CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.  Consisting of more than 400 members and coordinating with 400 high schools in North Carolina, the NCHSAA tries to use education based athletics.

Executive director of the NCHSAA, Davis Whitfield, comments on some of the goals for the program.

“We have a strong student services program where we teach leadership, integrity those values that we feel like education based athletics provides for our young people in North Carolina” said Whitfield.

After 100 years of teaching high school athletes core values and improving athletics around the state, Whitfield considers NC high school athletics to be very strong and full of rich talent.

“Athletics is strong in North Carolina right now, and we’re excited about that, there are more and more young people participating, there are new programs that are growing” says Whitfield.

High school athletics doesn’t end with the players, but that it also extends into the community. Athletics can help bring communities together and create a stronger bond between the people of the communities and the high school.

“I think you have something special with high school athletics because you not only represent your high school but your community and families and in a way that brings your community together” said Whitfield.

For the upcoming year, the NCHSAA has several changes planned to improve athletics.  Whitfield says the association plans on investing in communication technology to improve communication with the schools, provide professional development for both students and coaches, provide additional revenue for the schools, as well as some building renovations.

“Well we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us Ron, we just completed the first year of our strategic plan so we’ll move into the second year of that, and certainly with that, that lays out a plan and a map for us to pursue over the next three to five years” said Whitfield.

The Association also has a commemorative book available for the 100th anniversary of the association. The book contains a history of some high school athletics in NC and several great pictures and information. For more information on a commemorative book call 919-240-7401.