Sports Is Education - Bios

Kurt Gibson
IHSA

On January 18, 2002 Kurt J. Gibson, principal at Erie High School at the time, was named to be an assistant executive director of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) by the Board of Directors, and he joined the IHSA staff on July 1, 2002.

Gibson graduated from Belvidere High School and lettered in golf, basketball and baseball. He then graduated cum laude from Bradley University in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in radio/TV and speech. He earned his master's in education from Governor's State University in 1999.

From 1989-92, Gibson taught English and speech and coached junior high and high school baseball and basketball in the Iroquois West School District. He then taught and coached at Coal City High School for a year. From 1993-95, he taught English and was the varsity baseball coach at Hinckley-Big Rock. The next three years (1995-98) he taught English/Journalism and was head basketball coach at Manteno High School.

Kurt moved into school administration at Manteno in 1998 when he became the school's dean of students and athletic director. In 1999 he became Manteno Middle School principal. Gibson became principal at Erie in 2000, where he served until assuming his duties with the IHSA