Hundreds of college athletes were asked to think back: “What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?”
Their overwhelming response: “The ride home from games with my parents.”
The informal survey lasted three decades, initiated by two former longtime coaches who over time became staunch advocates for the player, for the adolescent, for the child. Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC are devoted to helping adults avoid becoming a nightmare sports parent, speaking at colleges, high schools and youth leagues to more than a million athletes, coaches and parents in the last 12 years.
Those same college athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.
Their overwhelming response: “I love to watch you play.”
In the event of a position vacancy of the NIAAA Board of Directors, Section 2 Representative, the OIAAA is being asked to recommend a candidate to fulfill the position. The eligibility criteria for a candidate is listed in the attached document along with a fillable nomination form for qualified candidates to complete (CLICK HEREto download the fillable PDF application form).
The OIAAA is asking those qualified OIAAA/NIAAA members who have an interest in the potential NIAAA Board of Directors position to complete the form and return it electronically to Paul Powers, OIAAA President, AuroraHS at ppowers@aurora-schools.org no later than FRIDAY, MAY 6TH, 2016 by 3:00 p.m. NOTE: Please DO NOT return the form to NIAAA offices.
The OIAAA Board of Directors Candidate Review Committee will coordinate the review of all candidate applications and make a recommendation to the OIAAA Board for a candidate to fulfill the potential NIAAA Board vacancy.
Additional questions may be directed to OIAAA President Paul Powers.
The northeast district held our annual spring athletic director’s conference and awards banquet on April 17 and April 18. This was our 51st Annual Awards Program. The Sunday night banquet was hosted at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls. The Northeast district set a record this year with over 120 athletic directors attending our Spring conference. The agenda for the day was kicked off by OIAAA Executive Director Bruce Brown addressing the attendees to highlight the current initiatives of the OIAAA, particularly the new changes being proposed to the membership structure. The keynote presentation this year was delivered by Oliver Luck, the NCAA Director for Regulatory Functions. Luck, a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and native Northeast Ohioan, spoke eloquently about the state of the NCAA and the changes he has seen on the job. After the keynote presentation, the first breakout session was titled “Developing a Social Media Responsibility Policy,” presented by Zac Jackson from ProFootballTalk.com. The second breakout session was titled “Arbiter- Hands-On Training.” Special thanks go out to Brenda Murray and Jenn Close from the OHSAA, Paul Powers from Aurora and Zac Leister from the Arbiter for taking time to answer athletic director’s questions about the transition to the Arbiter. The third breakout session was titled “Increasing Efficiency in the Paperless Office.” This session was presented by Jim Doyle from Hawken School who gave attendees and overview of some very useful strategies to go paperless in our athletic department offices. The last session of the day was the OHSAA Town Hall and Referendum Update. Thank you to Dr. Deborah Moore and Mr. Jerry Snodgrass from the OHSAA for presenting at our conference and providing critical updates from the state office. Lastly, a special thank you to Phil Cassella for all of his help and organizational efforts in putting on this year’s conference.
To view the list of our distinguished award winners from Sunday night’s banquet, click HERE
The Wyoming High School athletic department has been selected to receive the Annual “Award of Excellence” recognition in 2016. The award, a collaboration between the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA), recognizes schools that provide exemplary support and promotion of education-based athletic programming in their school and community.
Recipient of the this year’s award is Wyoming High School, located near Cincinnati. Jan Wilking is the district athletic administrator
The focus of the award isto recognize on-going and consistent efforts on the part of Ohio interscholastic athletic departments that demonstrate best practice in the endorsement and promotion of education-based athletic programming. Specifically, this award recognizes schools that demonstrate intentional efforts to shift the culture of school-based sport programs as an on-going process.
Dr. Dan Ross, Commissioner of the OHSAA, Jerry Snodgrass, Assistant Commissioner of the OHSAA and Bruce Brown, Executive Director of the OIAAA issued the following joint statement on the inaugural presentation of the award: “Ohio interscholastic athletic programs have always been considered some of the most exemplary programs in the country in reflecting the value our schools and communities place upon education-based sports. The recipients of the ‘Award of Excellence’ have demonstrated a consistent and intentional plan to keep the focus of their sport programs upon delivering life-long skills for all participants and mirroring the educational mission of their respective institutions.”
