September 2023 Newsletter
WELCOME TO A NEW SCHOOL YEAR!
Mark Armstrong, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
Gotta admit, this has been a strange start to the new school year, having just retired from a 37 year career in Education, 28 years serving as an Athletic Administrator in Nebraska. I was out on a walk when I saw the bus swinging through the neighborhood picking up the kids on their first day of school. Lots of laughter, excitement, and in a couple cases, tears from the Kindergarten parents. I felt a little lost and that I am going to miss out on a great day at school.
As I reflected, I quickly realized the number of opportunities I had over all those years to make a significant impact upon our coaches and our youth. Opportunities may still come, but not near the frequency of opportunities as I would while being in a building!
Please take a few moments to recognize, and cherish, the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead of you during this school year. Do not be afraid to reach out to ALL your students, athletes or not, and become a significant part of their lives. Take those opportunities to listen to them, mentor them, laugh with them, guide them, and most of all, be there when they need you.
When I think of those opportunities I just listed, I can’t help but remember that Bill Fitzgerald had all these character traits! Over the years, I can remember times when I talked to Bill, and Bill just listened. I think of times when I needed advice or just wanted to know how I could do things a little better, and Bill mentored and guided me. I also remember times, usually at the National AD Conference, where we just laughed at all the crazy things that we got to deal with over the years. But most of all, I will remember Bill as one who was always there when needed. Not only did Bill do this for me, but countless others who had the chance to know and work alongside Bill throughout his career.
Bill, if you’re listening, amazing job over all these years. You made a significant impact on so many and are leaving quite a legacy! Well done my friend!
YOUR NSIAAA BOARD AT WORK
Since we last met, your NSIAAA board of directors have been very busy, attending and hosting conferences, membership drives, hosting a golf tournament… the list goes on. Here are a few highlights:
The NSIAAA hosted the NIAAA Section 5 meeting in Omaha in early June. Leadership Training courses were taught, and we were updated on what’s happening nationally and in our 6 State section. Great job by Steve Throne, NIAAA board member and Section 5 Rep, as he led the meetings. Also great job by Nate Larsen for spearheading the Leadership Training Institute!
The NSIAAA Golf Tournament was a huge success! Under the direction of Ryan Hogue and help from others, a great day was had in Ashland. Look for information on next year’s golf tournament as we get closer to next June!
The NSIAAA provided professional development opportunities and leadership training courses during the Nebraska Coaches Clinic. In addition, Jack Tarr led the charge at our New AD’s Workshop, which was well attended.
The 2023-24 NSIAAA Leadership Cohort kicked off our new year in July. Our cohort focus this year is on our newer AD’s and how we can learn, grow, and mentor those AD’s as they learn the ropes.
Mark Armstrong traveled to Traverse City, Michigan in July to attend the National Executive Directors Conference. What a great learning experience as I had the opportunity to connect with others from almost every state in the country.
Marc Mroczek and Jenny Wagner have been very busy handling what appears to be another record-breaking membership drive for this year! As of our August board meeting, we were only 10 members shy of breaking last year’s record number. Great job!
At our August board meeting, the board approved a donation to be sent to the Hawaii Relief Fund in our effort to support our fellow AD’s, coaches, and students impacted by the fires.
Planning for the November Fall Convention is in full swing and a great schedule of events and speakers is in place. You will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the country, as well as being able to network with your peers in our state. Remember to put November 4-6 in Kearney on your calendars!!
NIAAA National Athletic Directors Conference
Orlando, FL - December 15-19, 2023
Mark Armstrong, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
There has never been a better time to attend the NIAAA NADC (National Athletic Directors Conference), to be held December 15-19, 2023 in Orlando, FL. The Orlando World Center Marriott will be the host location for this year’s conference, and it is guaranteed not to disappoint!
There are many exciting things to do in Orlando in December, but this conference provides yearly the best professional development opportunities for athletic administrators!
Every year, EVERY LTI Course is offered at the conference during different time periods. If you are working toward your RAA, CAA or CMAA certification, this is an ideal thing to do when attending!
The massive vendor hall is full of sporting goods and athletic-related dealers to gather information from as well as talk to about projects. If you are putting new facilities together, this is a great location to see who might be able to help you out.
Opening Session and Closing Session have excellent national speakers with great messages to inspire you to be your best. You don’t want to miss these if you are attending. This year Jon Gordon will be opening the conference!
Five General Sessions are intermittent within the conference schedule, providing you topics of interest and opportunities to interact with other athletic directors from across the country. Oftentimes these conversations lead to great idea sharing and lifelong friendships being developed.
