UIAAA Connection

The podcast is making its third visit to South Dakota. UIAAA Connection #288 – Cory Aadland, CMAA, Director of Athleticsand Activities – Mitchell School District – is now available. Cory reflects on a career rooted in small-town values and shaped through meaningful leadership opportunities. Aftergraduating from a small South Dakota high school in 2000, he attended Minnesota State University Moorhe...

The podcast is making another visit to Northern Utah. UIAAA Connection #287 – Shanna Hales, Assistant Director of Athletics – Box Elder High School – is now available. Shanna grew up in Duchesne, Utah, where she competed as a four-sport athlete in volleyball, track, softball, and basketball. She later attended Southern Utah University, known as “The Coaching Factory,” and spent three years throwin...

The podcast is making another visit to Cashe Valley. UIAAA Connection #286 – Kevin Andersen, Director of Athletics – Mt. Crest High School – is now available. Kevin spent his early years in Grace, Idaho, before moving during his freshmanyear and eventually graduating from Mountain Crest High School, where he now serves at his alma mater. His professional journey began at Bear Lake High School in M...

The podcast is making another visit to southern Utah. UIAAA Connection #285 – Dan Stewart -Founder, and Russ Orvin – Director of Business – Strike Visual - is now available. Russ and Dan join the podcast to share perspectives shaped by unique personal and professional journeys. Russ, born in AmericanFork, later lived in Winslow (think Eagles) and Mesa, Arizona, and gained international experience...

The podcast is making its fifth visit to Hawaii. UIAAA Connection #284 – Greg Van Cantfort, CMAA, Director of Athletics – Kalani HS – retired - is now available. Gregentered the world in Maryland during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis and shares a memorable story connected to that moment in history. In third grade, his family relocated to San Francisco, where he completed elementary, junior...

The podcast is making another visit to Eastern Utah. UIAAA Connection #283 – Camie Oakey, CAA, Assistant Athletics Director – Union High School – is now available. Camie grew up in South Jordan, Utah, before relocating to Oklahoma during junior high and later to Dallas for high school. A talented basketball player, she competed four years for the University of Utah and contributed to the Utes’Elit...

The podcast is making its fifth visit to Washington. UIAAA Connection #282 – Jeff Lowell, CAA, Director of Athletics, Activities and Title IX – Bellevue School District - is now available. Jeff grew up in a military family as the son of anaval pilot, living in several states and spending part of his elementary years in Norway, where baseball first captured his interest. He also serves as the chair...

The podcast is making another visit to Central Utah. UIAAA Connection #281 – Harold Robinson, CAA, Assistant Principal – Millard High School – is now available. Harold grew up in Fillmore, Utah, and served an LDS mission in Oklahoma between studies at Ricks College and Snow College. His path into interscholastic athletics began while coaching junior varsity basketball and working in the insurance...

The podcast is making its second visit to South Dakota. UIAAA Connection #280 – Jim Dorman, CMAA, Executive Director -SDIAAA - is now available. Jim grew up in Castlewood, South Dakota, where he and his three brothers worked for their father at the local newspaper, gaining early lessons in responsibility and commitment. Athletics at SDSU shaped his perspective, especially after starting as a junio...

The podcast makes its first visit to Mississippi. UIAAA Connection #279 – Tabitha Beard, Co-Activities Director – Oxford School District - is now available. Tabitha shares her journey from Columbus, Mississippi, where early experiencesbabysitting and working at Winn-Dixie shaped a strong work ethic while she competed in softball, basketball, and track. She emphasizes the value of face-to-face comm...

The podcast is making its fourth visit to Hawaii. UIAAA Connection #278 – Keith Morioka, CAA, Retired HIADA - is now available. Kiki shares reflections on growing up in Hawaii and attending a private high school that shaped his early educational and athletic experiences. He recalls meaningful involvement with the HIADA and later service on the NIAAA Board, highlighting mentors and Hawaii legends s...

The podcast is making another visit to the Granite School District. UIAAA Connection #277 – Jeremy Barlow, Director ofAthletics – Granger High - is now available. Jeremy grew up in Enterprise, Utah, where sports and farm life shaped his work ethic and competitive drive. A multi-sport athlete atEnterprise High School, he later served an LDS mission in Los Angeles before earning his degree from Sout...

