Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is an association that regulates competition of interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level for the state of Illinois. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The IHSA regulates 14 sports for boys, 15 sports for girls, and eight co-educational non-athletic activities. More than 760 public and private high schools in the state of Illinois are members of the IHSA. The Association's offices are in Bloomington, Illinois.
| Abbreviation | IHSA |
|---|---|
| Formation | December 27, 1900 |
| Legal status | Association |
| Purpose | Athletic/Educational |
| Headquarters | 2715 McGraw Dr. Bloomington, IL 61704 40.467311°N 88.950838°W |
Region served | Illinois |
Membership | 777 high schools |
Executive Director | Craig Anderson |
| Affiliations | National Federation of State High School Associations |
Staff | 26 |
| Website | ihsa |
In its over 100 years of existence, the IHSA has been at the center of many controversies. Some of these controversies (inclusion of sports for girls, the inclusion of private schools, drug testing, and the use of the term "March Madness") have had national resonance, or paralleled the struggles seen in other states across the country. Other controversies (geographic advancement of teams to the state playoff series, struggles between small schools and large schools, particular rules unique to Illinois competition) are more of a local focus.