2021 IHSAA STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
This group has been launched in 2021 to assist the organization in its efforts to promote leadership, sportsmanship and integrity. The committee will also provide the IHSAA with an important direct link to the “student voice” as it pertains to programs of the IHSAA. Twelve students will be selected to this committee from nominations submitted by member schools. In the first year, six juniors and six seniors will be selected. The application is open to all juniors and senior, regardless of gender.
The first meeting of the Student Advisory Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, January 13.
Drew Brown
Clarinda
Sports
Basketball, Football
What is your favorite sports memory?
My favorite sports memory would have to be playing any basketball I was able to play while my brother was still on the team when I was a sophomore and he was a senior.
What is your goal as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
I just want to bring possibly a different perspective to the group of athletes selected and highlight the importance of sports in life as a tool to develop skills used in all areas of life.
Brendan Cain
Sheldon
Sports
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Track & Field
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would you choose? Why?
Bill Belichick, it would be very interesting to hear how he created such a successful system in the NFL for so many years. Just being able to hear about his work ethic and competitiveness would be very motivating.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
Help make decisions that will satisfy most athletes and coaches, and hear people’s points of view about sports from other parts of the state.
Beau Klingensmith
Woodbury Central, Moville
Sports
Football, Wrestling
What is your favorite sports memory?
My favorite sports memory would have to be when our football team made it to the UNI-Dome after a 40-year period of us not making a appearance. It was the experience of a lifetime.
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would you choose? Why?
I would eat dinner with Dave Schultz. I would want to just pick his mind about wrestling and hear stories about wrestling overseas.
Cole Norris
Des Moines, Roosevelt
Sports
Football, Track & Field, Wrestling
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would you choose? Why?
I think Jackie Robinson would be a really interesting person to have dinner with. It would be very interesting to talk to him about the determination he had to play baseball in the MLB, and how he was able to push through the adversity he was facing.
What is your goal as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
I want to make sure that everyone who wants to participate in athletics is able to and encouraged to do so. I also want to make sure that schools with lower income athletes give their athletes the same chance to compete as every other athlete in the state.
Mason Ramsey
Carlisle
Sports
Baseball, Cross Country, Soccer
Who is your favorite college/professional athlete? Why?
My favorite athlete is Anthony Rizzo because I am a Cubs fan, and he is a fun, nice, and awesome guy and he has always been a big part of the Cubs team.
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would you choose? Why?
I would choose Tony Gwynn because I want to know how exactly he was so good at getting on base.
Luke Rankin
Dallas Center-Grimes
Sports
Basketball; Previously: Baseball, Golf
Is there a service project that you are especially proud of?
I am proud of the work our school did just this year in our annual Turkey Food Drive. We raised over 1,000 pounds of food and around $1,800 dollars for our local Grimes and Dallas Center food pantries. It was super rewarding to participate in something bigger than myself in a year where it is especially needed.
What is your goal as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
My goal is to provide assistance to whoever needs it and to be a voice for student-athletes all over the state. I feel like sometimes student-athlete’s voices aren’t heard when we have valuable input to share and we can provide first-hand experiences that lend themselves well to decision-making.
Alex Sandoval
Central Lee, Donnellson
Sports
Baseball, Basketball
Who is your favorite college/professional athlete? Why?
Francisco Lindor because he is so much fun to watch while being professional at the same time.
What is your favorite sports memory?
Having the great opportunity to make it to the 2019 State Baseball Tournament by first beating the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2A in the substate finals.
Trey Shearer
Montezuma
Sports
Basketball, Football, Golf; Previously: Baseball, Track & Field
Who is your favorite college/professional athlete? Why?
My favorite professional athlete is Tim Duncan. Not only was Tim an exceptional basketball player, he was also a great human being. Tim was always very kind to teammates and coaches of his but always had fun joking and messing around with them. Tim has never been involved in any incidents off the hardwood either. He has always been very humble and very down to earth.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
I am looking forward to working with the committee as well as my fellow student-athletes in order to keep pointing the IHSAA in the right direction for all future sports, sporting events, and student-athletes. I look forward to learning from the existing organization members as well as the other students selected to participate on the committee. I am excited to possibly play a role in this unique opportunity as a student-athlete here in the state of Iowa.
Alex Smith
Grinnell
Sports
Baseball, Football, Swimming, Tennis
Is there a service project that you are especially proud of?
I am proud of helping my town clean up after the derecho. I liked seeing not only the community come together, but people from all over the state come to help us clean up.
What is your goal as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
My goal as a member is to make connections with people outside of my conference and district. I also want to understand how athletic administration works.
Joseph Spates Jr.
Waterloo, East
Sports
Football, Track & Field
Who is your favorite college/professional athlete? Why?
LeBron James because the story of how he became who he is now is amazing and really inspired me.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
I would like to provide input to make things better for Iowa high school sports and equality within each sport.
Marlee Squires
West Central, Maynard
Sports
Basketball, Softball, Track & Field, Volleyball
If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would you choose? Why?
If I could have dinner with anyone in history, I would have dinner with Rosa Parks. I would want to ask her if she knew how big of an impact she was making on history. I would tell her about the difference she has made and how she’s still influencing people to this day.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing as a member of the Student Advisory Committee?
I look forward to providing input as a multi-sport athlete from a small school!
Isaac Weigel
Iowa City, City High
Sports
Swimming
Is there a service project that you are especially proud of?
I am part of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) organization at my school. I believe that what MVP is doing is important and powerful. Not only am I proud to be a member who can aid underclassmen, but I believe this service organization will impact my life far into the future, teaching me how to handle violent situations in an effective way.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of athletics?
I am a huge fantasy and science fiction reader. Reading is another escape from my day for me, an opportunity to visit another place where an author can share their imagination of what magic means to them. My favorite way of putting it is, “Science fiction develops ideas while fantasy develops dreams.”
