Val The Distinguished
INDIANAPOLIS – An award‐winning journalist for one of Indiana’s great hometown newspapers, Val Tsoutsouris, is this year’s recipient of the IHSAA’s Distinguished Media Service Award for District 1.
Tsoutsouris’ contributions to education‐based athletics will be recognized this Friday (Feb. 9) at Rochester Community High School when the Zebras host Three Rivers Conference rival Wabash in boys basketball action. Commissioner Bobby Cox and Sports Information Director Jason Wille will make the presentation.
Val has been the sports editor of The Rochester Sentinel, a six‐day newspaper serving the city of Rochester and the surrounding area of north central Indiana, since 2004. He covers Rochester, Tippecanoe Valley, Caston, North Miami,
Winamac, Argos and Culver Community High School sports.
When Tsoutsouris accepted the position in August 2004, he jumped immediately into football season with only a week to complete football previews for the newspaper. He got it done and hasn’t stopped since, according to Rochester Community High School Principal Adam Strasser.
“I believe Val has transcended the position of just sports writer,” says Strasser. “He is a fixture in our community. An athletic contest wouldn’t seem the same without seeing Val walking up the bleachers or sitting in the gym.”
And it isn’t just football and basketball for Tsoutsouris. He reports on all the local teams in volleyball, tennis, wrestling, swimming, cross country, track, baseball, softball and golf matches, too.
His efforts have earned him awards recognition from the Hoosier State Press Association in 13 different categories since 2005, including first‐place awards for Sports Event Coverage and Best Sports Column Writing in 2009 and Best Sports Event Coverage in 2014. The Associated Press Media Editors presented him with its Division I Best Sports Column award in 2016.
Tsoutsouris is a native of Munster and a 1991 graduate of Munster High School. He moved on to Indiana University and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing and a master’s degree in sport management/athletic administration and journalism.
He is the son of Dr. George and Charlene Tsoutsouris of Munster, and the brother of Vaughn Tsoutsouris of Phoenix, AZ.
This is the 33rd year the IHSAA has recognized outstanding members of the Indiana news media from each of its three legislative districts for excellence in the coverage of high school sports. District 1 covers 22 counties across northern Indiana. Award recipients are selected by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee from nominations received from member school administrators. Val is the third recipient to be honored this school year joining Eric and Stacy Cox of the Knightstown Banner and Dave Young of WZDM Radio in Vincennes.