The OHSAA and the OIAAA believe there are several benchmarks which identify quality, education-based athletic programs:
School athletic programs are inherently educational
School athletic programs compliment the educational experience
School athletic programs enhance the educational mission of the school
School athletic programs serve as an extension of the academic classroom
School athletic programs teach life lessons not regularly available in the academic classroom
School athletic programs have courts, fields, tracks, pools and courses as teaching classrooms
Wyoming High School will be honored during the 2016 Ohio Boys State Basketball Championships on Friday, March 18th at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University. For additional details on the “Award of Excellence” criteria, go to: oiaaa.org/news/2015/01/06/oiaaa-and-ohsaa-launch-award-of-excellence/
We are pleased to announce that the NIAAA will be webinar teaching LTC 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 625, 701 and 799 via the internet. The athletic administrator will be able to view the course from the convenience of their home or office. Administrators will also have the opportunity to pose live questions and the class can be divided into discussion groups with the capability of receiving reports from each groups. What better way to take a class? There will be no travel time and no travel costs (gas, meals or lodging).
Our suggestion would be to use the computer that is connected to the greatest bandwidth (DSL, Cable or T-1 line) which could be at your school if you do not have high speed internet connection at home. However you can get the broadcast with a 56K / dial up modem. The only issue here is that this type of internet connection will be slower since pictures/PowerPoint take longer to download. You will also need sound card, speakers and microphone on your computer in order to hear the instructor and participate in conversation and ask questions.
Equipment Needed Personal Computer with internet access, sound card, speakers and microphone.
501
Wednesdays – March 23 & 30
502
Tuesdays – April 5 & 12
504
Mondays – March 21 & 28
506
Thursdays – March 24 & 31
508
Thursdays – April 7 & 14
625
Tuesdays – March 15 & 29
701
Wednesdays – April 6 & 13
799
Mondays – April 4 & 11
Course Times The Courses will be taught by experienced faculty. Each class will be a 120 minute session, taught on two consecutive Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm Eastern Time
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Central Time
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Mountain Time
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Pacific Time
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Alaska Time
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Hawaii Time
Registration The NIAAA has established a fee of $125 for NIAAA Members and a Fee of $155 for each course for Non-Members. Please select HERE to register and pay by credit card or check on line. Sign in to your profile (if you have a profile) or create a non-member profile if you do not have a profile.NOTE: To create a non-member profile select “Register” in upper right corner in red banner.If you do not wish to become a member, please select as your member type, Non-Member. From here you will be prompted to create a profile as a Member/Non-Member; Follow Step-by-Step Directions. Complete all boxes with red.*; Once your profile is completed, you will be able to purchase LTI Webinar classes from the “Online Store”. Select Online Store in the black banner near the top of the page, then select LTI Webinars.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR 501, 504, 506 AND 625 IS MARCH 7, 2016REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR 502, 508, 701 AND 799 WILL BE MARCH 21, 2016
Classes will be limited to a maximum of 25 students.
Course manuals will be mailed to you prior to the first class.
Certificates and Missed Classes
You must be able to participate in both sessions in order to receive credit for completing the course and receive a certificate of completion. If you must miss one of the two sessions, you will be required to view the recording of the missed session in order to receive credit for course completion. All sessions will be recorded and available for viewing. Upon completing both sessions, you will be emailed a URL address to take the course survey. Upon completing the course survey, you will have the ability to print a course certificate.
For additional information contact the Cheryl Van Paris at 317-587-1450 orcvanparis@niaaa.org
The Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association recognizes the following Ohio interscholastic coaches who have recently earned national coaching accreditation from the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and the NFHS Coach Education Program.
The Accredited Interscholastic Coach (AIC) and the Certified Interscholastic Coach (CIC) accreditations are earned through the NFHS Coach Education and Certification Program. The AIC and CIC are national professional credentials offered to individuals who are currently coaching or aspire to coach at the interscholastic level. The attainment of these national certifications demonstrates the completion of a series of courses offered by the NFHS that will enhance the ability of the coach to better serve the student, the school, the community and the profession of coaching.
The AIC and CIC accreditations are additional training opportunities over and above the Ohio coaching licensure as issued by the Ohio Department of Education for interscholastic coaches. Several school districts in Ohio are now utilizing or are considering the NFHS Coach Education accreditations as requisites for their school coaches.
