INDIANAPOLIS — Scott Davison had just moved to Indianapolis to take a job as a vice president with OneAmerica Financial when somehow, he can’t remember exactly how, he ended up at Meridian Hills Country Club in a golf cart with Jim Morris.
Davison is, admittedly, a horrible golfer and with all those maple trees getting in the way, Meridian Hills was not treating him well. So, he started making jokes. Morris didn’t laugh at them.
During the four and a half hour round, Davison did mention to Morris “that I really, really, really like swimming.” Davison was a competitive swimmer and coach for more than three decades, including as a student at Middlebury College.
“And at the end (of the round), and those of you that knew Jim, he could be a little quirky, a little stoic sometimes,” said Davison, now chairman, president and CEO of OneAmerica. “He shook my hand very solemnly and said, ‘Well, that settles it.’ I’m like, ‘Settles?’ I’m thinking, ‘Settles what?'”
Morris was on the board of OneAmerica, so the thoughts started swirling in Davison’s head. Do I go to HR tomorrow morning and turn in my badge and my key?
“I said, ‘Jim, settles what?’ He turned around and said, ‘Oh, well, you’re going to work with Dale Neuburger, (then president of Indiana Sports Corp.), on the 2004 World Swimming Championships,'” Davison said. “And before I could even say (anything), he was gone. He was just out of there.”
Three days later, Davison got a call from Neuburger who told him they’d be working together on the 2004 Fina World Swimming Championships in Indy.
“And that was Jim’s magic, bringing people together, connecting,” Davison said. “And that’s really how it started. What a blessing. What an amazing man. And this award should be him.”
That award, the Jim Morris Pathfinder Award, was given to Davison on Thursday at the State of Sports, put on by Indiana Sports Corp. It honors individuals who have used sports as a platform to inspire change and improve lives. Morris, a longtime civil and local business leader and vice chair of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, died last year at the age of 81.
The award was given to Davison not only because he helped pull off a pool being built in then-Conseco Fieldhouse in 2004 for the Fina championships, but he took that to another level 20 years later when he helped bring an Olympic-sized pool to Lucas Oil Stadium for the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, a first for an NFL stadium.
But the award was given to Davison, perhaps, mostly because of what happened outside that pool in 2024. He spearheaded the Swim IN Safety program, a statewide initiative with the goal of teaching 50,000 adults and children how to swim by the end of the year.
“We talked a lot today about the impact sport can have on the community. And I can’t think of a better example than the Olympic Swimming Trials and the Swimming Safety Program,” said Sarah Myer, chief of staff and strategy at Indiana Sports Corp. “And that was so important to you. I don’t know if selling tickets was more important or water safety, but I’m pretty sure it was water safety. But just teaching 50,000 Hoosiers to be water safe was just a huge goal.”
“Swimming is the only sport that can save your life,” Davison said. “I’m so grateful for how that chance meeting in a golf cart (with Morris) turned my life into a real treasure trove of relationships.”
Hundreds of community leaders, sports execs, mascots and Indiana Sports Corp. employees filled the JW Marriott Thursday to celebrate Indy’s accomplishments in sports, including recently hosting the NBA and WNBA All-Star games and bringing WWE to Indy for the Royal Rumble, which broke attendance records.
It also looked forward to 2026 when Indianapolis will do what no city has ever done — host the NCAA Division I, II and III mens Final Fours plus the NIT title game.
And it honored those who have made a difference, including longtime Indiana Fever analyst Debbie Antonelli who has not only devoted her life to empowering women in the game but also athletes in Special Olympics. Antonellis middle son, Frankie, has Down syndrome, and she is a national spokesperson and parent advocate for special education.
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“When it comes to storytelling in sports, there are voices that call the game, and then there are voices that change the game,” said Bill Benner, a former IndyStar sports columnist and storyteller award winner and longtime board member of Special Olympics. “Debbie Antonelli has done both with passion, purpose and a playbook all her own.”
Since 2019, Antonelli has helped raise more than $1 million with her 24-hour free throw marathon called 24Hours Nothing But Net. Antonelli shoots 100 free throws every hour for 24 hours and all the money raised goes to Special Olympics.
“(It) was a crazy idea that actually worked. The money we raised allows these athletes to train, compete, organize and socialize,” Antonelli said. “I believe these are core fundamentals of sport, and everyone deserves a chance to play. I’ve worked hard to use my basketball platform to build, serve, empower, and protect, advance, and share the game that I absolutely love.”
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said Antonelli is a true pioneer.
“Debbie’s a Hall of Famer. She’s in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She’s in the Naismith Hall of Fame. She was the first female to call the college men’s tournament game,” said Krauskopf. “There are so many barriers that she’s broken, and she’s been really a true pioneer for us and the Fever and who we are as a franchise.”
Nancy Canning was one of the first people Ashleigh Newbold met when she joined Indiana Sports Corp. Everywhere she went, Canning’s name kept coming up.
“I was told she’s a real MVP on our volunteer team and a huge supporter of our staff,” said Newbold, vice president of engagement. “Someone actually shared with me, ‘We couldn’t possibly do this without her.’ And they were absolutely right.”
Canning has volunteered with Indiana Sports Corp for 38 years, meaning she’s been there for everything from the Super Bowl in 2012 to the WNBA All-Star game this year.
“She does it all with grace, enthusiasm and an attitude that inspires others to join in,” Newbold said. “At every event, she brings a contagious smile and uplifting words and a spirit showing what true Hoosier hospitality looks like. She’s the ultimate team player, always asking, ‘Where do you need me?’ And stepping in with humility, professionalism and care.”
Newbold said Canning leads by example.
“Her leadership is quiet but powerful,” she said. “She’s earned the respect and admiration of everyone she serves alongside. Nancy, we truly could not do this without you.”
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Sports Corp. State of Sports awards