During halftime of the recent Indian Lake vs Fairbanks football game, Indian Lake Athletic Director Jeff Courter presented Brenda Jackson and her husband, the late Sam Jackson, with the Ohio High School Athletic Association Award for Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity. Together, Sam and Brenda worked the ticket booths at Indian Lake Athletic events for 25 years, greeting Laker fans with smiles and getting to know the families of our athletes. Brenda is currently working on her 26th year. However, we lost Sam earlier this spring after his courageous battle with cancer. Sam was a lifelong Laker, a 1978 ILHS alum and respected member of the local agriculture community who we all dearly miss. Sam would have celebrated his 65th birthday earlier this week. Brenda was joined on the field by their children and grandchildren.
The award has been established by the OHSAA and is annually available to each member high school. The award is for a person or persons in the community who exemplify good sportsmanship, one who is a positive role model for others, a person who reflects a high level of ethics and integrity in dealings with students and the interscholastic athletic program, one who supports and demonstrates positive values, and a person who has contributed to the well-being of the youth of the local high school.