Chris Spillman Is Raising the Bar for ZCHS Athletic Managers

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

It is with great delight that we highlight the accomplishments of Zionsville Community High School graduate Chris Spillman. Spillman is the first athletic manager to receive the Boone County Basketball Hall of Fame (BCB HOF) scholarship.

Earlier this year, Spillman was named as one of two Eagles named South All-Stars who will represent the ZCHS Football program in the Indiana Football Coaches Association North-South All-Star Game at North Central on July 15. ZCHS’ Colin Price, a senior running back, was the other young man named.

Raising the Bar for Future Managers

Throughout his high school career, Spillman shared that he has been a committed member of the basketball and football programs at ZCHS as a valuable manager. He hopes to have risen the bar for future managers as well.

Spillman began his high school athletic managerial career under former ZCHS basketball head coach Shaun Busick and also with the football program under coach Scott Turnquist.

“At this point [freshman year going into sophomore year], I was fairly involved [as a manager] and showed up to all the practices and games,” Spillman said. “My roles kept expanding as the years went on. Going into my junior year, we had a [basketball] coaching change, and coach Howell came in.”

Spillman described his duties and roles as “going the extra mile” and was exposed to even more experiences as a manager working with coaches Howell and Turnquist that have not only awarded him accolades and a scholarship but have prepared him for his collegiate journey.

“This past summer, I decided to go all out and helped with basketball over the summer, which was three days a week from 6 to 8 a.m., and then after that, I helped with all of our youth camps, which

was from 9 to 11 a.m. So, in total, I usually would get there around 5:30 each morning and was roughly there for six hours or so. And then after that, we had football practice most days.”

When Spillman wasn’t working at a practice, exhibition or summer camp, he was working at the local Meijer.

Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

Spillman has participated in the ZCHS Athletic Department’s internship program throughout his senior year in preparation for his next chapter at Indiana State University.

“I was there two periods a day, and with that first semester, I helped set up football games and helped with various tasks and whatever they needed me to do,” Spillman shared. “It has been a great experience. And being able to go with the football [program] to the state championship— two years in a row—has been an incredible experience.”

In addition to the many responsibilities and duties that fall upon the athletic managers, Spillman expanded his role by helping launch social media platforms for the programs and growing followers in his free time.

“In the past, [athletic] managers haven’t been quite as involved, and I just want them to know they can be super involved as a manager and really make a difference,” Spillman stated. “The athletic internship and basketball and football management [experiences] have prepared me for my future interests, which are sports management and being either a coach or an athletic director. I am fortunate to be going to Indiana State University next year and will start there over the summer as a basketball manager. Coach Howell put in some nice words for me. And I’m really appreciative for all these great coaches that I’ve worked with. The [ZCHS] Athletic Department has been incredible for giving me all these opportunities over the years.”

We wish you all the best, Chris Spillman!