Heartfelt congratulations go out to the Saint Ignatius Student Sports Information Department for being chosen as a Gold Medal winner in the annual National High School Sports Publication Awards.

Under moderator Jeff McCormick '83, the 'Cats' Student Sports Information Department took the Gold Medal in the Private School (1,000-1,500 students) Student-Prepared Division for the excellent work it did in putting together the “Saint Ignatius Wildcats Media Relations Guide, 2009 Football.”

Take it from someone who has followed high school football in Northeast Ohio since the late 1950s and reported on the sport for three decades at The Plain Dealer – it was a superb effort.

The National High School Sports Publication Awards are designed to recognize excellence in the preparation of Media Guides and Souvenir Programs that call attention to athletic teams at the secondary school level throughout the United States. It does not matter what sport or sports the entry promotes or if the school is public or private. The size of the school is also not a factor in the judging, and the entry can be assembled by students, volunteer parents, or professionals.

Michael Watts '11, who teamed with SIBN/SSID President Jacob Corrigan '10 as the stalwarts in assembling the football media guide, received the official letter of congratulations from Grace M. Criscuoli and Joseph E. Criscuoli of the National High School Sports Publication. The letter emphasized that the judges are looking forward to Saint Ignatius' entry for 2010.

Here is a tip of the cap, since it is baseball season, to the Wildcats' Student Sports Information Department and Student Broadcasting Network.