Mike Blackburn

Dr. Mike Blackburn is considered the father of the modern look of the Northwestern High School athletic program after serving as athletic director from 1978-2005. Under his guidance, Tiger athletics grew to encompass all 20 IHSAA sanctioned sports.

Blackburn was the athletic director when Northwestern took home three state runners-up finishes: 1992 Class 3A football, 1996 girls golf and 2005 Class 2A baseball. He also served two terms on the IHSAA board of directors.

After retiring from Northwestern, Blackburn became involved on a full-time basis with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, first as the national organization’s associate executive director and in 2016 as the executive director.

From the NIAAA, Blackburn has received the Distinguished Service Award and an Award of Merit. He was also named the Indiana Association of Educational Office Professional Administrator of the Year, the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Athletic Director of the Year and the National Council of Secondary Schools Athletic Administrators Midwest Athletic Director of the Year.

He was previously inducted into the National Association of Sports and Physical Education Presidential Hall of Fame and the Northwestern High School Hall of Fame.