Title Page & Abstract
An Interview with Craig Anderson
Part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
Tumultuous 2020 Oral History project
Interview # T20-A-L-2021-016
Craig Anderson, the executive director of the Illinois High School Association, was interviewed on the date listed below as part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library’s Tumultuous 2020 Oral History project.
Interview dates & location: May 28, 2021 in Bloomington, Illinois
Interview Format: Digital audio
Interviewer: Philip Pogue, ALPL volunteer
Transcript being processed.
Transcription by: _________________________
Edited by: _______________________________
Total Pages: ______ Total Time: 1:28 / 1.47 hrs.
Accessioned into the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Archives on July 13, 2021.
The interview is archived at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois.
© 2021 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
Abstract
Craig Anderson, Tumultuous 2020, T20-A-L-2021-016
Biographical Information/Overview of Interview: Craig Anderson was born in Moline, Illinois in 1969. He graduated from Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Illinois in 1987, then went to Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois where he played on the football and basketball teams, earning a BA in Mathematics/education in 1991. (Craig earned a MA in Educational Administration from Illinois State University in 1997). He began his teaching at Morton High School where he worked for ten years, also coaching football, basketball, and track. He moved to Olympia High School Stanford, Illinois in 2001, where he taught math, coached football, and later became athletic director. In 2005, Craig became athletic director at Washington, Illinois serving there for five years. In 2010, Craig joined the Illinois High School Association where he supervised football, wrestling, baseball, and the licensing of officials. In 2016, Craig became the seventh executive director of the Illinois High School Association. Craig has served on the National Federation of High Schools Association in the area of football rules.
Anderson discusses the impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic upon the Illinois High School Association, its 814 member schools, their students and communities throughout Illinois. He talks about the impact of state restrictions, beginning with the mid March 2020 cancellations of the state’s Boys Basketball Championships, the later winter sports (wrestling), and the entire calendar of spring sports and activities. Anderson also discussed IHSA’s plans for 2020-2021, including limited contact hours in the summer, restrictions placed on fall sports/activities, the pause in November-December in all activities/sports, the return of sports/activities in January 2021, the movement of seasons such as volleyball, football, soccer, and wrestling, the limited basketball season and cancellation of the 2021state championships, and the plans for a full spring season including state championships. He reviewed plans for the summer 2021 and the reopening of activities/sports for 2021-22, and looked at the IHSA legal challenges, its dealing with State and Illinois Department of Health Guidelines, holding IHSA Board Meeting via Zoom, questions raised by school officials, parents and the media, and challenges in lost revenue due to the pandemic.
Subject Headings/Key Words: Illinois High School Association; pandemic’s impact on sports in Illinois schools; pandemic’s impact on revenue for IHPA; Payroll Protection loans; cancellation of state championships; IHSA designation of high, medium and low risk sports; relations with parents; legal challenges due to pandemic; Sports Medicine Advisory Committee; National Federation of High Schools Association;
Notes to the Reader: Readers of the oral history memoir should bear in mind that this is a transcript of the spoken word, and that the interviewer, interviewee and editor sought to preserve the informal, conversational style that is inherent in such historical sources. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is not responsible for the factual accuracy of the memoir, nor for the views expressed therein. We leave these for the reader to judge.
COPYRIGHT
The following material can be used for educational and other non-commercial purposes without the written permission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. “Fair use” criteria of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 must be followed. These materials are not to be deposited in other repositories, nor used for resale or commercial purposes without the authorization from the Audio-Visual Curator at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, 112 N. 6th Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701. Telephone (217) 785-7955