“Kats with a K”

This is the first book authored by Dean Hockney, who was born and raised in Kokomo, Indiana, and is a 1986 graduate of Kokomo High School. Dean started his sportswriting career soon after graduating from KHS, with his first works appearing in the Kokomo Sports Page. He later served as the Associate Editor of the Indy Sports Magazine in Indianapolis.

Dean honorably served for more than nine years in the United States Air Force -- where he worked for various military publications and proudly was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the NATO medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal.

He is a former Managing Editor of the Kokomo Perspective newspaper, having also served in the positions of sportswriter and Sports Editor. He is serving our country once again working as a U.S. Army civilian contractor in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Iraq. He has been in Iraq since June of 2004, and is currently the Director of Communications for the LOGCAP III project.

Dean was a regular contributor to the Indiana Basketball History Magazine, and has had his works published in the American Legion Magazine, The Skyline Chili News, Halliburton Today and The Harmonizer.

Dean has been active in the Kokomo community through volunteer work in the Kiwanis Club of Kokomo, Southside Youth Baseball League, Police Athletic League, American Legion Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball, UCT Youth Baseball League, United Way, YMCA, Lamplighter Christian Dinner Theater, and the Howard County Sports Hall of Fame -- an organization he founded in 2003 and served as President until he deployed to Baghdad. He is also a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, Air Force Association, and the Disabled American Veterans.

The author of Kats with a K may be reached at indianasportsfan@gmail.com.