NIAAA Committees all meet during this conference, and a bulk of the business for those groups takes place during the committee's time together. The camaraderie in these groups can lead to great sharing opportunities and developing a network of resources from across the nation.
Section Meetings are a great chance to meet fellow AD’s from your region, and work together to develop opportunities for members. The idea of a Section V LTI Institute started with a conversation at one of these meetings, and it will become a reality again in June of 2024.
The NFHS Luncheon and NIAAA Awards Banquet offer you a meal at each and an opportunity to honor AD’s from across the nation for their service.
The NIAAA Delegate Assembly is the voting arm of the membership and will meet in Orlando. They will listen to business of the NIAAA, as well as vote on new agenda items in the NIAAA Constitution. Each state is allotted a certain number of delegates, based on membership, which is one of the reasons we strive to increase our membership to gain more delegates.
If you have never attended an NADC Conference, you should really try to do so. It will give you a broader perspective of the organization as well as how you can improve your skills in doing your work for your district!
President Newsletter Article
Nate Larsen, O’Neill High School
I hope that everyone has enjoyed a great start to the school year and that you have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time at practices and contests for your fall activities. Looking back over my previous newsletter articles, I found that I have a habit of sharing some resources that I have found in various books, newsletters or podcasts. One of the more recent individuals I have followed is Greg Berge. Here are a few of my favorites from some of his recent newsletters.
His John Wooden themed newsletter talked about giving so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others. He talked about the two sets of threes that Coach Wooden emphasized with his players. Honesty – Never lie, cheat or steal. Adversity – don’t whine, complain or make excuses. He also examined Coach Wooden’s 7 Rules for Life
1 – Be True to Yourself – You are who you are. If we are not true to ourselves, we cannot be true to others. Don’t try to be someone you are not. Be honest with yourself. Be the best version of yourself that you can be. That is all you can ask for.
2 – Help Others – Sharing and giving back to others brings you joy. Be kind to your neighbor. Lend a helping hand. Be a servant leader, not a self-serving leader.
3 – Make Each Day Your Masterpiece – Each day is new. Treat it as such. Have a great attitude. Give your best effort. Make the most of each day. Get 1% better each day – this is the goal.
4 – Drink Deeply From Good Books – Be a life-long learner. There is so much to know and learn in this world. Seek knowledge every chance you can.
5 – Make Friendship a Fine Art – Life is about relationships. The happiest people have the deepest relationships. Don’t take friendship for granted. Be purposeful. Connect with others. Be a great friend. Make someone else’s day with your kind words.
6 – Build Shelter Against a Rainy Day – Plan for the future. Have faith. Your faith is your greatest shelter.
7 – Be Grateful – Give Thanks for Blessings – “How much more pleasant would this world be if we magnified our blessings the way we magnified disappointments?” Give thanks for what you have been given. So many people have it so much worse than you do. Always remember this.
Another recent article of his discussed leadership. He talked about how leaders inspire others, how they must have courage and rise to the occasion. He also highlighted some things that are certain in leadership:
You will have to stand alone at times.
You will make unpopular decisions and may fracture relationships you have established.
You will be put in positions where you have to be the moral authority for your team or group. You must do what is right even when it may be hard.
You will have to make choices that are for the good of the group and not always good for individuals.
You will need to hold others accountable to a standard that has been set.
We are fortunate that our membership consists of great leaders! We have a great schedule lined up for our fall conference in Kearney, November 4th through the 6th. I know I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with friends at this conference every year. I hope to see you there!
LTI & Certification Coordinator Newsletter Article – Nate Larsen, O’Neill High School
We had 16 ADs take advantage of the free courses (LTI 501 & 502) that we offered at the NCA Clinic. Several of those ADs will be a part of our first certification cohort, where they will take 503, 504 & 506 over the course of the next year so they are ready to sit for the CAA exam after completing their required two years of service as an AD. That is an incredible start to their professional growth journey and a practice that we plan to continue every year with a new certification cohort.
If you are interested in earning a certification through the NIAAA, your options are below. Please reach out to me with any questions and I will be happy to help you with the process!
RAA (Registered Athletic Administrator): LTI 501, 502 & 503, & a bachelor’s degree. The cost for a member to apply is $75.
RMSAA (Registered Middle School Athletic Administrator): LTI 501, 502, 503, 504, 700 & 701, a bachelor’s degree, & be employed as an AD. The cost for a member to apply is $100.
CAA (Certified Athletic Administrator): LTI 501, 502, 503, 504 & 506, a bachelor’s degree, be employed as an AD with 2 or more years of experience, & pass the CAA exam. The cost for a member to apply is $175.
