How Ithaca High School revived its Hall of Fame with Gipper Touch

Ithaca High School (NY) has one of the largest athletic programs in Section IV, with 29 sports and 56 teams from modified through varsity. Since 2025, the program has been led by Athletic Director Kari Burke and Assistant Athletic Director Shane Taylor.

Ithaca’s Athletics Hall of Fame has a history stretching back nearly 50 years, long before Kari and Shane took over the program. But after an eight-year hiatus without a new induction class, they decided it was time to bring it back.

Once that decision was made, the next question was how to showcase the new inductees while also creating a lasting home for the broader history of Ithaca athletics. As existing Gipper Engage users, Kari and Shane learned about Gipper Touch and saw an opportunity to do both on a platform they already knew well.

Here's what they had in place:

• A Hall of Fame paused since 2018. The last induction class was in 2018. Kari and Shane wanted to bring it back.

• A rotating slideshow of past inductees on hallway TVs. Shane would photograph inductee plaques, write the bios, and loop them in slideshows on TVs they had in their atrium's hallway. But with decades of inductees, visitors would have to wait for the inductee they wanted to appear. Ithaca wanted something that was easier to update and more interactive, where visitors could instantly explore the inductees and other history that mattered to them.

• Gipper being used for all athletic communications. Ithaca was already using Gipper for graphics, social media, and their monthly newsletters. It was the all-on-one platform for their athletic communications.

Here's what changed:

• One platform for their graphics, social media, weekly newsletters, and now, touchscreen display. Shane already created social media content and his weekly athletic department newsletters in Gipper. Adding Touch meant they could bring their Hall of Fame to life without adding another platform to manage. It saves time and makes everything easier.

• A 75-inch touchscreen is now a centerpiece in their atrium. It is between their two gyms, at the second main entrance to the athletics complex, outside the athletic offices. The principal uses it on tours, students interact with it, and Ithaca even hosts receptions around it.

• Their hall of fame display is accessible on-campus and online. Families can open it on their phones. Shane puts the link in his newsletters and weekly updates. The next February Hall of Fame induction will have a reception around the screen on-campus.

• Their display is more than just a hall of fame. Beyond their inductees, Ithaca showcases their core values, staff & coach directory, and much more. Because Gipper Touch is fully customizable, they can easily include photos, videos, and any other engaging content.

What they showcase:

• Hall of Fame. Ithaca uses Gipper Touch to showcase decades of inductees in one interactive, searchable digital archive.
• Staff & Coach Directory. Ithaca highlights coaches across programs in a polished directory that gives each staff member a dedicated presence.
• Weekly Newsletters. Ithaca connects its broader communications through Gipper, making it easy to keep families and the community informed.
• Core Values. Ithaca uses Gipper Touch to reinforce the values and traditions that define its athletic program.
• Scan & Go. Visitors can easily scan QR codes for access to items like their hall of fame submission form or official athletic department social media accounts.
• Slideshow of Announcements. Ithaca’s Gipper Touch homepage includes a rotating slideshow for timely announcements and athletic updates.