Published on August 21, 2025 6:47 am
Last Updated on August 21, 2025 6:49 am
The 2025-26 school year marks the 125th in the history of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which was founded on December 27, 1900.
To help celebrate 125 years of history, the IHSA will be taking a trip down memory lane throughout the year by highlighting 125 moments that have helped shape the Association over the past century-plus.
IHSA historian Scott Johnson, who worked on the IHSA staff from 2001 until his retirement in 2019, is a key figure in curating the 125 moments.
“It is obviously difficult to whittle down 125 years of history into 125 moments,” said Johnson. “The IHSA boasts trailblazing events, legendary coaches and athletes, and transcendent moments that helped shape high school sports and activities not only here in Illinois, but around the country. We tried to cultivate a mixture of people, events, and performances that encompass the rich history of Illinois high school sports and activities.”
The 125 moments will be released throughout the school year at https://www.ihsa.org/125