CMAA (Certified Master Athletic Administrator): LTI 501, 502, 503, 504, 506, 508, 510, any 600-level course, any 700-level course & 3 additional elective courses, a bachelor’s degree, previously earning your CAA certification, & the completion of a project. The cost for a member to apply is $200.
Please keep in mind that you must complete the personal data form & CAA application available through your NIAAA member portal & be approved by the national office prior to being able to register for the exam. You should be able to register for both the CAA exam and the LTI courses being offered at the fall conference using your NSIAAA AMP profile. The courses we are offering at the fall conference are LTI 705 – “Coach Centered Educational Athletics: A Character Based Coach to Coach Mentoring Program” on Saturday, 11/4/23 from 3:00 – 7:00, & LTI 704 – “Recruit/Hire, Mentor and Retain Coaches” on Sunday, 11/5/23 from 7:30 – 11:30am. Both classes will be taught by Mike McGurk (former NIAAA president) & Josh Scott (former NIAAA Secretary). I can’t say enough positive things about both of these guys so if you haven’t taken these courses yet, I highly recommend that you do so at the fall conference! The registration deadline is October 25th.
If there is a specific course you are interested in, please let me know. We have added a few more people to the NSIAAA teaching faculty recently and we are willing to travel to teach a course if we can get 4 or more people registered and a room to teach the course.
If you are looking for an additional way to take a course that you are interested in, the NIAAA offers webinars & online courses that you can sign up for through your member portal. Here is the information that the NIAAA published on 9/1/23.
District I Spotlight - Christina Nevitt, Lincoln Northwest AD
I am a Nebraska native, growing up in York, then attending high school in Columbus, then Omaha Burke. I attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I received a BA in Secondary Education with an English endorsement. I also have Master's Degrees in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership from Doane University. I taught for one year at Chester-Hubbell-Byron High School, then spent 8 years as a Newspaper in Education Coordinator for both the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star. I returned back to the classroom in 2007 as the journalism teacher and head cheer coach at Lincoln North Star, before becoming the Director of Athletics/Activities at Lincoln Northwest in January. I am married to my wonderful husband Mike and we have two sons. Noah is a senior at Kansas State University studying Bio-Ag Engineering, while Drew is a freshman at UNL majoring in Forensic Science. We also have a 4-year-old Siberian Husky named Mya.
I moved around a lot in school, especially when I hit high school. I started my freshman year at Columbus High School after having lived in York my whole life, then transferred to Omaha Burke halfway through my sophomore year due to my parent's job change. Being involved in cross country, track, cheerleading, and performing arts allowed me to adapt to my new environments with ease. Education-based athletics and activities teach students how to handle challenges, by helping them develop skills they will carry as they grow as leaders in the community. They learn how to work as a team, communicate openly, how to deal with success, but also failure. Every servant leader I know participated in some sort of extra-curricular activity while in school and that participation helped mold them into the leader they are today. Education-based athletics and activities are the bridge that help students make real-world connections that will last a lifetime.
Lincoln Northwest is in its second year and there are amazing things happening. Our school has nearly doubled last year's enrollment and our participation numbers are growing as well. This year, we are adding multiple different levels to various sports, are playing at the varsity level in all sports, and are seeing measurable improvement over last year. The Airpark community has embraced the school and we are building a culture to be proud of.
Great Start
What a great start to the 23-24 year. We had somewhere between 20-25 new ADs show up for the New AD Seminar just before the NCA Clinic this year and it was a great session. With Nate Larsen, Jenny Wagner, Kayla Fisher, Jeremy VanAckeren, Tom Kerkman, Steve Borer and Jack Tarr presenting on topics such as the NSIAAA.NIAAA, Communication,NSAA, and many more early in the year concerns it was a good learning day for the new ADs and a great start for networking to develop. There was great discussion among all the participants and it was hard to cut it off after just a couple of hours.
For the new ADs they met many of the board members, put faces with the names and found names and email addresses that they could contact for help. Along with that the Mentoring program was discussed and all new ADs that wanted mentors have now had them assigned and they are working with each other. Thanks to some retired ADs along with veteran ADs we are trying to make the job of being a new AD simpler and everyone knowing that they have someone to contact in case of help needed.
What a great group of veteran ADs we have that are stepping up to be mentors. Our mentoring program is one that other states are looking to follow and it is being talked about in the national zoom meetings that I attend each month. You veteran and retired ADs are doing a great job of leading and mentoring our new ADs. Pat yourself on the back, be proud of what you are doing and hopefully we will keep many of these new ADs in our profession.
