Young Receives NFHS Citation As Official
INDIANAPOLIS, IN— Houston Young, who has officiated in the AHSAA state track & field meet for the last 42 years, is one of 12 leaders in high school programs across the country selected to receive National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Citations.
Young, currently the state director of the AHSAA state meet held at Gulf Shores for Classes 4A, 5A and 6A, has been chosen to receive the National Federation Officials Association Citation.
The 2010 NFHS Citation recipients will receive their awards July 9 at the 91st NFHS Summer Meeting in San Diego, Cal.
Also a football official for 22 years and a basketball official for 23 years, he has worked in every state track & field meet since 1968 even though it has been held in several locations, including Selma, Athens, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Troy and Gulf Shores.
Last spring he coordinated a combined state meet of all six classes in an emergency situation when the Troy and Gulf Shores meets were forced to compete a week later at the same Gulf Shores site because a swine flu breakout had postponed both events on the scheduled date. The state meet for Classes 1A, 2A and 3A had been scheduled to be run at Troy University.
Young coached track and cross country at Parrish High School in Selma (1971-77) after graduating from Livingston University. A volunteer official in his first state meet (1968), he ran the high jump event for the first two years.
In 1979 he joined the staff at Wallace Community College in Selma in Student Services Director and as VA Coordinator, counselor and recruiter. He retired in 2001 and has lived in Foley since 2003.
"I have seen a lot of great athletes through the years, like Bo Jackson and Richmond Flowers," Young said. "Alabama has had some tremendous athletes, and it was an honor to see them mature and grow, perform in college and some even go on to the professional ranks. I would see many of them in college meets I would work.
"I enjoy doing it. I really do," he added.
Young, who officiates United States Track & Field Federation (USTFF) events like the Junior Olympics during the summer months, has officiated in the SEC meet the last three years.
He certainly fits the selection criteria for the Citation--individuals whose contributions have had an impact on high school athletic and activity programs with a longstanding and distinguished record of involvement with prep programs at the local and state levels. Other important criteria include the administration and respect of colleagues.
Young is one of the four Citation recipients representing NFHS professional organizations for officials, coaches, speech & debate, and music. The other eight honorees represent the NFHS-member state high school associations.