IESA Headlines

Royal Publishing Will Print 2008-09 State Final Programs

The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) and Royal Publishing enter into the fourth year of their extended partnership in producing the official programs for all IESA state final events. A total of 14 programs will be published in 2008-09.

For the third straight year, inclusive programs will be printed for three-class boys baseball and four-class girls and boys basketball and girls volleyball state finals. In baseball, all 24 of the teams advancing to the Class 1A, 2A and 3A state finals are included in one publication. In basketball and volleyball, the 32 teams participating in the respective Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A tournaments are included in one publication.

Since the 2001-02 school year, Peoria-based Royal Publishing has printed and sold all the ads in the official programs for IESA athletic and activity state final events. The partnership continues through the 2009-10 school year.

"The official program at each of our state final events is an essential part of the state final experience," said IESA Executive Director Steve Endsley. "The programs provide valuable information about the students, the schools and the competition in the state finals. They also are a wonderful form of recognition for our students, and can be that perfect souvenir of a significant moment in their lives. In fact, parents, relatives and friends can show their support of their team and students with their own personalized ad in the respective programs. That is something unique that Royal Publishing brings to the table in our partnership."

Royal Publishing produces the IESA State Final Programs and sells the ads that appear in them. Please contact Tanya Hollingsworth at Royal Publishing for details. You may call her at (800) 397-5834, Ext. 202. Last year, a grand total of 2,808 ads appeared in the 14 state final programs.

Parents, fans and/or the school or school booster club may purchase an advertisement in the printed program. The cost varies according to the size of the ad. Deadline for ordering an ad depends on the event. Wednesday of the week of the State Final is the deadline in many of the state final events, but for girls and boys basketball and girls volleyball, it is Thursday the week of the state final. The event specific deadline is published in the IESA FanZone on the IESA Web Site at www.iesa.org. Click on the FanZone icon on the upper left side of the home page and then go to the state final of interest for details.

In team tournaments, the programs contain a photograph of each participating team, properly identified, along with a full roster. In the respective individual sport/activity events, complete bracket pairings, heat assignments, or other event specific data is published. In all programs, the respective all-time records and other historical information is published.

Following are the deadlines for securing an ad in the official program for each 2008-09 IESA state final event: