IHSA's Johnson to receive NFHS Citation
Elgin High School graduate Scott Johnson, a longtime assistant executive director of the Illinois High School Association, is among 12 leaders in high school activity programs across the country who have been selected to receive National Federation of State High School Associations Citations.
An award designed to honor individuals who have made contributions to the NFHS, state high school associations, athletic director and coaching professions, the officiating avocation and fine arts/performing arts programs, the NFHS Citation is one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school athletics and performing arts.
The 2015 NFHS Citation recipients will receive their awards July 1 at the 96th annual NFHS summer meeting in New Orleans.
Johnson is being recognized for his trailblazing work in technology and website development among state high school associations:
"This is quite an unexpected honor, and I thank the folks who nominated and confirmed me. It's something I will always remember," Johnson said.
Johnson has been an assistant executive director of the IHSA since July 2001. He began his career with the association in 1994 as data processing manager.
During his tenure at the IHSA Johnson, a University of Illinois graduate, has managed the association's internal and external computer operations, including the IHSA website, and served as editor of IHSA souvenir programs and other publications. Since 2002, Johnson has run the IHSA's team chess tournament. Johnson served as chairman of the NFHS Records Committee, which publishes the National High School Sports Record Book, from 2005 to 2009.
His love of high school sports history and records has earned him the unofficial title of IHSA historian. In 2002, the IHSA published a book written by Johnson and his wife, Julie Kistler. Once There Were Giants commemorates the Hebron Green Giants, who won the 1952 single-class basketball championship with an enrollment of just 98 students. A few years later, in 2007, Johnson edited and cowrote 100 Years of Madness, a history of the IHSA boys' basketball tournament.