For additional information about the national Coach Education and Certification Program, go to:www.nfhslearn.com.
Ohio interscholastic coaches who have completed either AIC or CIC accreditation since April 27, 2015:
Jeff Anderson – Ohio United FC
Kevin Brooks – West Geauga Soccer Club
Dustin Burbrink – Bloom-Carroll
Brian Carlisi – Princeton Community Middle School
Chandler Carter – Butler Fury
Jason Clark – Memorial High School
Matthew Clark – Mapleton Middle School
Daniel Coyne – Amelia High School
Ian Deraway – Joseph Badger Local Schools
Kristin Dhayer – Cardinal High School
Daegen Duvall – Avon Lake High School
Michael Eakins – Shaffer Park
Douglas Egts – Cory-Rawson High School
Greg Finnegan – Youngstown Christian
Mike Haney – Mariemont High School
Rodney Hershberger – Medina Rec Center
Raymond Hibbs – Harrison Central High School
Patrick Goik – Ottawa Hills High School
Gary Johnson – St Martin of Tours
Beverly Kauffman – Fort Loramie High School
Travis Kerr – Plain Local Schools/Glen Oak Lacrosse
Michael MacEwen – Canfield Lacrosse
George Panagiotou – North Ridgeville Amateur Soccer League
Brian Petzel – Zane Trace
Justin Randle – Princeton City Middle School
Rodney Russell – Whitney M. Young Gifted and Talented Academy
Sara Selinsky – Lake Local School District
Aaron Shanklin—New Philadelphia
Cara Sieberth – Shaker Heights High School
Gregory Tracy – HYLA, HYWA, St Brendans
Victor Trapani – Wayne High School
Brian White – St. Charles Preparatory
Claude Vance – Dayton Lacrosse Club
Amanda Wilson – Western Reserve Academy
Chris Abrams – Heath
Jeff Anderson – Ohio United FC
Corey Andres
Monica Arce – Pleasant Local Schools
Bob Arefi – Olentangy Orange High School
Olivia Atley – Columbus Recreation and Parks
Mary Banks – East Linden Elementary School
Jonathan Butensky-Bartlett – Western Reserve Academy
Christopher Barto – Union Local
Marc Bachman – Turpin High School
David Backhurst – The Wellington School
Fay Barry – Watkins Memorial High School
Jason Baxter – South Euclid-Lyndhurst
Richard Benge – Thiel College
Matt Bess – South Gallia High School
Tyler Bill – Universal Cheerleaders Association
Alex Binger – Clyde Senior High School
Heidi Bison – St. Charles
Matt Bess – South Gallia High School
Janet Boyle – Sycamore High School
Kevin Brooks – West Geauga Soccer Club
Allan Brown – Canton McKinley Senior High School
Russell Buckley – The Soccer Institute
Dustin Burbrink – Bloom-Carroll
Kelley Burger – Ridge Middle School/Mentor High School
Gary Burton – American Spirit Academy East Liverpool Ohio
Brian Carlisi – Princeton Community Middle School
Bryce Carlson – The Seven Hills School
Chandler Carter – Butler Fury
Travis Caskey – Manchester Middle School
Stephen Chaney – Strasburg-Franklin Local Schools
Patrice Clapacs – Hathaway Brown School
Isaac Clark – Union local high school
Jason Clark – Memorial High School
Matthew Clark – Mapleton Middle School
Brandon Cline – Carrollton High School
Nicholas Coggins – Girard City Schools
Bryan Coles – Strasburg High School
Daniel Cook – Worthington Kilbourne High School
Joseph Cousino – Cardinal Stritch High School/Kateri Catholic Academy
Daniel Coyne – Amelia High School
John Cox – Strasburg-Franklin
Jeffrey Craigo – Avon Lake High School
David Clemens – St.John’s Football
Robert Cline – Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Jim Copenhaver – Kingsway Christian Orrville
Andrew Cregan – Strasburg Franklin High School
James Crook – Hughes High School
Janie Crowl – Salem Community Center
Lyndsay Cummins – Cardinal High School
Katie Cunningham – Strasburg High School
Don Curtis – HIlliard Davidson High School
Brian Cutright – Berne Union Middle School
Jason Dalton – Conneaut Area City Schools