From the start meeting we had 23 new and veteran ADs, including one from Wyoming, take LTI Classes 501 and 502. These are the introductory classes for earning a RAA and CAA and help ADs understand what it takes to be an AD and all that they are doing within their job description. Most people including administrators do not know how and what it takes to be an AD and this gives you materials to share and ideas to share on what your job is going to be. From this we are building a Cohort of 11 ADs that we will tutor and bring along to be able to get their CAA after two years of being an AD and help them become/remain better ADs. What a great opportunity for these ADs for the NSIAAA. We are building a stronger association and helping these ADs become better ADs through LTI classes with material they will use in their everyday jobs.
Thank you to all who helped with the mentoring program and with the New ADs session and teaching of the first classes. We are meeting our strategic plan and developing super ADs.
2023-2024 NSIAAA Membership
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! As the beginning of the school year starts, there are many items to complete during our busy times. One of the most important items to give your full attention to is your Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association membership.
The 2023-2024 NSIAAA membership will allow you to be a dual member of the NSIAAA and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association (NIAAA). The cost of the dual membership is $250, which includes $2 million in liability insurance while on the job along with up to $7,500 in term life insurance coverage through the NSIAAA and NIAAA. It is also important to know that your dual membership will serve as your registration for the Fall Conference at Kearney on November 4-6, 2023, and the Spring Banquet on March 5, 2024, in Lincoln.
The membership of the NSIAAA has exceeded over 225 athletic administrators in recent years. Last year, we had our record year of 268 members. Our goal as the NSIAAA Board of Directors is to exceed that number and strive to have a 100% enrollment rate for the 2023-2024 school year. We need your commitment to our state organization and highly encourage you to promote the NSIAAA to your colleagues who may not be aware of the association and the great benefits that are part of the annual membership. If you have not submitted your membership application, you can register on the NSIAAA website https://www.nsiaaa.org/ and click on “Not a Member Yet - Join Here”. Please make sure to electronically sign all your forms on the registration site. For payment, you are able to pay with a credit card or you can send a check made payable to the NSIAAA to Jenny Wagner at Centennial High School.
This year’s NIAAA National Convention will be held in Orlando, Florida, from December 15-19, 2023. Registration for this convention is currently open through the NIAAA website https://www.adconference.org/. Current members of the NSIAAA and NIAAA are able to register using their current membership ID and information. If you are a new member this year to the NSIAAA and NIAAA and need assistance, please contact Marc Mroczek at marc.mroczek@goswedes.org.
If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact me. I look forward to receiving your membership and payment, and we will see you at the Fall Conference in November.
Marc Mroczek
Activities Director
Gothenburg High School
NSIAAA Membership Coordinator
District II Spotlight - Luke Chadwell, Plattsmouth
My wife Randi and I have been married 12 years and have three children–my step-son Hunter is 17, our daughters are Blakely (10) and Austyn (7). I grew up in Omaha attending Millard West High School. I graduated from Peru State College in 2009 and I am finishing up my Master’s in Physical Education at UNK. I will then work toward my Principalship certification. I previously taught at Madison Public Schools and Superior Public schools where I coached basketball, football, golf, track and youth softball. This is my 2nd year in Plattsmouth as the Activities Director.
Education-based athletics and activities in the high school is an extremely important facet to the high school experience. I enjoy watching our kids compete in a variety of sports and activities. I also enjoy the students who create the atmosphere at our events. The supportive small community that Plattsmouth has, has been incredible to be a part of. The relationships that are built in and outside of athletics and activities is an important part of growing up and becoming an adult.
Plattsmouth High School is a wall to wall academy school. We recently had the ribbon cutting of our CTE building. The CTE building has a state of the art culinary arts kitchen, auto shop and industrial arts facility. All students and staff are a part of our nationally recognized academies. We have great support from the community via sponsorship and internship opportunities.
District II Spotlight - Luke Ford, Elkhorn North
My wife Cynthe and I have been married for 19 years and have 3 children. Ella is a junior at Elkhorn North and competes in cross country and track. Last spring she was a member of the 3200 meter relay that set the Class B record. Her brother Noah is a freshman this year and is a member of the football, basketball and track teams. As a father it is really special to have my kids compete on the teams here at ENHS. The youngest Ava is a 5th grader and will also be a Wolf someday. I am a Bertrand native and after graduating from UNK was blessed to teach and coach at Papillion-La Vista South for 5 years before moving to Elkhorn. I attended UNO where I completed my Masters Degree in 2009 and Doctoral Degree in 2022.
It is my belief that the lessons our student-athletes learn in the competition arena cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the educational process. I want all of our athletes to learn what hard work really looks like and persevere when adversity and difficult scenarios arise. I also want them to die to themselves and be a selfless individual that understands their role to fully support a mission. Lastly, I want them to form relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime. If our students learn these lessons I believe they will be better husbands, wives, sons, daughters, spouses, parents and citizens. It is a privilege to work in this capacity to mold the next generation for success.
