Frisk takes IHSA spotlight for distinguished service
During his long career at the Daily Herald, Bob Frisk had the opportunity to honor many area athletes and coaches through columns, stories and even serving as master of ceremonies at banquets.
The tables will be turned Friday in the Jean Walker Field House at Prospect High School.
Frisk will be the honoree.
It’s only three days until the former assistant managing editor/sports for the Daily Herald receives his award as one of the inaugural recipients of the Illinois High School Association’s Distinguished Media Service Award.
Frisk has received a litany of awards and honors, including Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame induction, as well as Hall of Fame enshrinement from three local high schools.
It was his idea in a column that helped create the IHSA’s Pack the Place nights around the state.
Frisk will be honored between the Hersey and Prospect boys and girls varsity basketball games.
“It’s so fitting that Bob will honored on a night when both the boys and girls are playing basketball in the Mid-Suburban Legaue,” said Daily Herald prep sports editor Aaron Gabriel. “To see him gain this recognition is a thrill because he’s done so much for the whole of high school sports.”
“Bob Frisk loves high school sports as much as anyone I know,” added Daily Herald prep sports writer John Leusch. “It’s great to see him receive an award like this. ”
Former high school sports coordinator Marty Stengle worked alongside Frisk for many years.
“Working with Bob through the years was a privilege and a pleasure,” said Stengle, who works on the sports copy desk. “His love of high school sports was infectious, and still is.”
Frisk is a true legend in high school sports. His junior high yearbook lists his life ambition as becoming a sports writer. He made the first step toward achieving that dream when he became the sports editor for the high school newspaper and yearbook while at Arlington High School in Arlington Heights (Arlington closed in 1984 and many of those students now attend Hersey or Prospect).
As a high school student, Frisk was also hired by the Daily Herald, which started a 56-year career at the paper that was interrupted only to attend the University of Illinois, where he covered high school sports for the Daily Illini and Champaign-Urbana Courier during his four years on campus.
Frisk retired in 2008 and sums up his love of high school sports with simplicity by saying “sports at this level are still refreshing. I love watching kids compete.”
The boys varsity game begins at 6 p.m. on Friday.
At the conclusion of that contest, Frisk will be recognized by the IHSA, followed by the start of the girls varsity game.
A reception will be held in the Prospect Community room before the first game at 5 p.m.
The Distinguished Media Service Award was created based on a recommendation from the IHSA Media Advisory Committee and seeks to recognize media members who have covered high school sports and activities in Illinois for a significant period of time, while maintaining perspective on the amateur events they report on.