The first recorded cross country meet was a 1.5 mile race between halves of a football game in 1929 at Kokomo High School organized by Coach Chet Hill.

 

There had been “Cross Country” race in the early 1900’s, with Indianapolis Manual Training High School vs Indianapolis Shortridge.

 

These races were  much longer distance and run on a course laid out like a scavenger hunt.

 

 

 

In 1918, Notre Dame Preparatory School was the first school denied membership in the IHSAA according to the predicted said several years ago regarding schools other than the public schools being members. It wasn’t until 1942 that the IHSAA allowed church related, schools of color and private schools to become members.