According to Wikipedia, the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools is a consortium of schools in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas and is responsible for the accreditation of its member private schools as well as governing athletic competition for its member schools. It was founded in 1968. Since 2002, the MAIS started inducting members into an athletic hall of fame. The association also honors those who have served with its annual Joe B. Bradshaw AAC award. With the latest inductees and award winners, the MAIS should talk to David Smith Construction about building a wing solely for the Indianola Academy winners.
There have been 19 folks inducted into the MAIS Athletic Hall of Fame since 2002 and they admittedly are behind on getting players in. This past weekend, IA’s own Todd Sandroni was inducted and retired IA Headmaster Charlie Mason received the Joe B. Bradshaw award. Built with a foundation firmly founded on excellence, Indianola Academy has taught and sculpted students who have excelled far beyond the classroom and athletic field. Farmers, businessmen, doctors and lawyers all were disciplined and taught by men and women dedicated to making us all better. We just didn’t know it at the time.
Walking the halls, we were just adhering to the rules and regulations (mostly) that were laid in front of us, not really knowing or understanding that, if we followed, was a solid path toward a future of success in our chosen fields. The fruits of that labor fill the MAIS Athletic Hall of Fame and those who made it their mission to teach and coach for pennies on the private school level have been honored for their hard work and for sticking to their mission.
It's an honor to be able to write about those who are honored and awarded – a skill that was ingrained in me, unknowingly, by a cadre of English teachers from CDA to IA. I never excelled in class – bringing home B’s and C’s – but the foundation was being set. The coaches pushed and worked each athlete and those talented ones who listened and learned have their names on Hall of Fame walls. The rest of us listened and learned and took those lessons from the gridiron, basketball court, baseball field and track into our chosen and handed-down vocations to grind out success.
The little school that could. Beating bigger schools on the field and in the classroom due to the hard work behind the scenes of teachers, coaches and administrators who gave that extra effort and influence and yes, discipline to make us all better than we knew we could be.
No, you can’t spell MAIS without Indianola Academy – IA – #nolabeat and still does and always will.
