About the OIAAA
What became known as the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association was initially organized in the fall of 1956 for the purpose of providing a workshop for practicing high school athletic directors. During the 1961-1962 school year, W.J. McConnell of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) responded to the group of athletic directors and, with the assistance of associate commissioner, Paul Landis, encouraged the group to more formally organize as an association.
In 1963, under the original name of the Ohio High School Athletic Directors Association (OHSADA), Ohio become one of the first states in the nation (along with New Jersey) to organize their respective interscholastic athletic directors into a state association with the purpose of improving the profession of school-based athletic administration.
The first president of the OHSADA was Bill King of Princeton HS near Cincinnati. Nelson Thinnes of Cincinnati Aiken was vice-president, eventually becoming the president after a two-year cycle of officers. Bob Purdy of Berea City Schools became the association’s third president. The association officers have traditionally maintained a two-year cycle with the primary offices being Past-President, President, President-Elect and Secretary.
The OIAAA is directly affiliated with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and works hand-in- hand with the NIAAA in offering Leadership Training Courses and other resources for the professional development and growth of interscholastic athletic administrators. The Mission State of the OIAAA is: “The OIAAA advocates for our members by promoting the educational values of interscholastic athletics.”
There are six Districts that comprise the OIAAA: Northwest, Northeast, Central, East, Southeast and Southwest. Each District provides a representative to sit on the OIAAA Board of Directors. Additionally, the Board appoints the Treasurer and, beginning in 2012, an Executive Director.
As of the 2015-2016 school year, there were 822 high schools which are recognized members of the OHSAA. There were 519 members of the OIAAA for the 2015-2016 school year making it the third largest state interscholastic athletic administrators association in the nation.
Click HERE for Membership Information