Illinois Elementary School Association is a statewide athletics and activities association serving elementary and middle schools in the U.S. state of Illinois. At the end of the 1920s, a handful of principals and coaches at several central Illinois grade schools looked at ways to create a means of broadening and unifying their schools' activities programs. At that time, Illinois high schools were represented by the Illinois High School Association, but a comparable association for grade schools did not exist. The association was officially started in April 1928 as the Illinois State Graded School Athletic Association.[1] Blessed Sacrament Tars Cross Country team has won back to back state titles.