In 1967, the COA lost one of its most dedicated and passionate members with the passing of Ellie Hasan. Ellie was one of the founding members of the COA and was influential in shaping the organization we all enjoy today. Ellie had a very distinguished officiating career; twenty years as a Field Judge in the Big Ten Conference and as a basketball official in the Missouri Valley Conference, after many years of working at the high school level. Ellie traveled the world with the Harlem Globetrotters and had three audiences with the Pope.

Ellie was a very generous man who affected the officiating careers of many COA members. Ellie took great pride in helping new officials and gave much back to the association that helped him throughout his career. Ellie is credited with advancing the officiating careers of many of the COA’s most accomplished officials. In recognition of his commitment to officiating and his dedication to our members, the COA, in 1968, created the Ellie Hasan Award. This award is given annually to an individual who has displayed the same traits as Ellie in assisting, developing, supporting, and mentoring sports officials and dedicating their time and efforts to improving the COA and high school sports officiating.