Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS – Eighteen high school student-athletes from across the Hoosier State will begin next school year as members of the 2020-21 IHSAA Student Advisory Committee (SAC).

Nine juniors will join nine seniors beginning their second year with the group which will receive hands-on leadership experience in various areas via several IHSAA-sponsored events as well as serve as a voice to the IHSAA staff. Each year, the IHSAA receives nominations from school principals on behalf of student-athletes from IHSAA member schools. From that group of nominations, 20 are selected for interviews by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee and returning members of the SAC.

From those interviews, nine incoming juniors are invited to join the group of nine returning seniors.

Student-athletes who will serve as part of next school year’s committee include:

Rudy Branstetter 11 Connersville
Brookelyn Brown 12 North Vermillion
Brooke Comer 12 North Harrison
Leyton Czarnecki 12 LaVille
Georgia Gray 11 Fort Wayne Canterbury
Keegan Kaiser 11 Floyd Central
Ethan Keehn 12 Lake Station Edison
Gracie Madison 12 Barr-Reeve
Ava Ray 11 Franklin Community
Will Retherford 11 Elwood Community
Raef Sauer 11 Center Grove
Claire Shide 12 Mishawaka
Graham Siefker 12 LaPorte
Elizabeth Steinhart 12 Mt. Vernon
Brynn Urban 12 Fishers
Timothy Weeks 11 Eastern (Greentown)
Amajanea Whitt 11 Fort Wayne Wayne
Olivia Yager 11 Rushville Consolidated

The SAC, which began in 2001-02, represents the entire IHSAA membership of 408 schools, and its structure reflects that of the IHSAA Board of Directors in terms of classification and districts. The SAC meets four times annually – twice each semester – and is responsible for hosting meetings with student peers at the Fall Area Principals Meetings; assisting with the awards ceremonies at IHSAA state championship events throughout the school year, planning and administering the annual IHSAA Student Leadership Conference in June and; to engage in and support the activities of Special Olympics Indiana including the Unified Track & Field and Unified Flag Football State Tournaments.

Other SAC functions include the development of an IHSAA Captain’s Handbook which is posted to IHSAA.org as well as assisting in the creation of multiple public service announcements addressing good sporting behavior which will be utilized during 2020-21 state championships events.