Catherine Wolf Award

Catherine Wolf, an Elkhart native, was recognized as an outstanding athlete, coach, and teacher during a distinguished 40-year career from 1929 to 1969. In 1934 and 1935, Catherine Wolf was listed as one of the top 10 women tennis players in the nation. During the mid-1930s, she was considered first among Midwest tennis players. As a coach, her teams were highly successful. Her Elkhart High School tennis teams compiled a 45-2 record from 1930 to 1934. As both a coach and a teacher, she was respected by students for her outstanding competence, loyalty, and devotion.

It is the feeling of the sponsors that no person could better exemplify the foregoing purpose and standard of this award than Catherine Wolf. An athlete of national stature, she was also an inspiration and credit to women in athletic programs in the area before the historic expansion of women’s athletic programs in the Elkhart Community Schools. The committee is proud to adopt her name with full approval of her family.

The purpose of the Catherine Wolf Award is to provide a vehicle through which the Elkhart Community Schools, the Elkhart Truth, and the community may pay due recognition to a woman who, as a student, has made an outstanding contribution to the athletic programs of the Elkhart Community Schools.

This woman should possess the personality, warmth, friendship, moral, and spiritual character typified by good sportsmanship. Recognizing that athletic programs are only one part of school life, she shall also display a conscientious academic record, service to her school, and thoughtful goals for the future.

The Catherine Wolf Award is presented annually to the top high school senior female athlete at Elkhart Community Schools.