May 2024 Newsletter
Wrapping Up The School Year
A Time For Reflection and New Opportunities
Mark Armstrong, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
As they always seem to do, this school year is flying by. Each year seems to go quicker than the previous! With that note in mind, I encourage each of you to take some time yet this spring, or through the summer, to step back from the daily routine and spend some time looking back at your year and how things went from a large-scope perspective. If it helps, start a list of things you did well and are proud of, and those that may not have worked out as you had planned or an area that you think may need some additional efforts to get them where you want them.
So often we don’t take the time to reflect, and when we don’t reflect, we easily get stuck in a routine that most likely does not have vision! Vision provides us with a road map of things we would like to see from our programs and helps to formulate steps that will get us there. Those steps may require getting some extra help or resources to help you out. This is where the NSIAAA can help!
The NSIAAA is here to provide any support that you might want. You just have to take advantage of the opportunities. There are many Athletic Administrators in our State who have a great deal of experience and knowledge of what things one can do to help make significant impacts in your program. We are here to help and offer any support that we can! If you need a kick-start, you can reach out to myself, or any of the NSIAAA Board members and hopefully we can point you in the right direction!
As we work toward the end of this year, I would like to commend the membership for another great year in the NSIAAA & NIAAA. Our membership this year will include a record 310 athletic administrators who are currently working or retired in our state. This is a fantastic number which will be recognized at the upcoming national conference in Austin.
I would also like to take a moment and recognize now Past President Nate Larsen on a tremendous job serving our organization as President in 23-24. Nate had several situations thrown at him during his tenure, and he rose to the occasion in stellar fashion. Shortly into his presidency, Nate, and the board, were faced with the passing of Executive Director Bill Fitzgerald, which occurred just a couple weeks away from the June NSIAAA board meeting, the NSIAAA Annual Golf Tournament, AND the NIAAA Section 5 Meeting that we hosted in Omaha. With Nate’s leadership and the support of the board, all these events went off without a hitch! Nate also had to lead the board through the process of finding and hiring a new Executive Director. Nate continues to provide tremendous leadership as our Leadership Training Coordinator, and we look forward to him continuing to serve our organization! Great job Nate!
May, June, and July may be the summer months, but there are still plenty of opportunities for NSIAAA members' involvement. To list a few:
Tuesday, June 4: NSIAAA Golf Tournament at Iron Horse GC in Ashland. 9:00 am check-in with a 10:00 am shotgun start to a great day of golf, prizes, and a meal to follow. $500 per four-man best ball team, with proceeds going to the Nebraska NIAAA Scholarship Fund. Come get the summer off to a great start - contact Ryan Hogue at Kearney at ryahogue@kearneycats.com if interested! Spots are filling quickly!
June 10-12, 2024: NIAAA Section V Meeting at the Courtyard by Marriott at Aksarben Village. This yearly meeting of representatives from our six state area and NIAAA staff returns to Omaha. Mon. 6/10 meetings go from 2 to 5:30 pm, with dinner to follow, and Tues. 6/11 meetings get going from 8 am to Noon, with the scholarship committee & breakfast prior to the start. It is a good opportunity for those involved in committees and leadership to get on the same page and listen to new procedures going on at the NIAAA. If you are interested in attending, please let Mark Armstrong know by May 15.
June 10-12, 2024 NIAAA Section V LTI Institute at UNO. This is the 2nd LTI Institute held in conjunction with the Section V meetings, and a great opportunity to take LTI classes all in one location. Three different time slots will allow you to pick from 8 class offerings, as well as a CAA Study session and an opportunity to take the CAA Exam (if registered) If interested, get in touch with LTI Coordinator Nate Larsen at natelarsen33@gmail.com .
July 23-24, 2024: NCA All Sport Clinic - This is THE Premier All Sport Clinics in our nation, and Nebraska is proud to be able to host it! It also provides numerous opportunities for Nebraska AD’s to learn and share during the conference at the AD sessions. Membership in the NCA is a requirement, but you get so much more than just a clinic. If you haven’t attended recently, you need to come and learn and enjoy the opportunities.