Matt Darnell – Rocky Riverschool District
Jim Davis – Lake High School
Simon Davis – Mad River Middle School
Molly Dedo – Washington Court House Middle School
Ian Deraway – Joseph Badger Local Schools
Stacy DiBacco – Strasburg High School
Simon Diki
Alyssa Downs – Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Marshall Drewry – Kent State
Larry Dryden – Chaminade Julienne
Michael Duncan – Eastlake North
Sean Durner – Olentangy Liberty High School
Daegen Duvall – Avon Lake High School
Michael Eakins – Shaffer Park
Deborah Eberhardt – Beechcroft High School (Columbus City Schools)
Michael Eblin – Centerburg High School
Stephanie Egan – St. Ursula Academy
Richard Egleston – Grizzly Travel Baseball/All Ohio Youth Football
Julius Enoru – Cornerstone Christian Academy
Greg Finnegan – Youngstown Christian
Jason Follick – Preble Shawnee High School
Michael Foy – Brookside
Larry Frederick – OLV/ Cincinnati West
Christopher Furman – Parma Shiloh Middle School
Ted Gaydosh – Soccer Vision Academy
Rachel Gecik – Westlake High School
Karmey Geiser – Canal Winchester
Brian George – Cardinal Local Schools
Kim Gessner – Strasburg-Franklin
Jeff Gillson – Lexington High School
Patrick Gleba – Andrews Osborne Academy
Jessica Goehring – Tuscarawas Valley Middle School
Karen Goggin – St. Benedict School
Patrick Goik – Ottawa Hills High School
David Grant – Fairbanks High School
Berl Graves – Princeton City Schools
Jenna Griffiths – Ursuline Academy
Amanda Gross – Centerburg High School
Scarlett Habrun – West Holmes High School
Herb Haller – Western Reserve Academy
Amber Hannay – Jonathan Alder High School
Shalin Harris – LaBrae High School
Josh Harstine – Strasburg-Franklin Schools
Madison Hartung – Rootstown High School
Anthony Hayes – Harrison Central
Danielle Henry – Northwest High School
Ray Henry – Shenandoah High School
Kelly Herron – Strasburg-Franklin High School
Rodney Hershberger – Medina Rec Center
Raymond Hibbs – Harrison Central High School
Cassie Hochstetler – Amanda Clearcreek
Carolyn Holt – Balis Normandy High School
Britton Hostetler – Strasburg High School
James Howard – Shaker Hts High School
Ray Hradek – Berea-Midpark High School
Ron Hurst – Strasburg-Franklin
Mallory Iacobucci – Crestline Exempted Village School District
Robert Jennings – Clyde Sr. High School
Adam Jones – Anderson High School
Kyle Jones – Ross High School
Rick Kanuch – John Hay School Of Architecture & Design
Beverly Kauffman – Fort Loramie High School
Benjamin Kazimir – West Branch High School
Paul Kempe – Youngstown Ursuline
Travis Kerr – Plain Local Schools/Glen Oak Lacrosse
Thomas Kerrigan – Lehman Catholic High School
Lisa Kemmett – Lutheran West High School
Melanie Kleather – Tippecanoe Middle School
Christopher Kleis – Beachwood High School
Robert Klotz – Roger Bacon
Kyle Koester – Lasalle High School
Benjamin Kuczek – Springboro High School
Michele Kuhar – Brunswick
Gary Johnson – St. Martin dePorres
Thomas Lach – North Olmsted high school
Brock Lauvray – Franklin Strasburg Tigers
Megan Lawless – OVR JO
Christine Lill – Sandusky City Schools
Germane Lindsey – Moeller High School
Alex Logsdon – Talawanda High School
Dana Loudon – West Branch High School
Rebecca Loughlin – Wellington High School
Clifford Louis – Greater Cleveland Metropolitan
Douglas Mace – Miami Trace Local Schools
Michael MacEwen – Canfield Lacrosse
Philip Mackesy – Indian Lake High School
Rick Maharry – Canal Winchester Local Schools
Theresa Marino – Centennial High School
Jon Markwood – Rushville Middle School
Craig Mason – New Martinsville School
Justin McCartney – Athens Middle School
Nathaniel McCarville – Whetstone High School
Troy McClellan – Strasburg-Franklin HS
Kim McCullough – Grace Christian School
