TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Assistant Executive Director David Cherry is one of twelve leaders in high school activity programs across the country selected to receive National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Citations.
An award designed to honor individuals who have made contributions to the NFHS, state high school associations, athletic director and coaching professions, the officiating avocation and fine arts/performing arts programs, the NFHS Citation is one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school athletics and performing arts.
A native of Wichita, Kansas, Cherry earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Bethany College prior to completing a Master of Arts in Health and Human Performance, Sports Administration and Sports Medicine at Fort Hays State University. Cherry began his career as a health and physical education teacher and coach at Emporia-Lowther Middle School and Emporia High School. He later became a teacher and coach at Whitewater-Remington High School and served as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Ellis High School prior to joining the Association staff.
During his 22-year career with the KSHSAA, Cherry filled his summers with Student Council Leadership Workshops for which he administered hundreds of students each year. In addition, he was responsible each August for organizing the KSHSAA Coaching School, a coaching clinic held annually for 85 years. While administering swimming and diving Cherry watched the state championship grow from one class to two classes for both boys and girls. In soccer the boys program grew from two classes to three and the girls from one to three classes competing for a state championship. Cherry was an active contributor to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) as well, serving on the NFHS Coaches Education Committee, NFHS Coaches Association Advisory Committee, and the NFHS Records Committee.
The 2018 NFHS Citation recipients will receive their awards July 1 at the 99th annual NFHS Summer Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. Cherry is the selection from the section 5 states of the NFHS comprised of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri and Minnesota.