Leadership Training Institute (LTI) courses can always be taken on-line, but don’t forget to plan ahead to take a class in-person at the NSIAAA Fall Conference in Kearney, November 9-11, 2024. Get started toward that certification, or finish up what you have started. You will be a better AD because of it!
It has been a great year for the NSIAAA, and we look forward to serving our Nebraska AD’s. We look forward to your continued NSIAAA Membership in 2024-25! Look for the email June 1 from Final Forms AMP that reminds you to get your membership renewed on-line. You can check your status at nsiaaa.org - we look forward to your continued involvement and improving yourself as an AD in our state, as well as adding even more AD’s to our membership. Encourage those who are not members to become one, and remind them of all that a membership includes at the state and national level!
NIAAA Awards Presented at the 2024 NSIAAA Spring Awards Banquet
Pictures can be found on the front page of nsiaaa.org
NSIAAA Outstanding Service Awards:
Kurt Baumbach - Seward
Jill England - Malcolm
Stan Erks - Centennial
Patti Wieskamp - Norris
Jackie Brown - Papillon-LaVista South
Jessica Carlson - Millard Public Schools
Jennifer Gartner - O’Neill
Brian Gallagher - Grand Island
Travis and Trent McConnell - Wallace
NSIAAA Award of High Distinction:
Bill Fitzgerald - Former NSAA Executive Director
NSIAAA Meritorious Service:
Jeremy VanAckeren - Papillon LaVista South - Past President
Dave Hoxworth - Scottsbluff - District 6 Representative
NSIAAA District Athletic Directors of the Year:
District I AD of Year: Tyler Herman - York HS
District II AD of Year: Lance Smith - Millard West HS
District III AD of Year: Nate Larsen - O’Neill HS
District IV AD of Year: Jeff Ellis - Broken Bow HS
District V AD of Year: Troy Hauxwell - Chase County HS
District VI AD of Year: Kari Gifford - Banner County HS
NSIAAA Assistant Athletic Director of Year:
Colin Kubik - Norris HS
NSIAAA Middle School Athletic Director of Year:
Thad Schumacher - Fremont MS
Mike Purdy / Mike McMahon NSIAAA Emerging AD Award(Given to an AD of 1 to 5 years experience):
Nathan Dietz - Amherst HS
NSIAAA President’s Award:
Nate Larsen - O’Neill HS
Retiring NSIAAA AD’s Members:
Cindy Wells - Grand Island HS
Thad Schumacher - Fremont MS
John Moody - Seward HS
Kari Gifford - Banner County HS
Bob Hayes - Ponca HS
NSIAAA State Athletic Director of the Year:
Dave Hoxworth - Scottsbluff HS
NSIAAA / NIAAA Scholarships Awarded
Mark Armstrong, CMAA - NSIAAA Executive Director
The NSIAAA is happy to present numerous scholarships to seniors in Nebraska this year, as the NSIAAA Scholarship Committee has made their selections. The NSIAAA Board appreciates their time and energy in making these selections.
A good number of applicants filed for consideration for the Nebraska NIAAA Scholarship, which a male & female from each NSAA District are selected for $250 scholarships, and one a male and female selected from those district winners to represent Nebraska at the NIAAA Section V level in June - those two people also received an additional $500 each. If selected for Section V recognition, they will receive additional funding and move to the NIAAA National selection process.
Five senior sons or daughters of current NSIAAA members applied for the NSIAAA Gdowski Family Scholarship, which also awards $500 to one male and The Larry King Scholarship to one female applicant.
Thank you to those AD’s, both working and retired, who helped make the selections for these scholarships. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated by the NSIAAA Board. Congratulations to the 2024 recipients!