The podcast makes its sixth visit to the six annual recipients of the UIAAA Scholarship. UIAAA Connection #276 UIAAA Student Scholarship Recipients: Megan Beus – Ogden, Alli Bowler – Salem Hills, Presley Castro – Hunter, Bella Hall – SkyView, Jake Mason – Grand County, Brock Richards – Juab.  Listen as the scholars share their stories on how they became outstanding student/athletes.  You won’t wan...

The podcast is making its fifth visit to California. UIAAA Connection #275 – Candace Cayer, CMAA, Vice Principal and Chair of the District Athletic Directors committee – Hacienda Lapuente Unified School District - is now available. Candacegrew up in Los Angeles, California, and competed in three sports during high school before continuing as a two-sport athlete at Cal State Los Angeles. Her profes...

The podcast is making its third visit to North Dakota. UIAAA Connection #274 – Lorell Jungling, CMAA, Executive Director - NDIAAA - is now available. Lorell reflects on growing up on a North Dakota farm, where athletics shaped his character through participation in basketball, track, and baseball. He speaks with admiration for North Dakota legends Darrell Anderson, Craig Perry, Ed Lockwood, and To...

The podcast is making another visit to Salt Lake County. UIAAA Connection #273 – James Edward, Editor, Prep Sports – Deseret News - is now available. James grew up in Murray, Utah, and moved to Holladay during his sophomore year,discovering at age ten a passion for journalism and a desire to become a sportswriter. A 1994 graduate of Olympus High School, he earned his degree from the University of...

The podcast is making its first visit to Maryland. UIAAA Connection #272 – Dana Johnson, CAA, Director of Athletic – Dunbar High School, Baltimore MD, - is now available. Dana grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Western HighSchool, an all-girls school where she competed in basketball, volleyball, and track. She continued her basketball career at Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt...

The podcast is making another visit to northern Utah. UIAAA Connection #271 – Ken Crawford, CAA, Executive Director ofStudent Services and Athletics – Ogden School District, - is now available. Ken grew up in Emmett, Idaho, where farmwork shaped discipline and resilience from an early age. He competed as a three-sport athlete in basketball, baseball, and wrestling before walking on to BYU’s wrestl...

The podcast makes its third visit to Connecticut. UIAAA Connection #270 – Jen Gros, Directors of Growth and Partners – sportsYou - is now available. Jen grew up inDenver, Colorado and Columbus, Ohio, before attending Ohio State University, where she competed in rowing for two years. Following graduation, she built experience leading nonprofit organizations before joining sportsYou eight years ago....

The podcast makes its fifth visit to Wisconsin. UIAAA Connection #269 – Kyle LeMieux, CMAA, Associate Principal and Director of Athletics – West Waukesha High School - is now available. Kyle grew up in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, graduating from the local high school as a four-sport athlete. After completing studies at the University of Wisconsin, he spent time as a minister before transitioning into pu...

The podcast makes its second visit to Oregon. UIAAA Connection #268 – Tim Sam, CMAA, Director of Athletics - North Valley High School, Grants Pass, Oregon, is now available. Tim grew up in Nampa, California, before moving toAshland, Oregon, during eighth grade. He studied at Southern Oregon University, Oregon State, and the University of Oregon, earning his degree before launching an education car...

The podcast makes another visit to Southern Utah. UIAAA Connection #267 – Dustin Drake, CAA, Director of Athletics - Desert Hills High School, St. George, Utah, is now available. Dustin grew up in southern Utah and graduated from Dixie High School in 2001. He developed as a leader under several mentors, including his father, before stepping into his current role after a decade working in a middle...

The podcast makes its fifth visit to New Jersey. UIAAA Connection #266 – Sean Dowling, CMAA, Director of Athletics – North Plainsfield High School, New Jersey - is now available. Sean grew up in Oyster Bay on Long Island, stayinginvolved in every youth sport available and later competing in collegiate football. Before stepping into athletic administration, he coached both football and lacrosse, ex...

The podcast makes another visit to Utah County. UIAAAConnection #265 – Matt Norman, Director of Athletics Alpine School District - is now available. Matt, the son of a BYU professor, attended Pleasant Grove High School and graduated in 1984 as a three-sport athlete. He playedcollegiate baseball for what is now UVU. He speaks warmly about influential mentors in his life, including his parents, Daro...

The podcast makes its second visit to North Dakota. UIAAA Connection #263 – Todd Olson, CMAA, Director of StudentActivities – Fargo Public Schools - is now available. Todd Olson grew up in Cavalier, North Dakota, in a family devoted to education, with a father serving as superintendent and amother teaching in the local school. In high school, Todd competed as a four-sport athlete and later played...