The Bruce Brown Award of Excellence is the highest honor for an Ohio high school athletic department from the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA) and the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), recognizing exemplary education-based athletics. Named after the OIAAA's first Executive Director, it honors ongoing efforts and demonstrated best practices in areas like risk management, equity, and sports medicine, moving beyond just wins and losses to focus on the growth and positive culture of student-athletes.

John Carter was awarded the Bruce Brown Award of Excellence by the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA) in November 2024