June 5, 2017 Patricia L. Roy, who retired as an assistant commissioner in 1999, passed away Tuesday, May 23 in Ave Maria, Florida where she resided. She was 78. A memorial tribute is scheduled for Sunday, June 11, in the North Central High School Auditorium at 1801 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis. Guests may enter at Door #31 beginning at 2:30 pm ET with the tribute to begin at 3 pm ET. Regarded both statewide and nationally as a pioneer in girls athletics, Roy served on the IHSAA executive staff for 27 years – longer than anyone in the Association’s history. Roy's efforts and the role she played in the implementation of girls athletics into the IHSAA program were significant and paved the way for women today. Her administrative skills and foresight were a key component in gaining the structure needed to advance the girls programs to phenomenal growth. During her tenure, she worked under four of the first six IHSAA commissioners ‐‐ Phil Eskew, Ward Brown, Gene Cato and Bob Gardner. The girls basketball mental attitude award presented annually during the state finals in each classification was renamed in her honor in 2000. “Pat Roy’s dedication to girls sports during the era of Title IX was legendary and her contributions to our Association were many,” said Commissioner Bobby Cox. “She’ll always be remembered for initiating and advancing athletic opportunities for girls in our state to their prominent place they hold today.” “Pat Roy was certainly a pioneer for girls' athletics in Indiana,” said Janis Qualizza, former member of the IHSAA Board of Directors, current Director of Athletics at Merrillville High School and a friend of Pat’s. “She was a hard‐nosed gal who wouldn't take no for an answer. She and (retired assistant commissioner) Mildred Ball were very instrumental in making certain Title IX was embraced in our state. Thanks to both of these ladies for their courage and most importantly their fortitude. Because of their efforts the young ladies in Indiana have been able to excel in the sports of their choice.” Title IX, the federal statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, was signed into law on June 23, 1972. Roy had joined the IHSAA just months earlier on Jan. 1, 1972 as the first Director of Girls Athletics as the Association began its implementation of the girls interscholastic sports program. Those programs began in the 1972‐73 school year with a tournament series in volleyball and gymnastics. During the next decade and beyond, athletic opportunities for girls in Indiana high school increased dramatically with Pat at the forefront of their development. Roy directly administered various sports during her years at the IHSAA and evaluated and assigned officials within those sports. She also provided the writing, content editing and supervision of several Association publications and interacted with high school principals, athletic directors, coaches groups and committees throughout the state. Pat was born Oct. 3, 1938 in Goshen and reared in Allen County where she graduated from Harlan High School. She earned B.S. and M.A. degrees in the field of physical education, driver education, health and business education from Ball State University. Prior to joining the IHSAA as the first Director of Girls Athletics, she had served as the head of the Girls Physical Education Department at East Gary Edison High School from 1964‐71. Previously, she had taught at Chesterton High School (1960‐64), and served as assistant park director at Chesterton during the summers. As an athlete, she was a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies in the All‐American Girls Professional Baseball League. Prior to joining the IHSAA, Pat had been active in sports programs for girls. Her involvement on the local, state and national levels had given her opportunities to organize tournaments and meets, officiate, schedule, coach and supervise. Her service included working as secretary of the Indiana League of High School Girls Athletic Associations, Midwest district officiating coordinator, and as the Indiana chairman of the United States Gymnastics Federation. The recipient of numerous awards, Pat had been recognized nationally by the Women's Sports Foundation and the United States Olympic Committee. In Indiana, she was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Evan Bayh in 1994, and received the first Marian Archer Award and the ICGSA Service Award from the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association. She was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame, the Lake Station Hall of Fame, and the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association Volleyball Hall of Fame. After residing in Indiana for many years, Pat had recently moved to Ave Maria, Florida.
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