Author: Erich Frombach

OIAAA/OHSAA

“The Bruce Brown Award of Excellence”

Past Recipients

BBAE Cohort Testimonials

Bruce Brown Award of Excellence Cohort Application

Purpose:

To recognize on-going and consistent efforts on the part of Ohio interscholastic athletic departments that demonstrate best practices and nationally accepted standards 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.

The name was changed to honor the first Executive Director of the OIAAA, Bruce Brown.

Award Criteria:

1. Candidate must possess a CAA credential. 
2. Must submit an application to participate in a cohort. (Application Link)
3. There will be two cohorts offered per year: January thru April and May thru August.
4. Evidence-based submissions will be reviewed and approved by the OIAAA Award of Excellence Chair or his designee. 
5. All submissions must be school board approved.
6. There is a $100.00 application fee.
7. An athletic administrator can only receive the award one time.

Awards will be presented annually at the OIAAA State Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Criteria Domains:

1. Philosophy of Education-based Athletics
2. Education Strategies
3. Risk Management
4. Access/Equity
5. Assessment
6. Technology/Media
7. Sports Medicine
8. Innovation/Creativity
9. Continuous Improvement

Philosophy of Education-based Athletics:

• Athletic department philosophy statement which specifically identifies the mission of interscholastic athletic programs as extensions of the curricular/academic program within the school district.  Statement should include educational objectives of the athletic department/programs.
• Evidence of Board of Education adoption of athletic department philosophy.
• Evidence of athletic department philosophy posted in/on following:
  • Athletic Department handbook – Proof of BOE Approval
  • Coach/Athlete/Parent handbook – Proof of BOE Approval
  • Athletic department statement on school website

Education Strategies:

• Evidence of the athletic administrator’s personal professional development activities specific to interscholastic athletics within the 12 months prior to submission for the Award.  Examples would include, but not limited to:
  • Attendance at the OIAAA State Conference
  • Completion of at least two Leadership Training Courses (LTC)
  • Acquiring one or more of the following designations:
    • RAA  (through NIAAA)
    • RMSAA  (through NIAAA)
    • CAA  (through NIAAA)
    • CMAA  (through NIAAA)
    • AIC  (through NFHS)
    • CIC  (through NFHS)
  •  Earning a Master’s degree in Education or Athletic Administration
• Evidence (copies of agendas) of meetings and in-house sessions for purposes of training, educating, updating in-house coaching of athletic staff members.  Examples might include regular coaches’ meetings (pre- and in-season), in-services specific to interscholastic athletic topics, mentoring, strategic planning, etc.
• Evidence of support and promotion of coach education beyond sport-specific (offensive/defensive strategies) training.  Examples of such tactics could include in-house seminars on media/public relations, promotion of Accredited Interscholastic Coach certification (NFHS online courses), etc.
• Provide a brief (one page or less) overview of the process for mentoring new coaches currently within the athletic department.
• The applicant school’s athletic administrator must be a member of the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA) for the school year of award submission.

Risk Management:

• Provide evidence of sport specific cautionary statement provisions shared with parents and students – FinalForms
• Emergency Action Plan. Including all site-specific sport venues.
• Describe protocols currently in place to assess atmospheric (heat, humidity) and severe weather (lightning) emergencies for athletic teams.  —- Fourteen Legal Duties and Facilities Inspection Report

Access/Equity:

• Evidence of assessment plan for athletic department and programs relative to accessibility and equity parameters.  Some examples of evidence may include:
  • Facility inventory (listing of boys and girls facilities, age/condition of facilities, fiscal support for upkeep, etc.)
  • Line-item budget comparisons (by sport; by gender)
  • Title IX surveys and/or studies – BOE Policy  — Game and Practice Facilities practice and game schedules (Show Example)
  • Provisions and accommodations for students with disabilities (“How are special needs students engaged within your interscholastic athletic programs?”)  

Assessment:

• Description of the process utilized to evaluate and assess coaches within your interscholastic athletic program.  More than just the evaluation tool (form), what protocol is utilized to review and target improvement within the coaches and the sport-specific program?

Technology/Media:

• Provide five (5) examples the interscholastic athletic department utilizes technology/media in support of education-based athletics.  Examples may include, but not limited to:
  • Posting and accessibility of team schedules (FinalForms)
  • Availability of public-access information (Athletic Department Website)
  • Utilization of “push” data (e.g., parent alerts, text messaging, Twitter/Facebook feeds)
  • Local/School/Public media access to interscholastic sport programs and events
  • Feedback and survey opportunities for stakeholders and/or community

Sports Medicine:

• Provide evidence of “Emergency Action Plan” protocols that are utilized by interscholastic teams within the school’s athletic department.  (Example Link)
• EACH team’s plan should include:
  • Facility layout
  • Entry and exit routes (particularly for EMS and evacuation routes)
  • Location of rescue and first aid equipment

Innovation/Creativity:

• Provide examples and description of non-contest engagement of students and/or adults within the scope of the school’s interscholastic athletic program.  Examples of such may be:
  • Varsity team members traveling to elementary school to read to students
  • Choir students who audition and perform the “National Anthem” at athletic events
  • Non-participant student involvement; e.g., student media crew for graphics or video board at game events, student host squad for guest teams or game officials, etc.
  • Student-Athlete Advisory Council
  • Community stakeholder engagement with planning, advisory or feedback groups related to interscholastic athletics

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify at least one organized event/activity where the educational mission and purpose of interscholastic athletics is clearly and intentionally addressed.  Specifically, how is the question of “What is the true purpose of having sports within our schools?” being answered with your stakeholders?
• Provide an example of how the athletic department delivers a continuing message and supports “Respect the Game” and Sportsmanship initiatives within your school and league.

The objective of the “Award of Excellence” is to recognize those Ohio interscholastic athletic departments who are purposefully educating and supporting the mission of education-based athletics in Ohio.  Defining success based solely upon “wins and losses” or the number of championship trophies a school/team possesses misses the mark of what our interscholastic athletic programs should be targeting.  The award is designed to honor and celebrate those school athletic departments that are attempting to shift the sport culture toward the genuine purpose of why sports are a part of our school and community culture in America.

As such, the collection and submission of data is meant to be a reflection of what schools are already doing to underscore the mission of education-based athletics.  To create a level of consistency and to maintain an appropriate level of professionalism, submission of school data should follow this protocol: Evidence-based documentation will be submitted electronically through the Final Forms Platform. Each cohort team will receive a tutorial on the process.

Example of Sport-specific Cautionary Statement 

Emergency Action Plan Site Specific 

Fourteen Legal Duties

Information contact: 

Randy Tevepaugh, CMAA

Bruce Brown Award of Excellence Chair

rtevepaugh@scsrockets.org

440-759-9870 cell