Assistant Athletics Director Laura Gill was recently awarded Assistant Athletic Director of the Year for Division 1 by the Illinois Athletic Directors Association.

Ms. Gill was selected from all IHSA 1A and 2A schools in Lab’s division. She will receive her award at the IADA State Conference in May in Peoria.

Ms. Gill has been Lab’s assistant athletics director since 2019 alongside Athletics Director David Ribbens. Her responsibilities include scheduling practices and more than 600 contests annually, arranging transportation, and assigning officials and game personnel.

“I mostly do the behind-the-scenes work,” Ms. Gill said. “I’m the back of the house, and Mr. Ribbens is the front.”

Ms. Gill’s favorite part of her position is seeing students grow and have fun with their sports curriculums and passions

“Watching these little sixth grade basketball players turn into these varsity players, it’s really the best part,” Ms. Gill said.

During the pandemic, Ms. Gill worked with the Lab communications staff and the University of Chicago to create a policy for U-High sports teams to return to campus so they could practice and compete under guidance and restrictions that changed frequently. 

“Laura rose to the occasion and made the team schedules sometimes on weeks’ notice, with many modifications in place as the IHSA seasons changed,” said Mr. Ribbens. “Amid the uncertainty, Laura performed admirably in keeping our athletic program moving forward.”