Elkhorn Public Schools continues to grow at a rapid pace and this presents many opportunities and challenges. We are now in year 4 of operation at ENHS and already considering adding an additional wing to the building due to the rapid growth. We were very proud to win the NSAA Cup last year which recognizes high schools having the most successful interscholastic activities programs in the state for that year. Our coaches and students have worked extremely hard in the first 3 years and that award was a special public acknowledgment of their work. I am blessed to work with such an amazing team of coaches.
NSIAAA President Elect Message
President Elect, Dr. JJ Toczek-Director of Athletics and Activities for Lincoln Public Schools
In the ever-evolving world of education-based athletics and activities, as 21st Century athletics and activities administrators, it is critical now, more than ever, that we continue our focus of academics while always striving to teach…coach…model “real world” skills for our coaches who will in turn model those skills for their respective student-participants.
The core purpose of education-based athletics and activities programs is to offer student-participants structured and competitive opportunities that provide life learning experiences as extensions of the classroom. These experiences help promote academic growth, fundamental technique mastery, life skills and citizenship. Education-based athletics and activities programs provide diverse, equitable and inclusive environments that encourage student-participants from all backgrounds and all learning and skill levels to learn, grow and succeed, while always supporting academics and promoting physical, social, emotional and character development in a team-oriented setting where everyone is able to have a sense of belonging.
Academics are the driving force of education-based athletics and activities programs and thus, academic achievement is the byproduct. Student-participants, who are led by coaches (who are teachers first, who create welcoming environments and positive relationships, and who motivate and inspire), are empowered to learn, grow, achieve and succeed in a welcoming, supportive, structured and competitive environment.
Mastery of fundamental techniques in both athletics and activities must be key focuses in order for student-participants to be successful. It is crucial that coaches, with the support of their respective athletics and activities administrators, help student-participants learn basic athletics and activities techniques as well as help them develop social, intellectual, emotional and competition skills. By working through the learning process, experiencing and growing through both successes and failures, student-participants, as individuals, as well as entire teams, have the abilities to reach their maximum potential.
Developing life skills is paramount for athletics and activities student-participants to be successful. By learning and understanding teamwork, collaboration, commitment, loyalty and leadership, student-participants are able to have a greater impact in their schools, families, communities and inevitably in their adult lives. In the end, the development of “real world” skills will have great influence on student-participants outside of and far beyond their athletics and activities experiences.
Citizenship, positive social behaviors and servant leadership need to be embedded within education-based athletics and activities programs. By having athletics and activities administrators and coaches model integrity, fairness, respect and sportsmanship for student-participants, these same student-participants in turn are able to participate with character and confidence in school, sports and ultimately life.
As we continue through the 2023-2024 school year and athletics and activities season, it is imperative that we, as athletics and activities administrators…servant-leaders focus on academic achievement, along with fundamental technique development, life skills and citizenship as the core purposes of our respective education-based athletics and activities programs, so that our respective coaches, and our respective student-participants, are empowered to be successful in school, athletics, activities and ultimately…life (Lincoln Public Schools & Toczek, 2023).
Retired ADs 24- What you can do?
Jack Tarr Retired AD and New AD Coordinator for the NSIAAA/NIAAA
The NSIAAA/NIAAA is putting out a call to all retired ADs to join the NSIAAA/NIAAA on a yearly basis or a lifetime basis. Why? We are looking for retired ADs who will be willing to help new as well as veteran ADs learn more and have a successful career. By joining the NSIAAA/NIAAA (it is only $30 a year) you get to attend the fall clinic, the spring banquet and have opportunities to give back to the profession you were in.
How? We are looking for retired ADs, to present at the fall clinic, help with the front area as ADs sign in and attend the fall clinic, be on the scholarship committee, be on panels that we have and other needs as they arise. We will be starting to look at our next strategic plan and will be looking for retired ADs to join this process and give us input on ways to continue to improve as an organization.
If you have not contacted me, or would like to be part, email me at jtarr55@gamil.com, and get on the retired AD listing. I send out information periodically for needs that we are looking for and ask for help in areas that we need it. To join look on the NSIAAA website and follow the instructions or contact Marc Mroczek at marc.mroczek@goswedes.org, and he will help you. It is just $30 a year and if you would like the life insurance policy that you may get it is another $12.50. What a bargain, and you can keep in touch with all the guys and gals that you worked with when you were an AD.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and seeing many of you at the fall clinic.
