50^th anniversary celebration set for January 19-20, 2018 in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – December 5, 2017 – 2018 marks a major milestone for the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) as the organization will celebrate its 50th anniversary

As part of the celebration, the IHSBCA will host its 50^th Annual Baseball Coaches Clinic and Hall of Fame Banquet. Events will be held in Cedar Rapids at the Marriott Hotel on January 19-20th.

“We are excited about the 50^th Annual Clinic and Hall of Fame Banquet,” said Lee Toole, IHSBCA executive director and long-time head baseball coach at Lewis Central. “Our teams are finalizing plans and have put together a tremendous line-up of speakers for the weekend. In addition, we have activities planned to honor the IHSBCA’s fifty years of promoting baseball in Iowa and across the Midwest. Expect a fun-filled weekend packed with great information that can be used by coaches and umpires to enhance the play of baseball in Iowa.”

Coaches and umpires can register for the Clinic and Hall of Fame Banquet by visiting www.ihsbca.net. Additional information on hotel accommodations and the clinic are also on the site.

The Hall of Fame Banquet will conclude the weekend of events on Saturday evening. All former Hall of Fame members are invited to attend the banquet and can register online at www.ihsbca.net. During the banquet, the IHSBCA will induct six into the 2018 Hall of Fame Class. The new inductees include:

John Bartolo – Algona                         Marty Kurth – LeMars                          Wes Obermueller – Vinton

Tom Owen – North Polk                       Emory Stewart – Oskaloosa                 Jim Struve- Vinton

“We have a great 2018 Hall of Fame Class to be inducted and the banquet will be one of the many highlights of the weekend,” added Toole. “The banquet will honor our organization’s rich history and tradition over the past fifty years as we stay focused on providing additional opportunities to grow the game of baseball across Iowa and the Midwest. While the weekend honors our past, it is also a chance to come together to share our passion for the future.”

In addition to Coaches Clinic and Hall of Fame Banquet, the IHSBCA has several other events planned as part of its 50^th year anniversary celebration. In August 2018, the IHSBCA will host its annual Junior Showcase and Senior All-Star Series. The events will highlight the fifty years of IHSBCA tradition and history. In addition, the 2018 IHSBCA All-State Baseball Teams will be selected.

Additional information on the IHSBCA’s 2018 events and activities is available at www.iowahsbca.net.

About the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association

The Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) is a statewide organization promoting the growth of baseball by providing educational opportunities for Iowa’s baseball coaches and umpires. The organization, founded in 1968, has more than 400 members representing all levels of baseball. The IHSBCA seeks to develop the skills of coaches and umpires to be utilized in teaching the game of baseball to student-athletes. For more information on the IHSBCA or to become a member, please visit iowahsbca.net.

The 2018 Iowa Shrine All-Star Football Classic has been set for a game date of July 21, 2018 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar falls with a 4:00pm kickoff. The South Head Coach will be Urbandale’s Sam Anderson and the North Head Coach will be Doug Winkowitsch of West Delaware.

46 players have been selected by the coaches for each squad. The selections are made from nominations from coaches around the state.

The 2018 game will be the 46th annual. The game has raised over $2,600,000 for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

See the full press release here: IowaShrineBowl