MARCH MADNESS

For all you basketball fans; this is your month to show your real spirit towards your teams. This month is March Madness. "IHSA's March Madness is the premier high school sporting event in the nation." (www.marchmadness.com) March Madness was born in the great state of Illinois. The yearly tournament of high school boys basketball teams, sponsored by the Illinois High School Association, grew from a small invitational affair in 1908 to a statewide institution with over 900 schools competing by the late 1930's.The IHSA tournaments continued to grow and develop. In 1963, the tournament moved to the huge new Assembly Hall on the campus of the University of Illinois and fans witnessed the most famous finish in history, when Chicago Carver beat Centralia on a last-second shot by a substitute named Anthony Smedley.

Today's March Madness is different from the way it used to be portrayed. Nowadays an "Elite Eight" of teams advances to the state finals, but there are four tournaments — a Class A (small school) and Class AA (large school) version for both boys and s, played in Peoria and Normal. "The Happening," a thrilling contest featuring the state's best three-point shooters and dunkers, is now a part of these tournaments as well. And starting in 1996, the "March Madness Experience," an exhibition hall full of fun, games, and good times, has allowed fans of Illinois high school basketball to join in the exciting action.

It is a great opportunity to join this crazy pool, because these fees of "March Madness" and "America's Original March Madness" are used to fund college scholarships for Illinois high school boys and s. What is meant by "joining the pool" is that if you really think you know the sport of basketball and know the teams that can play it you are allowed to register and vote for the team you think has the most potential at the end. According to the Dallas Morning News, "March Madness phenomenon sweeps the world of NCAA Basketball, people from all around the world are signing up for a chance to win a BIG Prize".So what are you waiting for? Sign up, and help yourself while helping others in the great state of Illinois this month by tagging up with March Madness!!!