Bulletin Board
In partnership with the National Federation of State High School Associations, the HHSAA is excited to announce a campaign to showcase the tremendous value high school sports and activities bring to students. Our campaign, #MyReasonWhy, highlights engaging stories told by students, parents, coaches, officials and community members.We know that high school sports and activities help students do more than build skills and character development; participation in sports and activities gives students a sense of self and community - and research shows that 92 percent of parents are in agreement that participation in sports and activities leads to healthier lifestyles later in life.
We need your help capturing stories from Hawaii to share with a nationwide audience by encouraging students, parents, coaches, officials and community members to share their reason for participating and influential moments - big or small - using the hashtag #MyReasonWhy.
Watch our national campaign video, featuring our very own Tucker C. from Wahiawa, Hawaii, and learn more at nfhs.org/myreasonwhy.
Mahalo for your support!
A Message from the Executive Director:
As I embark on my 7th year as Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, I’ve had the opportunity to personally witness the highs and lows of high school sports in Hawaii. It always brings a smile to my face, when I see student-athletes congratulate one another and display sportsmanship following a contest. At the same time, I get discouraged when I see parents, coaches, and administrators get caught up in the competitive nature of sports resulting in inappropriate actions and decisions. However, no one can deny the positive impact that athletics plays in Hawaii. The best example, of course, is when public school athletic budgets were cut, Hawaii residents donated nearly 2 million dollars to keep these programs running. But why did people donate… and with such passion? The answer has roots in what the National Federation of State High School Associations is promoting now.
The NFHS recently launched a campaign entitled, #MyReasonWhy. It focuses on how the experiences of students, parents, coaches, and officials participating in high school sports has benefited them.
It is undeniable that Hawaii is ahead of the curve and knows its “reason why” as illustrated by the Save Our Sports fundraiser. We knew the positive impacts sports play on students’ lives and opened our wallets to prove it. How did we know? Because most of us experienced it firsthand. While only a few of us were lucky enough to win a state championship, that didn’t stop the rest of us from reaping the benefits from being on a team.
We need to remember this as we enter this crucial time period of high school sports. It used to be where participation was more important than winning at all costs. We used to thank officials rather than bemoan them. We used to recruit students to try new sports, not transfer schools. If we once again “remember why”, our student-athletes, communities, and State will be better off. It will solve competitive disparity. It will solve our officials’ shortage. It will even solve the growing number of sport specialization injuries.
I encourage you to visit http://www.nfhs.org/MyReasonWhy and learn more about this important campaign. Whether you are a student-athlete, parent, coach, official, or supporter, it will enhance your experience with high school sports and benefit those around you. Do you remember what is your reason why? I do!
As I embark on my 7th year as Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, I’ve had the opportunity to personally witness the highs and lows of high school sports in Hawaii. It always brings a smile to my face, when I see student-athletes congratulate one another and display sportsmanship following a contest. At the same time, I get discouraged when I see parents, coaches, and administrators get caught up in the competitive nature of sports resulting in inappropriate actions and decisions. However, no one can deny the positive impact that athletics plays in Hawaii. The best example, of course, is when public school athletic budgets were cut, Hawaii residents donated nearly 2 million dollars to keep these programs running. But why did people donate… and with such passion? The answer has roots in what the National Federation of State High School Associations is promoting now.
The NFHS recently launched a campaign entitled, #MyReasonWhy. It focuses on how the experiences of students, parents, coaches, and officials participating in high school sports has benefited them.
It is undeniable that Hawaii is ahead of the curve and knows its “reason why” as illustrated by the Save Our Sports fundraiser. We knew the positive impacts sports play on students’ lives and opened our wallets to prove it. How did we know? Because most of us experienced it firsthand. While only a few of us were lucky enough to win a state championship, that didn’t stop the rest of us from reaping the benefits from being on a team.
We need to remember this as we enter this crucial time period of high school sports. It used to be where participation was more important than winning at all costs. We used to thank officials rather than bemoan them. We used to recruit students to try new sports, not transfer schools. If we once again “remember why”, our student-athletes, communities, and State will be better off. It will solve competitive disparity. It will solve our officials’ shortage. It will even solve the growing number of sport specialization injuries.
I encourage you to visit http://www.nfhs.org/MyReasonWhy and learn more about this important campaign. Whether you are a student-athlete, parent, coach, official, or supporter, it will enhance your experience with high school sports and benefit those around you. Do you remember what is your reason why? I do!
| | Sincerely,
Christopher Chun |
