FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 6, 2012

COMMISSIONER’S STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF CHARLES RUTER

High school sports in Kentucky lost one of its most well-respected officials and ardent supporters with the passing of Charles Ruter. Ruter, 91, passed away at his home in Fern Creek on Saturday night following a lengthy illness.

Ruter spent a lifetime in education in Jefferson County as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was a world renowned track and field official, with experience in the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He started the Mason-Dixon games and watched it grow into one of the premier track and field events in the nation. He worked more than 50 KHSAA state track and field meets, many of them in helping with the management of the meet. In all, Ruter is an inductee of 12 halls of fame, including the NFHS and Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame. The track facilities at Fern Creek and Western Kentucky University have been named in his honor.

Ruter was also well-respected in basketball circles, first as a coach and later as the official scorer of the boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments. Ruter was the official scorer of the Boys’ Sweet 16® from 1962 until 2004 and the girls’ Sweet 16® from 1992 until he stepped aside in 2004.

“Charlie touched more lives at the interscholastic level than we will ever know,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “This work as a principal, coach, teacher, official and event worker allowed so many people the privilege of knowing and learning from him. His mentoring of younger officials is legendary throughout the world, and the unparalleled success of our cadre of track officials on a national scale is a direct reflection on his dedication. His passing is truly a great loss for our state.”

REGIONAL WRESTLING, SWIMMING AND DIVING EVENTS THIS WEEK

Regional tournaments will take place this week for wrestling and swimming. A total of eight regions will compete for spots in next week’s KHSAA State Wrestling championships in Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18. Information for the event is available at www.khsaa.org/wrestling.

Swimmers will compete in five regional meets across the state for spots in the Pannell Swim Shop/KHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships, scheduled for Feb. 23-25 at the Ralph Wright Natatorium on the campus of the University of Louisville. Meet information as well as regional results are available at www.khsaa.org/swimming.

BASKETBALL TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Tickets to the 2012 PNC/KHSAA Boys^’ and Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls^’ State Basketball Tournaments are on sale through the KHSAA office and online at khsaa.org. At this time, only full tournament sets of tickets (one ticket to each of the eight sessions) are available. Lower arena seats are priced at $120 each and upper arena seats are priced at $70 each.

--KHSAA –

For any questions or further information about this or any KHSAA release please contact Elden May, Sports Information Director at 859-299-5472 or emay@khsaa.org.

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501 3(c) organization made up of 279 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions state championships in 21 sports, licenses and trains over 4,100 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its member school student athletes and oversees coaching education and medical symposium programs.