CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) presented two Commissioner's Choice Awards, one to the Western Carolina University Athletic Training Program and Mac Morris, co-executive director of the North Carolina Coaches Association (NCCA). These awards are presented when merited for extraordinary service to the state's high school athletic program as selected by the Commissioner of the NCHSAA. The awards debuted during the 1990-91 academic year.

ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS

Western Carolina University Athletic Training Program has been actively involved with the NCHSAA since the inception of the program in 2004. Students and faculty provide patient care and sports medicine services annually (since 2004) at the state cross country and wrestling tournaments. At these tournaments, the WCU Athletic Training Program provides immediate evaluation and care to injured athletes. Additionally, students serve NCHSAA institutions across western North Carolina through daily clinical education experiences. This includes providing athletic training services to middle school and high school athletic teams, through prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation. WCU's Athletic Training Program continues to be a valuable partner to the NCHSAA.

Coach Mac Morris is a graduate of Roxboro High School and Davidson College. He served student-athletes at Page High School in Greensboro from 1968 to 1996 including a 25-year stint as the Head Basketball Coach. He won 4A State Championships in 1979, 1983 and 1990. Morris also coached the Page Men’s Tennis team to a State Championship in 1971. He is also a member of the NCHSAA Hall of Fame. Morris’ impact reaches beyond the court and coaching, as he is currently serving as the co-executive director of the North Carolina Coaches Association. Morris has been a strong part of keeping the relationship between the NCCA and the NCHSAA as strong as it is, one of the shining examples of partnership across the country.