Thursday Update

Previews
IHSSN continues to write fall previews for football and volleyball. Additionally, coaches interviews are being added, along with 7-on-7 videos for teams that are available. Many more coaches interviews will be available in the next couple weeks. Hard to believe the first official practices are less than two weeks away!!!

Weekend Coverage
IHSSN will finally take a weekend off, to focus on the fall preparation. I believe I reported on Twitter earlier this week that I can be "fully prepared", and I will still be lost. There is not enough preparation in the world for me to feel comfortable with everything that comes to a head at the start of the school year.

New Features
We hope to add some additional radio stations to our network this year. Basically, it is free publicity for radio stations, and the Illinois High School Sports Network creates an easier portal for high school sports fans to find broadcasts. It's a win-win-win for all involved!!!

Also, IHSSN.net is adding a weekly stats feature, and a template is being created as we speak. This will be the top stat leaders for teams throughout the season (on a weekly basis), statewide, as available. As always, we encourage coaches and administrators to submit information. ihssn@hotmail.com is the easiest way to contact us.

Upcoming
The ASA 14-under National Championships will be in Illinois next week. The games begin on August 2nd, and IHSSN.net will be there a few days taking some video. This will be the final event for the summer of 2010, before practice coverage kicks in on August 11th. Wow! Where did the time go.

Prairie Radio Communications Enhances Coverage
I "daylight" as the Sports Director at WAIK (Galesburg) and WMOI/WRAM (Monmouth). We have added coverage of the Mid-County Cougars for the 2010 season. For those unaware, this is the new football co-op between Galva, Williamsfield, and ROWVA. The games will be aired on AM 1590 WAIK (www.1590waik.com) on Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. It is a work-in-progress, that these games may be available live on Friday nights (online only). In addition, WAIK will air Galesburg Silver Streaks football live (I will handle play-by-play), and the WMOI Game of the Week will bounce back and forth between the Monmouth-Roseville Titans and United Red Storm. Likewise, the AM 1330 WRAM Game of the Week will carry whatever team is not on WMOI.

Celebrity Announcers on Galesburg Football Broadcasts
Due to a rousing success in its inaugural season last year, AM 1590 WAIK will once again feature a celebrity color commentator during its Galesburg Silver Streaks broadcasts. Invitations are currently being sent out, and already the station has confirmations from Galesburg District 205 Superintendent Dr. Gene Denisar and Silver Streaks baseball coach Arnie Gonzalez (Class 3A Supersectional appearance this past spring). More confirmations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Death of Galesburg Wrestling Coach
Speaking of Galesburg High School, I would like to extend my sympathies to the John Chapman family and the Galesburg High School community on the loss of varsity wrestling coach John Chapman. He passed away of a heart attack while running the Bix 7 in Davenport, Iowa last Saturday, at the age of 41. I didn't know John all that well, only talking with him on a few occasions talking about his wrestling program, but have heard so many great stories about a man who was taken away all too young. It was a shock when I received a text message last Saturday, informing me of the shocking and untimely death of the former Division-3 All-American wrestler. He had coached the Silver Streaks wrestlers for 11 years. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.