Lisa McKenna – Hathaway Brown School
Molly McNulty – Midview Local City Schools
Erik Meister – Saint Ignatius High School
Curtis Metzger – Strasburg-Franklin
Julie Metelko
Joshua Metz – Strasburg Franklin
Beth Miller – McDowell Exchange School
Jessica Miller – Strasburg Franklin
Timothy Miller – Strasburg Youth Football
Jon Mizer – Rolling Hills School District
Annie Montgomery – National Trail
Lisa Mounts – Eastern Local Schools
Steven Morgan – Outcast Fastpitch
Brittany Maynard – The Ohio State University
Joseph Moscariello – Canton McKinley
Robert Neidenthal – Strasburg Franklin
Todd Pereira – Delaware City Schools
Eric Perkins – Fostoria St. Wendelin
Christopher Phillippe – Fairfield Union Local Schools
John Pickens – BG Wrestling Club
Casey Pittis – Claymont
Matthew Pleso – Bristol High School
Alex Poinar – Coventry High School
Staci Poole – Cardinal High School
Sheri Porter – Evamere Elementary
William Pratt – Triad
William Profitt – Finneytown High School
Kenneth Quatman – Springboro Jr. High School
Justin Randle – Princeton City Middle School
Mark Reen – Lakewood Local Schools
Casey Rife – Lake High School
Wesley Riffle – Southern High School
Eric Riggs – Olmsted Falls High School
Paula Ritter – Arcadia High School
Darryl Robinson – Notre Dame Academy
Ken Robinson – Franklin Heights High School
Gary Rybka – Walsh Jesuit HS
Angela Sattler – Columbiana High School
Michelle Sawyer – Pickerington North High School
Matt Schimmoeller – Perrysburg High School
Brandee Schnegg – St. Sylvester Central School
Ryan Schuman – Garfield Heights Middle School
Roy Schweinfurth – River Valley High School
Jacob Schultz – Springfield Soccer Association
Christian Scott – Gallia Academy Middle School
Kathleen Scott – Strasburg Franklin High School
John Sims – SHSID
Sara Selinsky – Lake Local School District
Tommy Spidell – Strasburg High School
Lawrence Smith – St. Ignatius
Timothy Smith – Bridgeport Exempted Village School District
Jeffrey Stanley – Belpre High School
Rachel Stanley – Jefferson Local Schools
Alissa Stephanic – Massillon Junior High School
Chance Stoodt – Cory-Rawson Local Schools
Ralph J Streb – Hubbard middle school
Mike Swinhart – Waterloo High School
James Taylor – fairland
Eric Teague – Lucas High/Middle School
Johnathon Teal – Logan High School
Sara Tomson – Padua Franciscan High School
Gregory Tracy – HYLA, HYWA, St Brendans
Victor Trapani – Wayne High School
Adam Trifiro – Collinwood High School
Matthew Torgler – Dalton Local Schools
Jeffrey Totten – St. Ursula Academy
Andrea Troyer – Hiland High School
joseph Vargo – Wiloughby Eastlake schools
Amber Velez – John Marshall High School
Philip Vermillion – Lima Senior High
Courtney Waldsmith – Garfield High School
Christine Walker – St. V-M High School and Momentum Volleyball Experience
Adam Walther – Lakota West High School
Daniel Wallace – Winton Woods Highschool
Brett Weidenthal – Jackson-Milton High School
George Weisgarber – Strasburg High School
Nicholas Wickiser – River View East Academy
Christopher Willertz – Archbishop Moeller High School
Carrie Williams – Northridge High School
Katie Williams – John Marshall High School
Jeff Willis – Strasburg High School
Amanda Wilson – Western Reserve Academy
Michael Winland – Strasburg-Franklin Local
Vincent Winters – Connotton Valley High School
Pamela Wojcicki – Strasburg Elementary
As athletic administrators, one of our primary responsibilities is to provide safe and secure activities and practices for our students. With the increased awareness of concussions, the NFHS (the leadership organization for all of our country’s state athletic associations, like the OHSAA) has provided consistent and long-standing guidance for maintaining safety within sport play.
