James “Jim” Christy is one of the 2009
Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame inductees. Ten current
and former athletes, coaches, athletic officials, athletic directors
and fine arts educators were honored. This is the 18th year for the
awards ceremony held in Minneapolis. The Hall of Fame is sponsored
by Wells Fargo and has 173 members.
Minnesota’s adapted sports athletes owe many thanks to Christy,
who was instrumental in the initial development of the prep adapted
athletics program. His involvement in adapted sports in Minnesota
predates the involvement of the Minnesota State High School League.
He has done everything from writing the first set of competition
rules to inventing equipment for athletes. Christy also has coached
many successful teams.
Christy has coached adapted floor hockey for 22 years, adapted softball for 13
years and adapted soccer for eight years at Minneapolis South High School. During
that time he has led teams to the state tournaments 31 times, including 15 appearances
for his floor hockey teams. His teams have earned four second place finishes
at state. Floor hockey was runners-up in 1986 and 1995. Softball finished second
in 1993 and 2003.
Christy’s contributions reach well beyond the walls of South
High School, where he continues to coach and teach. He has served
on the board of directors for the Metro Association for Adapted Athletics
(MAAA) since 1982. He has served as president, vice president and
treasurer for that organization. He has served on the MAAA rules
committees for floor hockey, soccer and softball for 10 years each
and helped formalize the first set of adapted floor hockey rules.
Christy
is a member of the Minnesota Adapted Coaches Association, the Council
for Exceptional Children and the Special Education Advisory Council
to the State Board of Education. He is also active in Special Olympics.
His previous awards include the Virginia McKnight Binger Award for
Human Services and an MAAA Appreciation Award.
Christy attended the
old Marshall High School in Minneapolis, later Marshall-University
High, and holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and Utah
State University. ![end of story]()
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