletes and 100 male athletes who have been part of the NCHSAA program throughout its history.
Individuals who made one of the “100 to Remember” lists were among those invited to the gala, and those who attended were recognized during the course of the evening. They each were presented a commemorative medallion and then received a special 100th anniversary watch on stage from commissioner Davis Whitfield.
Whitfield officially welcomed the group at the beginning of the festivities and then later concluded the celebration with a special toast.
During the course of the gala, selected award recipients were interviewed on stage by master of ceremonies Rick Strunk, the associate commissioner of communications for the NCHSAA. For instance, the male athletes interviewed included former major league baseball player Scott Bankhead (Reidsville), former college football star Carlester Crumpler (Wilson Fike), former collegiate basketball standout, coach and administrator Terry Holland (Clinton), and former college and NBA star David Thompson (Crest).
NCHSAA media partner TimeWarner Cable was on hand throughout the course of the evening, interviewing many of those in attendance in the prefunction area and providing the feed for the video screens for the crowd in the ballroom.
Memorabilia from the NCHSAA’s extensive collection, including pictures, autographed balls and other items, was displayed.
Among other activities during the previous 12 months, there was a luncheon honoring athletic directors at the North Carolina Athletic Directors Conference and one for coaches at the North Carolina Coaches Association clinic. State championship teams enjoyed reunions and were recognized at state championships throughout the calendar year of 2013.
There was a community service component, as schools had the opportunity to participate in the “Football Feeding Frenzy” during the fall, with top schools in the project receiving special recognition at the state football championships.
“The gala was a wonderful night of celebration for the NCHSAA,” said Whitfield.
