Congratulations to the Mildred Ball Award Winner: (2020 was postponed so this winner is being honored in 2021)

2020 IBCA Mildred Ball Award 

IBCA/MILDRED BALL AWARD

   Mildred Morgan Ball served as an IHSAA assistant commissioner from 1977 through 1997, responsible for the licensing and training of contest officials. In addition, she worked with the National Federation of State High School Associations’ rules committee. Ball is a 1953 graduate of Gary Roosevelt High School and a 1960 graduate of Indiana University. She was a teacher at East Chicago Washington High School before joining the IHSAA staff. She was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. The IBCA has presented an award to an outstanding basketball official in Mildred Ball’s name since 1997. 

Congratulations to the Mildred Ball Award Winner: Gary Wier

                Gary Wier of Plainville is the winner of the 2020 Mildred Ball Award.

                Wier officiated boys basketball and girls basketball for 32 years. During his officiating career, he worked 17 sectionals, 11 regionals, six semi-states and three State Finals in the boys’ tournament (2003, 2007 and 2010). On the girls’ side, he worked 21 sectionals, 16 regionals, eight semi-states and five State Finals (1999, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2012).

                He was the recipient of the 2013 Interscholastic Athletic Official Award for excellence in the sport of girls’ basketball. He is a past member of the Southwestern Official Association. Knee issues and a subsequent knee replacement prompted Wier’s retirement as a basketball official in 2013.

                Wier is a 1978 graduate of Shakamak High School, where he excelled in basketball – at one-time holding the school record of 1,206 points – and competed in track & field. He went on to Rend Lake Junior College, competing in basketball there and graduating in 1981.

                He has been employed with the Indiana State Police since 1988.

                Wier and his wife, Jill, have been married for 35 years. Jill Wier, who works in health care, officiated volleyball for 35 years; for 11 years, Gary and Jill officiated volleyball together. The couple has one son, Mitch, 30, a former U.S. Marine who has been employed with the Indiana State Police since 2014.

   1997: Theresia Wynns, Indianapolis

   1998: Sue Ross, Fort Wayne

   1999: Judy Schneider, Indianapolis

   2000: Mike Crouch, Marion

   2001: Tim Smith, Mentone

   2002: Rhonda McGee, Floyds Knobs

   2003: Rosie Leedy, Thorntown

   2004: Barbara Guhl, Indianapolis

   2005: Greta Hawvermale, Indianapolis

   2006: Patty Broderick, Indianapolis

   2007: John Patterson, Indianapolis

   2008: Gene Butts, Warsaw

   2009: Kim Yelich, Schererville

   2010: Judy Phillips, Indianapolis

   2011: Kelly Dennis, Whiteland

   2012: Roger Holder, Greenfield

   2013: Mike Smith, New Palestine

   2014: Phil Vidito, Indianapolis

   2015: Jay Smith, Syracuse

   2016: Bob Frye, Indianapolis

   2017: Larry Sintz, Brookville

   2018: Michael Zehr, Dubois

   2019: Andy Simpson, Crown Point

   2020: Gary Wier, Plainville

  2021: Gary Wier, Plainville (2020 was postponed, so honoring in 2021) 

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