John Harrell is a name synonymous with Indiana high school sports, particularly boys basketball. For fans, coaches, and media members across the state, JohnHarrell.net isn’t just a website; it’s the definitive, go-to resource for everything related to Indiana prep hoops. This digital encyclopedia, meticulously maintained by Harrell himself, offers an unparalleled depth of coverage, from up-to-the-minute scores and schedules to historical records and team information.
Whenever you glance at the screen of a high school basketball coach preparing for a game, or peek over the shoulder of a sports journalist on press row, chances are John Harrell’s website is open. It has become the lifeblood for anyone needing a quick fix of Indiana high school sports data. Think of it as the ultimate bible for junkies craving real-time standings, comprehensive schedules, and insightful predictions – with a special emphasis on boys basketball. Beyond the current season, the site is a treasure trove of past results, postseason triumphs, career scoring leaders, school colors, and even the seating capacity of gyms across Indiana.
At 72, Harrell is the dedicated one-man operation behind this invaluable service, covering an astounding landscape of over 800 boys and girls basketball teams, alongside 321 football teams. Every single score, meticulously compiled in one accessible location, is why thousands of Hoosiers instinctively type JohnHarrell.net into their devices each game night.
Having launched in December 2000, the website is approaching its 18th year. While most current high school students weren’t even born when it began, Harrell’s passion for the site remains as strong as ever. “It keeps me going,” Harrell explains. “It stops me from just dragging through life. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and keeps me engaged throughout the day.”
While his dedication is unwavering, Harrell, a retired newspaperman with 40 years at the Bloomington Herald-Times sports desk, does allow himself some respite during the spring and summer months. He cherishes time with his wife, Martha, and enjoys rounds of golf, temporarily stepping back from his intensive sports data management. However, even during a recent trip to Canada to visit his daughter, the commitment to his website shone through as he logged in to update schedules and coaching changes. He emphasizes that it’s still a hobby, albeit a very demanding one. While Google Ad revenue helps sustain the site’s operational costs, it’s not a significant money-making venture.
As the high school football season kicks off on August 17th, Harrell will once again immerse himself in his home office every Friday evening for about seven months. During basketball season, his only days off are typically Sundays and holidays. “I just love doing it,” Harrell states. “The praise and recognition I’ve received is great, but I think it’s more about giving back to sportswriters and broadcasters, especially since many people have assisted me over the years.”
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Harrell’s impressive Twitter following of over 13,000 (@johnrharrell) plays a crucial role in his rapid data collection. He estimates that “95 percent” of final scores are sourced through Twitter, proving invaluable when other sources are unavailable. “Twitter revolutionized everything,” he acknowledges. “It’s an incredible resource I depend on heavily.” He also notes the public nature of Twitter requires careful consideration of his posts. “You have to be mindful of what you tweet; there are thousands of people watching.”
His journey into sports data archiving began in 1980 when he partnered with Bloomington’s Jeff Sagarin, a numbers expert who wanted to apply his rating system to Indiana high school sports. Harrell provided the raw results that fueled Sagarin’s formulas. In those early days, gathering scores meant making phone calls or waiting for Associated Press updates. In the 1990s, almost a decade into his archiving efforts, he pioneered a message board to crowdsource scores, further streamlining the process.
It wasn’t until he had accumulated two decades of archived data that he launched his website. Today, on peak nights during basketball season, his site traffic surges to six figures, and even an average night still sees over 10,000 unique visitors seeking the latest Indiana boys basketball information. “When the internet emerged, I realized the potential to share this information widely,” Harrell recalls. “I considered it in the early ’90s, but distributing it effectively to sportswriters before widespread email was a challenge.”
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While many have urged him to expand his model to baseball, softball, and volleyball, Harrell remains focused on football and basketball, recognizing the immense effort required for statewide coverage. “Volleyball would be the easiest logistically, but baseball and softball with their frequent postponements would be incredibly challenging to manage,” Harrell explains, recalling his newspaper days of chasing down box scores for daily deadlines.
For anyone connected to Indiana high school football or basketball, John Harrell is a household name. Interestingly, he rarely attends games himself. One exception was in 2016 when his alma mater, Huntington High, honored him before his induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Even on that special occasion, his dedication was evident as he connected to the school’s internet to remotely update his website.
Harrell has no plans to relinquish control of his website anytime soon, dismissing the idea of passing it on to his son or grandsons. “As long as I’m able, I’ll keep doing this until I can’t anymore,” he affirms. He’s genuinely enjoying his retirement project and is deeply grateful for the community that relies on his content. “I’m just like everyone else,” Harrell concludes. “I eagerly anticipate the start of each season.”
Contact Chad Lindskog on Twitter @chadlindskog or [email protected]
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