INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 23, 2009) – The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and the Indianapolis Colts have teamed up to implement a state-wide program that encourages Indiana high school football teams to create and execute community service projects during their offseason.  The IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award program invites participating teams to then submit their completed projects for a panel of judges to evaluate, with the winning team being honored at a 2010 Indianapolis Colts game.

“When the IHSAA approached the Colts about sponsoring the high school football tournament, we also wanted to encourage high school athletes to become more involved in their communities,” said IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress. “Thus the IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award program was born.”

After the 2009 high school football season has ended, high school football programs are urged to create programs that support their home town communities and put them into practice. Suggested projects include: assisting a food pantry in collecting, organizing and delivering food, or sponsoring a food drive; cleaning a local public park, road or common area; conducting a winter clothing drive; conducting a football or sports camp for under-privileged children; and
designing and executing a program for elementary students where team members speak about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Participating teams are asked to thoroughly document the activities in which they participate, including photographs and videos, as well as written accounts and testimonials from those they have assisted. Entries will be judged by a Blue Ribbon Panel which will choose a winner. All entry forms and corresponding materials must be received by April 30, 2010.

The Indiana high school football program that is chosen as the winner of the IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award will be invited to a 2010 Indianapolis Colts game as guests of the team. The winning squad will be treated to an NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium, and be honored at halftime in front of 63,000 fans. An announcement will be made concerning the first annual IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award Winner on or before July 1, 2010.

“Together, the IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts are encouraging Indiana’s high school football teams to take the lessons they have learned on the field and apply them to situations beyond the sidelines,” said Ress. “Which is exactly what the Blue Horseshoe program is all about.”

For more information regarding the IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award program call Ira Maher at 317.633.1456.