The WPIAL is celebrating its 100th anniversary this school year -- and it's a sticky subject for the league's football teams.

All 124 teams in the WPIAL have been given helmet stickers of the league's 100th anniversary logo. The league also will give each school a banner to post at athletic events and a poster that includes photos of some of the greatest athletes in the history of the league.

Also, the WPIAL is having a 100th anniversary kickoff party Aug. 26 at the Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center in the Strip District. Four hundred school officials and coaches, past and present, from around the WPIAL will attend the gala. Entertainment will be provided by the Soul Merchants.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, Steelers Mike Logan and Charlie Batch, and Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko will speak at the party. All of them played in the WPIAL -- Wannstedt at Baldwin, Logan at McKeesport, Batch at Steel Valley and Palko at West Allegheny.

Legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, who played golf in the WPIAL at Latrobe High, is the honorary chairman of the 100th anniversary, although he is not able to attend the kickoff party, which is not open to the public.

"Besides the helmet stickers and other things, we just thought it would be good to have an event to kick off the whole thing," said North Hills athletic director Dan Cardone, chairman of the 100th anniversary committee.

FSN Pittsburgh also is producing an hour-long show on the history of the WPIAL that will be aired in the near future. The league would like to bring back former athletes and teams to be honored at championships throughout the school year.

"We're looking at doing some other things during the course of the school year," Cardone said. "We just don't want to stop in the fall sports."