NSIAAA State Scholarship - ($500) (Son or Daughter of a current NSIAAA Member) *Sponsored by the Gerry Gdowski Family
Gerry Gdowski Family Male NSIAAA Recipient: Carson Pierce - Lincoln Northeast HS
Larry King Female NSIAAA Recipient: Jacelyn Jorgensen - Paxton HS
NIAAA National Scholarship
Female District Selection ($250 to each)
District I - Karley Naber - Centennial
District II - Martha Yanovich - Omaha Gross
District III - Adisyn Anderson - Rock County
District IV - Hannah Herrick - Amherst
District V - Ashlynn Latimer - Southwest
District VI - Cadence Schleicher - Gering
Nebraska Female Selection - Section V
Hannah Herrick - Amherst
NIAAA National Scholarship
Male District Selections ($250 to each)
District I - Carson Pierce - LNE
District II - Alex Wilcoxson - Gretna
District III - Mason Hagan - Rock County
District IV - Ben VanDiest - Doniphan-Trumbull
District VI - Mitch Moravec - Gering
Nebraska Male Selection - Section V
Mitch Moravec - Gering
District 5 Spotlight: Derek Bantam – Medicine Valley
My wife Jennifer, is the special education teacher at the elementary school. I am the K-12 Physical Education teacher here at Medicine Valley. We have two boys, Kevin is a Junior and Tyler is a Freshman. I have been at Medicine Valley since I started teaching in 2005. I have been the Athletic Director for 2 years now. Before being at Medicine Valley I volunteered as a Boys Assistant Coach at Amherst and Gibbon Public Schools while I was going to college at UNK.
I have been the High School Girls Basketball Coach and Assistant Track and Field Coach since I came to Medicine Valley. I have helped with Football for the past 17 years. Being a part of all three sports seasons you have to have great help to get all the things covered for games and other activities. I have been very fortunate to have a great staff and volunteers that are willing to help when needed. I have also had some great mentors who have given great advice on how to handle different situations. We have recently remodeled our gym. We have replaced the floor, bleachers, scoreboards, wall mats, conference banners and gave it a new paint job.
From the Past President – Jeremy VanAckeren
I hope the spring season is going well for everybody!!! This is definitely sprinting season!!
Spring concerts, conference tournaments, district tournaments, state tournaments, prom and graduation; just to name a few. Remember to take time for yourself and your family during this crazy time.
Well, this year completes my 6th and final year on the NSIAAA board. It has been a great run and I have enjoyed every bit of it. I have met some great people, developed some tremendous relationships, and have learned a lot from my colleagues. I want to thank everybody that I have sat on the board with and wish you all the best as you all move forward. The NSIAAA board is in great hands with Mark Armstrong leading the way, we are lucky to have him.
Enjoy the rest of the school year; step back, take a deep breath and remember why you are in your current position. I challenge each of you to do something different this summer to re-charge your batteries and to give you a new perspective.
Take care
JVA
Past President Newsletter Article – Nate Larsen, O’Neill High School
We have entered another incredibly busy time of year for people in our profession. You are likely busy with spring concerts, plays and banquets celebrating the excellence your participants in athletics and activities have achieved throughout the year on top of your usual spring sports. This is an easy time to get frustrated and feel overwhelmed as more and more events pop up or are rescheduled with very few places to put them on your calendar. While contemplating this reality, I came across some quotes from the Daily Coach that I felt were relevant and helpful:
“You don’t have to attend every argument you are invited to.”
“Sometimes no reply is your best reply.”
“Stay patient, the best things happen unexpectedly.”
“A calm mind can handle every storm.”
“Good conversations with the right people are priceless.”
It’s that last one that really hit home for me. As I said at our spring awards banquet, one of my favorite things about our organization is the way we are always there for one another. A prime example of that was a recent rescheduled track meet. When I moved the meet to a new date, I lost my starter. One call to Jack Tarr later and I had a new starter for my track meet. He was willing to drive a little over 2 hours to start a meet fresh off the heels of teaching CPR at Centennial that same morning. Thank you, Jack, for your help at my track meet and your incredible example of servant leadership in general!
Whether sharing ideas or simply connecting for no particular reason, I am thankful for the many good conversations I have had with so many of our members over the course of the last 10 years and I look forward to many more in the years to come. It was my honor to serve as our president for the last year, and it is now my pleasure to pass that torch to Dr. JJ Toczek. Dr. Toczek has been a valuable member of our executive leadership team for the past 2 years and I look forward to his leadership over the course of the next year.
