From press release

(BLOOMINGTON) — The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is proud to announce its 11th class of recipients of the IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award.

The 2025-26 honorees encompass three active media members, which includes venerable Chicagoland newspaper writer Rick Armstrong, Rockford television staple Scott Leber, and a man celebrating his 50th season calling downstate Mt. Carmel High School on the radio, Scott McCallen. Additionally, the long-time voice of preps sports in Canton, Leon Groover, is being honored in the retiree category, as he put a bow on his nearly five decades in radio back in 2020.

The IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award was created to recognize media members who have covered high school sports and activities in Illinois for a significant period of time, while maintaining perspective on the amateur events they report on. See past winners by clicking here.

“Congratulations to each of these gentlemen on this well-deserved honor,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “Their contributions to high school sports in Illinois, and to their communities, is immeasurable. We know they are beloved figures within the areas and communities they provide coverage and look forward to having a special moment to honor each during the 2025-26 school year.”

IHSA member school personnel and veteran media members in the state are eligible to nominate individuals for the award. Beginning in 2024, the IHSA is seeking to honor at least one retired media member as a part of what is traditionally a class of four honorees.

“The IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award is only 11 years old, so we recognize that there are many deserving individuals who were retired by the time it came into existence,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Matt Troha. “We wanted to start the process of trying to recognize at least one of those individuals each year.”

The IHSA’s media advisory committee, and a select committee of veteran media members in the state vote on the nominees. Each winner will be honored at a high school event of their choosing during the 2025-26 school year.

“A vital element of this award is the recognition within the community,” said Troha. “We look forward to seeing this year’s winners being recognized in front of the students, coaches, and communities they have impacted with their exceptional work.”

A native of Peoria, Scott McCallen (known by his radio name Scott Allen) graduated from Richwoods High School, where he was a three-year letterwinner in swimming. As a senior, he helped guide Richwoods to a second-place finish at the 1972 state meet, the best result ever for a downstate program at the time, which later earned he and his teammates induction into the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame.

Scott went on to attend Eastern Illinois University, initially planning to pursue a medical career like his father. However, after attending a Radio Club meeting during his freshman year, he quickly realized his true calling was broadcasting. By his sophomore year, he was already behind the mic calling EIU games.

Scott’s professional career spanned more than four decades and included stops at WEIC in Charleston, WYER and WYNG in Mt. Carmel, and WSJD in Evansville, Indiana. Along the way, he became synonymous with Mt. Carmel Golden Aces athletics, first calling games in 1979 and continuing through his retirement in 2021. Despite “retiring”, he remains on the mic for Golden Aces football games, with the 2025 season marking his 50th calling Mt. Carmel football.

For Scott, the true reward was always in serving small-town communities. He cherished being the voice that braved snowy winter nights for away games, then returned home to deliver scores and stories to listeners by sunrise. Some of his most memorable calls include Mt. Carmel’s 1981 Class 3A football playoff comeback at Nashville, 2013’s infamous 71-70 shootout with Greenville, and the Golden Aces’ return to the state basketball championship game in 2017—a special thrill in a return to his hometown of Peoria.

Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Hall of Fame in 2009, Scott continues to give back in retirement. He maintains the Little Illini Conference website, announces select events and championship games, and remains active with his church, where he volunteers regularly. Scott says his life has always been about his passions: broadcasting, community, and service.

Troha will present McCallen with his award on Friday, Sept. 26 during pre-game of the Mt. Carmel-Paris football game at Riverview Stadium beginning at approximately 6:50 p.m.