With the release of the new movie, “Concussion” next week (based upon the NFL-related court cases and responses), there will likely be increased conversations within our respective communities relative to the safety of students playing contact-oriented sports in schools. At this past week’s National Athletic Directors Conference in Orlando, the NFHS shared the following list of steps that the organization, along with state organizations (OHSAA), has taken to manage and minimize the risk of concussions in high school sports.
Please review the data below to assist you with any local conversations or queries from your stakeholders. The OIAAA, OHSAA, NIAAA and the NFHS strongly support the safety efforts that our schools and coaches have deployed to maintain the best environments for teaching and developing our young people in our education-based athletic programs.
Bruce Brown, CMAA, CIC
Executive Director
Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association
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By NFHS on December 11, 2015
As the end of the 2015 high school football season nears completion, this provides the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its 51 member state associations an opportunity to reflect on the work that has been accomplished in the area of player safety. With more than one million student-athletes involved in the sport at the high school level, the NFHS and its member state associations have made risk minimization in football – and all sports – a top priority for many years.
The NFHS has a sound rules-writing process focused in significant part on risk minimization. Also, through the use of online education courses for players, coaches, officials and parents; and the adoption of state laws and protocols for concussion management, the sport of football at the high school level is as safe as it has been since the first rules were written in 1932.
With more than one million students playing the full-contact, collision sport of high school football, there undoubtedly is a degree of risk involved. But from the prohibition of spearing in the mid 1970s to the continued focus on eliminating helmet-to-helmet contact, tremendous strides have been made to reduce that inherent risk of injury.
Within the past 10 years, the following are some of the important steps taken by the NFHS and its member state associations to manage the risk of concussions in high school sports:
2005-present – Through the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System and Dr. Dawn Comstock, the NFHS and its member associations have used comprehensive injury data as a resource in the rules-writing process to reduce risk of future injuries.
2008 – The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee advocated that a concussed athlete must be removed from play and not allowed to play on the same day.
2009-present – All NFHS rules publications have contained guidelines for management of a student exhibiting signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion. Such player shall be immediately removed from the contest and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.
2010 – The NFHS developed its “Concussion in Sport” online course at www.nfhslearn.com. More than two million courses have been taken since that time. In addition, a recent study indicated individuals who took the free course demonstrated a 40-percent higher level of understanding of concussions as compared to their pre-course knowledge base.
2010-present – The “Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion” have been published in all NFHS rules books.
2011 – A six-page section on Concussions was added to the fourth edition of the NFHS Sports Medicine Handbook, which was distributed free to all high schools in the country.
2011-2012 – The NFHS Football Rules Committee adopted “Concussions Related to Proper Use of the Helmet” as a Point of Emphasis.
2014 – The NFHS Concussion Summit Task Force met in Indianapolis and adopted recommendations for reducing the amount of full contact in practices. State associations crafted their own policies based on these recommendations for implementation in the 2015 football season.
2014 – By January 2014, all states had adopted state concussion laws which established mandatory protocols.
2014 – The NFHS Football Rules Committee adopted a definition and penalty for targeting aimed at preventing players from hitting an opponent – primarily with the helmet – above the shoulders.
2015 – The NFHS distributed the “Anyone Can Save a Life” emergency action plan and training program originally developed by the Minnesota State High School League and Medtronic Foundation to member state associations and their schools.
2015 – Some states begin the use of pilot telemedicine programs to assist schools without certified athletic trainers in managing concussions during games.
Football is the most popular sport at all levels in the United States – both in terms of participants and fans – and we believe it will remain the top participatory sport at the high school level for many years to come. With state laws and rules administration in place to govern removing individuals from games who have concussion-like symptoms, to the reduction of contact in practices, to the continued education efforts, the focus on risk minimization has never been higher.
Throughout its history, the NFHS Football Rules Committee has made risk minimization its No. 1 priority and will do so again in January 2016 when it meets to examine the state of the game and address the needs of the students who play the sport.
On behalf of both the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA), it is a pleasure to notify you of the recent selection of Hudson High School athletic administrator, RAY EBERSOLE, as the recipient of the NIAAA’s “Distinguished Service Award”. The prestigious honor for Ray and the Hudson City School District will be presented at the National Athletic Directors Conference in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 during the Annual NIAAA Awards Banquet.