LTI & Certification Coordinator Newsletter Article – Nate Larsen, O’Neill High School
I’m excited to announce that we will be hosting a Section V Summer Leadership Training Institute in Omaha again this June! The courses offered will be as follows:
I hope that several of you are able to take advantage of this unique professional development opportunity!
As always, if there is a specific course you are interested in, please let me know. We (the NSIAAA teaching faculty) are willing to travel to teach a course if we can get 4 or more people registered and a room to teach the course.
District 6 Spotlight: Austin Lewis – Sidney
I was born and raised in Nebraska. Culbertson, NE is my home town. I've got a family of four, my wife Chandra, my daughter Kinslee (13), and my son Pace (10). Athletics has been a part of my life since I was a kid, and on into college. After receiving my undergrad at Hastings College, I started my teaching/coaching career in Kansas. We lived there for 9 years with a couple of stops along the way in Smith Center, KS and Meade, KS. Overall I've coached basketball and other sports for 18+ years. We moved back to Nebraska in 2016 and Sidney has been home ever since. Through the years I earned my masters degree from Morningside College, and have spent the last two years as the activities director at Sidney high school.
Education based athletics has had an enormous impact on my life. I can relate to the many stories of kids being in school and getting better grades because of the activities they participate in. The studies are pretty clear, kids who participate in extracurriculars do better in school. And they also learn the valuable lessons of being part of a team and working harder for something and achieving more than they EVER thought possible. I've experienced it as an athlete, and it is the gift we should all be striving to give kids who participate.
We've got some great programs going on in Sidney right now. We've had multiple boys and girls teams go deep into post season play the last few years, with several team and individual state qualifiers. The success is a lot of fun and we have been very fortunate. But to me, the best part of it all is we have done it with our own kids. You see a lot of option enrollment happening these days in order to pool talent together for athletics. We have not been one of those schools. We've done a great job of growing our own, working with them, running quality programs, and reaping the benefits. I would say that is what I am most proud of at Sidney high school!
Education-based Athletics and Activities Administrators
Personal and Professional Reflective Practice
JJ Toczek - AD, Lincoln Public Schools
The 2023-2024 school year, and athletics and activities season, has come to an end. Congratulations…We made it! As we prepare for the summer months, and hopefully a little rest and relaxation, please remember to take time for both personal and professional Reflection.
Reflection is critical in both our personal and professional lives. It separates ordinary people, as well as ordinary athletics and activities administrators, from extraordinary ones. By being intentionally reflective, we are able to learn about ourselves as unique individuals and as servant leaders. Reflection helps us learn from our mistakes and spontaneous decisions while at the same time empowers us to reach our goals and celebrate our successes. This in turn allows us to be better family members, friends and professional role models. Intentional reflection helps us learn, stretch and grow on the home front as well as within our leadership Roles.
Reflection, as an intentional practice, can and should be very basic…fundamental. Daily, weekly and/or monthly journal writing is one way to record how we are feeling, what went well and/or what we might do differently if similar situations were to happen again. Reviewing our reflective notes and/or sharing them with trusted friends or colleagues allows us to see where we have been, where we currently are and where we are headed on our respective journeys. Using journal writings to set goals is the ultimate outcome of the practice of reflection as it allows for flexibility and responsiveness, while at the same time puts us in positions to attain successful outcomes while modeling best Practice skills for those around us.
Reflection, when done critically and consistently, produces positive and constructive outcomes. Courageous reflection can help us minimize our weakness and accentuate our strengths. In our home lives, we can add value to our relationships with family and friends by engaging in personal reflection. On the professional side of things, courageous reflective practices help us grow our leadership capacities as athletics and activities administrators, while at the same time enabling us to model best practice for those we lead.
As we look ahead to the summer months may we engage in critical and conscious reflection. May we encourage those we share your respective lives with, and those that we lead, to use active reflection in their respective personal and professional lives. The current school year, and extracurricular season has come to an end. Congratulations on all that we, our staffs, our schools, our districts and our respective communities have accomplished. Now, it’s time to rest, reflect and gear up for the 2024-2025 school year, and athletics and activities season.
Good luck and remember, do not underestimate the power of personal and professional reflection (Baily & Rehman, 2022).
