Media

Jim Bernardi

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Media

Schools / Organizations: IHSA

Biography:

Jim Bernardi of Lake Forest officiated more than 2,000 Illinois high school varsity basketball games while wearing the striped shirt for 34 years at the time of his induction.

He had the pleasure of working the IHSA boys’ basketball championship series for 28 consecutive years and the girls’ championship series for 16 years. Bernardi worked the IHSA Boys’ Class AA state finals in 1998 and 1999. He worked the IHSA Boys’ Class AA Super-sectionals in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and also the Class AA girls’ supersectionals.

Bernardi worked eight sectional finals, 12 sectional semifinals and 80 regional semifinals and finals for boys. The girls series had his services for seven sectional finals, 12 sectional semifinals and 45 regional semifinals and finals.

Bernardi served as president of the Northern Officials Association from 1984-90 and as its chairman from 1992-96. Through his experience and training by the IHSA, he earned the title of certified clinician, allowing him to organize basketball camps and clinics for training officials.

Working with high school athletes has been very enjoyable and working games with players such as Isiah Thomas, “Doc” Rivers and Kevin Garnett were a pleasure. What Bernardi remembers most are the friendships he naturally made with coaches, administrators and fellow officials during the few days spent together at the state tournament, which makes the long season all the more worthwhile.