FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NASPE to Induct Olympian Carl Lewis into Hall of Fame

 Carl Lewis, one of only two Olympic athletes to win nine gold medals and one of only two to win the same individual event four times, will be inducted into the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) Hall of Fame on Friday, April 11, at the national convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) in Ft. Worth, TX. Past inductees include University of Tennessee Women's Basketball Coach Pat Summitt, tennis greats Billie Jean King and the late Arthur Ashe, NFL Hall of Famers Nick Buoniconti and Anthony Munoz, Olympians such as the late Wilma Rudolph, Anita DeFrantz, Rulon Gardner, Nancy Hogshead, Dan Jansen, Rafer Johnson, Peter Vidmar, and Tony DiCicco, head coach of the 1999 Women's World Cup Champion Soccer Team, among others.

The spokesperson for Hershey's Track & Field Games will be inducted into the NASPE Hall of Fame with Dr. Daniel Landers, regents' professor, Arizona State University at Tempe, and Dr. David Gallahue, professor and dean emeritus, Indiana University. Carl Lewis's participation at the banquet is made possible by a grant from The Hershey Company.

Other honorees to be recognized at the NASPE Hall of Fame Banquet include the National Physical Education Teachers of the Year for Elementary, Middle School and High School, the National Physical Education Administrator of the Year as well as the Athletic Director of the Year Award. Gayle See of Walla Walla High School (WA) and Peter Werner, University of South Carolina, will receive the Joy of Effort award.

According to NASPE President Craig Buschner of California State University at Chico, "The NASPE Hall of Fame honors outstanding individuals who have achieved new levels of excellence in sport and physical activity and inspired others by their example of what quality, physical activity and sport programs can do to make a better world."

The awards are given to honor outstanding individuals who 1) make significant contributions to maintaining sport or/and physical activity as an integral part of the total education program; 2) further the image of sport and healthy physical activity for all; 3) accentuate the integral relationships of sport and physical activity to the total educational process; 4) encourage involvement in meaningful competitive sport or physical activity programs by influential educators and citizens in all walks of life; and 5) symbolize the educational and developmental potentials of sport and physical activity.

In total, Lewis won ten Olympic medals during his track and field career (1984 to 1996), eight World Outdoor Championship gold medals and one bronze (1983 to 1993). He did not lose in the long jump for a decade, winning 65 consecutive competitions.

Growing up in Willingboro, N.J., Lewis came from an athletic family, and yet he blossomed late in his high school career. In his senior year, he improved his personal best in the long jump by almost a foot, and ranked number five in the world. By 1984, he had already ranked number one in the world in both the 100 meters and long jump for three consecutive years. In the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, he matched Jesse Owens' 1936 feat with four gold medals in the same events – the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100m relay. Lewis' talent was matched by his longevity. At the 1988 Olympics, he won the 100 meters and long jump. In 1992, he again won the long jump as well as the 4x100m relay, anchoring the U.S. team to a world record of 37.40. In 1996, his final Olympics, Lewis had a dramatic farewell, winning his fourth-consecutive gold medal in the long jump. At age 30, he had one of his greatest achievements, breaking the world 100-meter record with a time of 9.86, while winning the event at the 1991 World Championships.

Lewis's accomplishments have led to numerous accolades, including being voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and being named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. An incredible athlete, Lewis was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA draft with the 208th overall pick. He was also drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as a wide receiver in the 12th round of the 1984 NFL draft.

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and youth physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE's 16,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, sport management professionals, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare physical activity professionals. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high quality physical education, sport and youth physical activity programs through research, development of standards, and dissemination of information. It is the largest of the five national associations that make the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). To assess whether your child is receiving a quality physical education program, visit www.naspeinfo.org/observePE for an observation assessment tool.

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Contact:
Paula Kun
pkun@aahperd.org
(703) 476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.