From Six-on-Six to Full Court Press: A Century of Iowa Girls' Basketball

10. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union: A Million Dollar Operation

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union: A Million Dollar Operation IOWA IS THE ONLY STATE TO HAVE Aseparate athletic association for girls in high school. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is an independent body. It has no official relationship with state government. Founded to provide statewide competitive basketball, its showcase is still that sport. In other states girls' sports are administered from the same athletic organization as boys' sports. Part of the strength of girls' sports in Iowa is that the Union exists exclusively for them. It does not have to compete with boys' sports in an umbrella organization. The Union's purpose is to organize competitive sports for high school girls throughout Iowa. It is administered by the officials of the Union, the eight-member board of directors with a twelve-member representative committee, three from each of the four geographic regions of the state. There are advisory committees for each of the current sports-basketball , softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, track, and field, and golf. The Union employs ten to twelve full-time staff with specialized skills to carry on its year-round sports program. It is housed in a historic mansion on a vast expanse of lawn at 2900 Grand Avenue in Des Moines.1 The Union regulates the playing season for each sport, determines the number of games per regular season (eighteen 189 190 FROM SIX-ON-SIX TO FUll COURT PRESS for basketball), sets up tournaments and other athletic events, initiates and promulgates bylaws and athletic contest rules, handles protests, collects annual dues of $3 per school, sets the budget, and provides suitable awards. The Union's income and expenses have increased tremendously as the program has grown. The income for 1990 was $1.5 million. Basketball brings roughly 50 percent of the budget, volleyball 18 percent, and softball 16 percent. The Union takes in additional income through television and other advertising, official fees, program sales, and merchandise sales such as films and videos of past games and other memorabilia . Union Services The Union pays travel and tournament lodging and food costs for each of the twenty-four state tournament teams along with the coach's and manager's costs. For the eventual winners there are six dozen roses, a four-foot-high trophy, and a banquet and a red coat and plaque for the winning coach. Each of the top four teams in five- and six-player ball receive trophies. The All-Tournament Select team members receive individual medals. A very complete 100-page Dope Book or Hoop Scoop is compiled by the Union's information director Mike Henderson and Troy Dannen. It includes the tournament pairings, the calendar of events, the names and schedules of the many groups that entertain during the weeklong tournament, the complete record of every tournament game since 1920, current individual state tournament team's records, and other records of outstanding scorers. Sports journalists m'ake extensive use of the Dope Book as they compete to write the most interesting hometown team stories. A slick, professional sixty-five-page tournament program book is sold to the public. Each tournament team's formal photo, basketball seasonlong stats, rank at the end of the season , school and town population, and names of coaches and school administrators are included. The program also includes the names of all Hall of Fame members, state champion teams since 1920, and records of outstanding five- and six-player teams and individuals. Full page advertisements are taken out by state tournament program sponsors, Des Moines businesses , statewide agricultural businesses, and private colleges attempting to recruit students. The program is a prized souvenir of the tournament.2 The Union negotiates the television contract for the tournament with one company that then feeds to other stations. All radio broadcast requests are channeled through one Des 191 THE IOWA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC UNION Moines radio station, KDSM. The Union publishes a yearly bulletin and a quarterly IGHSAU News and prepares weekly press releases during the basketball season. It is a large, efficiently run business. E. Wayne Cooley, Executive Secretary E. Wayne Cooley, dubbed Cecil B. deCooley by sportswriter Maury White, identified as the John Ringling of girls' basketball by Sports Illustrated journalist Rose Mary Mechem, and characterized as a workaholic entrepreneur by many, assumed the position of executive secretary of the Union in 1954. After almost 40 years of exemplary effort he is credited with...