**SPONSORED CONTENT BY APSU**
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University will host the 30th Anniversary of the Candlelight Ball on March 15th at the brand new Country Music Hall of Fame. Each year, starting in 2011, two individuals have been honored with either the Wendell H. Gilbert Award or The Spirit Award for their outstanding achievement, contribution or recognition they have brought to APSU. The honorees exemplify excellence, integrity and have inspired others by their accomplishments.
This year’s winners will be announced at a Luncheon to be held on January 14, 2014 at F&M Bank.
Last spring’s winner of the Wendell H Gilbert Award was Dr. George Fisher. Fisher has been said to embody the spirit of Austin Peay athletics. He was an all-conference basketball and football star during the late 1940s. In 1947, he received the first Joy Award, which recognized the most outstanding senior athlete. After graduating from APSU, his love of sports continued, and he played minor league professional baseball before becoming a manager.
Fisher returned to APSU in 1958 to begin a distinguished coaching career, serving over the first years as assistant football coach, track coach, golf coach and freshmen basketball coach. In 1962, he began a nine-year stint as the men’s basketball coach and was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1967. His greatest point of pride was knowing all but one of his basketball athletes gradated during his nine season as a coach.
In 1972, Fisher was named APSU athletics director, holding the post until 1977. He also was a professor of health and physical education until his retirement in 1989. Fisher was inducted into the APSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978 and Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Hall of Fame in 1988.
His love and enthusiasm for the university, especially for the athletics program are strong. For many years, he chaired the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
The 2013 winner of The Spirit Award is no stranger to Austin Peay State University or the Clarksville community – David Loos, Jr. For the past 16 years, Loos has been one of the ‘Voices of the Govs’ as a co-commentator on the Governors Sports Network. He has commentated for Govs basketball for 16 years and football for past 11 years. He is a 1994 graduate of Austin Peay where he received his bachelors in Mass Communications. He graduated with his Masters in Sports Administration in 1998. He is a long-time member of the Governors Club… serving on the board since 2000 and acting as Governors Club President during the 2011-2012 year. Currently, he serves as a co-owner for Solid Gospel 105.1 FM and WJZM 1400 AM.
For information on the upcoming Candlelight Ball, call the APSU Alumni Relations Office at 931-221-7979 or visit the website. Special discounted rooms are also available for the weekend at the Hilton through February 12th by calling 615-620-2150 and mentioning the Austin Peay Candlelight Ball.
Dave Loos, Jr.