Casey Conrad Inspirational Leadership Award

Casey Conrad Inspirational Leadership Award

: Casey Conrad was a member of the professional staff of the California State Department of Education for 23 years. In 1954 he became chief of the California Department's Bureau of Health Education, Physical Education, Athletics, and Recreation (CAHPER). As state director, he is responsible for developing, directing, and coordinating the programs of health education, physical education, athletics, and recreation for approximately 5,000,000 pupils in the public schools of California.
In 1955, he began serving as Coordinator of the California Project on Fitness in which 14 professional allied associations and three state agencies participated. The California Project was commended by the California Legislature in 1961 for its' effectiveness in improving the fitness of Californians, and was also cited by the President's Council on Physical Fitness as the model for the nation.
On March 29, 1961, he was appointed Special Advisor on Physical Fitness by President John F. Kennedy. This assignment entailed regular trips to Washington, D.C. to confer with the Council staff in developing the President's program on physical fitness. Special assignments with the Council included authoring "Adult Physical Fitness", the council's individual exercise manual for men and women; the physical fitness programs of the armed services; and the national physical fitness clinic program. In 1962, he served as a clinician for the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for regional physical fitness clinics covering 50 states and a number of state clinics.' In 1969, he served on the staff of the National Institute on Executive and Employee Fitness in St Louis, Missouri.
On March 23, 1965, he was highly commended by resolution of the California Legislature . "for the recognition justly accorded him by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson for the national acclaim given California programs of physical education, athletics, and physical fitness under his outstanding leadership." (ACR 44)
After previous selection as the physical fitness award winner of the Sacramento and California Jaycees, he went to Washington, D.C. as one of the 12 regional Jaycee winners. On March 29, 1966, he was named by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of America's top three Physical Fitness Award winners for 1965, receiving $1,000. He was cited for being the "Author of the U.S. Printing Office's all--time best seller - Adult Physical Fitness" and for "tremendous contributions to the efforts of the public schools and voluntary agencies to expand physical fitness programs,"
On May 5, 1966, the University of California at Santa Barbara Alumni Association conferred upon him its' highest honor - the "Alumnus of The Year Award for 1965.
In 1966, Conrad accepted the personal invitation of Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey to serve as Consultant for Operation Champ - a federal project to encourage interest in sports and recreation of youth in the poverty areas of the 10 largest cities. In the summer of 1968, he again served as consultant to the Vice President's summer sports and recreation program which served millions of youth in the target areas of the United State's 50 largest cities.
On January 24,1967, he was given the "Honor Achievement Award" by the International Press Association, Los Angeles-Herald Examiner newspaper. Over 1,000 members of the I.P .A. selected him ''for his great contribution to youth and devotion to the world of sports."
As a panel member for the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health, held in Washington, D.C. on December 2-4, 1969, he was one of the two physical fitness specialists who developed the scientific basis for the statement and recommendations on "Physical Fitness of Children and Adolescents:" -
He was a graduate of UCSB, AB degree; Sacramento State College, MA degree with additional graduate work at the University of Southern California. He had teaching, coaching, and supervision experience with the public schools and administrative experience in community and school recreation. He taught at USC and SF State College.
During World War n, he was Director of Physical Training and Athletics for the Army Air Force's Western Flying Training Command which included 144 installations covering the western third of the United States. In this capacity, he had a professional staff of over 300 physical fitness officers, and 900 enlisted athletic instructors to conduct a physical fitness program for approximately 200,000 military personnel. He served as a Colonel for 30 years in the USAF reserve service.
Conrad was a member of: (1) Board of Directors, Sacramento, Yolo, Sierra Heart Association; California Coaches Association; California Interscholastic Association; UCSB Alumni Association; and CAHPER; (2) California Physical Education and Athletics Workshop Committee; and the State Advisory Committee on School Health Education, (Chairman). He also served as a Consultant to the National Jogging Assn.
Conrad lived in Sacramento with his wife, Margret. They had twin sons Bill and Bob. Family recreation activities included skiing, camping, fishing, tennis, swimming, and golf. Although he carried a low handicap in golf, he felt golf was not strenuous enough to be vigorous exercise. So he alternated conditioning workouts between tennis and interval swimming.

John J. Klumb: Sacramento, 1991

Genevieve Dexter: Winters, 1993

Thomas E. Byrnes: Fullerton, 1996

Pete Clentzos: Los Angeles, 1999

Margaret Davis: Costa Mesa, 2000

Jack Hayes: Santa Rosa, 2002

Dr. Ken Gunn: Walnut, 2003

Pete Newell: 2004

Robert Breitbard: 2005