IHSA Announcements
August 20, 1998
In Memoriam: Charlene Bremberg
Word has been received of the death of former Asst. Executive Director Charlene E. Bremberg, 61, on Thursday, August 20, 1998.
Miss Bremberg served on the IHSA administrative staff for 15 years, retiring on August 22, 1992. During her years in the IHSA Office she was the administrator in charge of girls basketball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls tennis, girls bowling, girls badminton, girls softball, scholastic bowl and speech individual events.
In 1981, she became the first IHSA administrator to chair a combined sport advisory committee when cross country was placed under a single administrator. Under her leadership, the girls cross country program blossomed into a two-class system identical to the boys program. The four-race combined state final meet on the first Saturday in November is one of America's premiere high school sporting events. Two-class competition in girls basketball, girls softball and scholastic bowl were also implemented under her leadership.
A native of Elmhurst, and a graduate of York High School, Miss Bremberg joined the IHSA staff in 1977. From 1958 through 1970, Miss Bremberg taught and coached in junior high and high schools in the Chicago suburbs. From 1970 through 1973, she was a teacher and coached girls basketball and girls volleyball at Normal (University) High School. In 1973, she joined the Illinois State University staff, served as assistant women's track coach and was a member of the Physical Education Curriculum Committee.
Miss Bremberg was active in the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (IAHPER), chaired the Illinois Division of Girls' and Women's Sports, and was a member of the special committee which formulated recommendations which led to the development of the girls' interscholastic athletic program in IHSA member schools.
Her many acts of kindness and contributions to the IHSA will not soon be forgotten by her friends in the interscholastic community.