The Kentucky District of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) honors longtime AAU member William Glenn “Bill” Long, Jr by creating a district award in his name to be given out annually to the AAU Kentucky club that exemplifies Bill Long’s dedication and perseverance in the sport of Athletics. 

Long was a dedicated AAU member and served as a mentor to countless other volunteers and athletes.  He was a lifetime member of the AAU and served as the Treasurer and Registrar for more than 45 years.  In 1966, Long received AAU’s Jack Milne Award for service to track and field. Also, he was the AAU Junior Olympic Games Track & Field Chairman of the Kentucky Association for many years.  In 1994, Long was inducted into the National AAU Volunteer Hall of Fame for his years of service to the AAU.

Apart from his work with the AAU, Long’s accomplishments are many.  He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville in 1950 and master's degree from Indiana University in 1953. Long taught mathematics and started the cross-country program at Male High School in the 1960’s. Also, he served at several schools as an educator, Assistant Principal and eventually the Principal of Meyers Middle School, until his retirement in 1988. 

Long was one of the original members of the Kentuckiana Cinder Club, which became the Mason-Dixon Club. He served as President for two terms of the Mason-Dixon Club and ran in thirty-one (31) Kentucky Derby mini-marathons representing the club. In addition, he ran twenty-two (22) full marathons including four (4) Boston Marathons. 

Besides track and field, Long was also active in the sport of softball.  He was a member of the Municipal Softball Board for more than forty years, and president of Louisville’s ASA softball program for nine (9) years, and was inducted into Louisville’s ASA Hall of Fame in 1985. He has served on the board of directors of the Southeast YMCA and the Louisville Regional and International Science Fairs. He was also the past President of the Kentucky Science Fair Endowment Board of Directors.

Bill Long will forever be remembered as a dedicated and loyal member of the AAU as the epitome of what the Amateur Athletic Union looks for in a volunteer. He will be sorely missed by his AAU family, but will forever be remembered through the Bill Long Kentucky AAU Memorial Award.