Ray Ebersole, CMAA, athletic administrator at Hudson High School in Hudson, OH, is one of nine individuals singled out nationally by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) to receive the 2015 Distinguished Service Award December 15 in Orlando, Florida, during the banquet at the 46th annual National Athletic Directors Conference conducted jointly by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NIAAA.
The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to individuals from within the NIAAA membership in recognition of their length of service, special accomplishments and contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels. Nominations are submitted by state athletic directors associations, screened by the NIAAA Awards Committee and selected by the NIAAA Board of Directors.
Ebersole is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from The Ohio State University. Upon graduation, he spent five years at the professional sports level, serving as Director of Community relations for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Following his tenure with the Cavs, he moved to public administration with the City of Cleveland Parks and Recreation Department. While with Cleveland Parks and Recreation, he served as Program Liaison to the Cleveland Public Schools Athletic Department and was also appointed Commissioner of the Erie Shore Conference.
In August of 1991, he became Athletic Coordinator for the Lakewood City Schools. Since that time, Ebersole has served as an athletic administrator in Lakewood, Fairview Park, Lorain, and Hudson City Schools. He has remained at Hudson since 2004.
Throughout his interscholastic career, he has been very active at the local, state, and national levels. He has managed numerous Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Sectional, District, and Regional Tournaments in Boys Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Boys and Girls Soccer, Volleyball, and Baseball. Additionally, he has presented a wide variety of workshops and Leadership Training Institute (LTI) Courses at the local and state level. He most recently served on the OHSAA Division I Evaluation Committee.
In 2003, Ebersole served on the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA) Professional Development Committee and has served as State Chair for LTI 620, “Coaching for Character”. He has been a member of the Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NEOIAAA) Executive Committee and is a past president of the Lorain County Athletic Administrators Association.
On the national level, Ebersole served as the National Chair of the NIAAA Sports Turf Education Committee from 2000-2007. He assisted in the content development for LTI 615 and 619 and is a member of the National Faculty for both courses. He was also the National Course Chair for LTI 619. In 2004, he was named to serve on the prestigious NIAAA Strategic Planning Committee, which established the objectives and direction of the national organization for the period 2005-2010.
Locally, he has been instrumental in fund-raising campaigns to enhance the physical facilities for his school districts and student-athletes. During his interscholastic athletic administration career at Hudson, he has assisted in raising funds and completing athletic-related projects totaling more than $9.1 million in value.
Ebersole was the recipient of the NIAAA and OIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2003 and he received a special commendation in 2005 for his work with the NIAAA Strategic Planning Committee. He received the State Award of Merit from the NEOIAAA IN 2007, the NEOIAAA Citation in 2012, and the NEOIAAA Meritorious Service Award in 2014. He is also the NEOIAAA and OIAAA “Athletic Director of the Year” for 2015.
Ray has been married for 35 years to his wife, Pam. They are the parents of Drew, 24.
This is the third consecutive year an OIAAA member has received the DSA recognition at the National Conference. At the 2013 Conference held in Anaheim, CA, Paul Moses, CMAA, athletic director at Strongsville High School, received the DSA Award. In December of 2014, Glen Gillespie, CAA, retired athletic administrator from Sylvania Southview High School was honored.
Past OIAAA recipients of the DSA:
Recipient:From:Year of recognition:
Dave Larimer Hillsboro 1983
Jerry Schoonover Lima 1987
Ralph Young Delaware 1990
Roger Young Pickerington 1991
Ann Dustin Cincinnati 1992
Jim Rolfes Springfield 1993
Dave Bell Zanesville 1996
Michael Rotonda Columbus 2002
William Schumacher Chagrin Falls 2009
Paul Moses Strongsville 2013
Glen Gillespie Sylvania Southview 2014
Ray Ebersole Hudson 2015
About the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association
The Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association supports and helps in the professional development of over 1,500 Ohio middle school and high school athletic administrators. Formed as an association for over 50 years, the OIAAA provides multiple training and networking opportunities for member schools. The annual State Conference draws athletic directors across Ohio along with nearly 75 vendors connected to interscholastic athletics. Additionally, six districts comprise the various geographical regions of the state which hold their own workshops throughout the school year. The OIAAA is affiliated with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and collaborates with the NIAAA to provide a series of nationally board-certified (through the North Central Assessment Council) courses for leadership training of athletic administrators.