Central States Schools for the deaf Logos History

The Central States Schools for the Deaf conference, the competition begin at Indiana School for the Deaf in 1925. The popularity of this event soon led to other regional tournaments such as the Mason-Dixon, Eastern, Midwestern, and New England. The winners of these regional tournaments would then meet to select a national champion. Three central states schools-Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin have held the national title at one time or another. The national tournament has been discontinued.

C.S.S.D. tournament was suspended in 1941 due to World War II. It was finally renewed in 1971 by the Illinois School for the Deaf, under the direction of I.S.D. athletic director, Mike Moore. Since 1971, the C.S.S.D. has grown from a four-team boys’ basketball tournament into competition among the members in schools. 

The C.S.S.D. Tournament as we know has began in 1989. The original C.S.S.D. members now divided and went to separate tournaments, leaving only Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. Michigan became member in 1990.