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 JIM HALLIHAN
IOWA SPORTS FOUNDATION
On July 1, 1994, Jim Hallihan joined the staff of the Iowa Sports
Foundation and took over as the Executive Director on September 1.
During Hallihan's tenure, the Iowa Sports Foundation has evolved from just the Summer and Winter sports festivals
into a year round health and activity life style. When Hallihan arrived,
the Winter Iowa Games in Dubuque had be cancelled for 1995. Hallihan
brought back the Games and in 2008 had a new participation record of 3,805
athletes. With the
addition of Net Fest Basketball and Volleyball, Hoopin' At The Dome, The Iowa
Games Golf Classic, and Fish Iowa Games; the Iowa Sports Foundation, under
Hallihan's leadership, has grown tremendously. Hallihan has also been a
key factor in the additions of the Live Healthy Iowa, Live Healthy Iowa Kids, Go the Distance Day,
and Live Healthy America programs, which promote healthier lifestyles through
being active and developing nutritional eating habits.
In 2007, over 119,000 individuals participated in an Iowa Sports Foundation
event.
Hallihan spends a great deal of his time traveling the state of Iowa promoting the Games and the "Character Counts!" program. His travels include a 100-stop media tour, as well
as speaking engagements at sport clinics, schools, civic organizations, church groups and corporations.
For 8 1/2 years, Hallihan hosted a radio show, "Sports for the Right Reasons," in which sportsmanship and character-building are the focus for youth, parents and
coaches.
Hallihan serves on the Board of the Institute for Character Development in Des Moines and attended two national
"Pursuing Victory With Honor" sports summits whose focus was to reinstate character building
through the six pillars of character in amateur sports throughout America.
On May 4, 2000, the Iowa Sports Foundation staff and Hallihan were awarded the American Character-Builder award, for creating and implementing an outstanding character development program.
In October 2006 at the National Congress of State Games Symposium, Hallihan
was awarded the first ever Executive Director of the Year award. He
received this award from his fellow colleagues from state games organizations
all around the country.
In October of 2008, Hallihan was appointed
to the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Nutrition. This
appointment runs through April 30, 2012.
A native of Decatur, Ill., Hallihan enjoyed a successful basketball playing career at Miami (Ohio) University, where he was a two-year starter and team captain on the Redskins'
NCAA Tournament team.
After a short stint as a head coach at Casey (Ill.) High School and a tour of duty in the Army, Hallihan joined the coaching staff at Virginia Tech. In 1973, Virginia Tech won
the N.I.T., and the 1974-75 Virginia Tech coaching staff was named one of the Top Ten College Coaching Staffs of all time by Mike Douchant of the College Sports Xchange. Following
his stay at Virginia Tech, Hallihan joined the coaching staff at East Tennessee State.
Hallihan joined Johnny Orr's basketball staff at Iowa State University in August of 1982 after serving as head coach at East Tennessee State from 1979-1982, guiding the Bucs to
a 57-53 record. He served as Johnny Orr's top assistant at ISU for twelve years. During that time, the Cyclones made six NCAA appearances and three N.I.T appearances.
Hallihan holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Miami
of Ohio in physical education and administration.
He and wife Trish have two daughters,
Jennifer, Kelly; one son, Danny; and granddaughter, Rosie. |