Ever since the beginning of the twentieth century, people have enjoyed playing the game of basketball. Indeed, in the United States, college basketball has gained quite a following nationwide. Now, with the immense popularity of the NBA and its superstars, many students are looking to get noticed in college basketball recruiting, to play in college teams and even perhaps in the NBA.
"March Madness," was first used in describing the excitement surrounding the annual Illinois state high school basketball tournaments. It made its first appearance sixty years ago in print, and was so invented by Henry V. Porter. Porter started his career as a teacher and coach at Athens High School, Illinois. In 1924, Porter led the Athens boy's basketball team to second-place in the state championships. He later became the assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Athletic Association, and after that the executive secretary of the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Porter, who at the time edited the Illinois High School Athlete, first used "March Madness" in an essay that appeared in the IHSA journal in March 1939. World War II happened soon after that, and basketball March Madness became a unifying force for the state. Porter once again marked the event, with a poem entitled "Basketball Ides of March," which was printed in the Illinois Interscholastic in March of 1942.
A television production company later sought to register the phrase, and the IHSA sued. This soon led to a court case, in which the NCAA got involved with as well. A district court judge allowed for both the IHSA and NCAA to register the trademark and use the phrase. The IHSA, however, retained ownership of the phase, "America's Original March Madness."
The Internet has proven to be a useful venue for both students in college basketball and coaches involved in the process of college basketball recruiting. There are many websites and online forums wherein students and scouts can come together and interact. D1Athletes is an online community wherein high school athletes and coaches alike can share and exchange information they need during college basketball recruiting. D1Athletes offers them a place to build an online presence and gain important public exposure.
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To learn more, visit D1Athletes.com or click College Basketball Recruiting