UIAAA Connection

The podcast makes another visit to the Davis School District. UIAAA Connection #178 – Jeff Emery, Director of Athletics at Viewmont High School, is now available. Jeff began his career as a college student coaching at his Alma Matter. His senior year in college, he coached football at Davis HS, Basketball at Viewmont HS and Baseball back a Davis. His advice regarding transparency and communication...

The podcast makes it's first visit to Vermont.  UIAAA Connection #177 – Frank Pecora, CMAA, former NIAAA Board Member and former Director of Athletics – Northfield HS, is now available. Frank talks about coaching baseball for over 50 years as well as serving as a building AD. Frank shares some unique and humorous stories about serving on the NIAAA Board of Directors. His advice about not avoid...

The podcast makes its 5th visit to Missouri.  UIAAA Connection #176 – Katherine "Kat" Williams, CAA, Director of Athletics at St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City, is now available. Kat talks about her successful career as a track and field athlete in high school and college. She is another of our guests who currently serves in the same high school she attended. Her advice to take you...

The podcast makes another visit to the Jordan School District. UIAAA Connection #175 – Ben Morley, CAA, Director of Athletics at Copper Hills High School, is now available. Ben shares his experience of growing up in Sanpete county and finding his was to earning a Master's Degree from Columbia University. Ben coached football and girls basketball successfully for years before taking over as AD....

The podcast makes another visit to northern Utah.  UIAAA Connection #174 – Clay Chournos, Director of Athletics – Bear River High School, Garland, Utah, is now available. Clay is another of the few podcast guests that work at their alma matter. He is a member of the UIAAA ADEC and the discussion around surrounding yourself with quality people is not to be missed. Please Listen, Learn and Share! Yo...

The podcast makes its fourth visit to the six annual recipients of the UIAAA Scholarship. UIAAA Connection #173 UIAAA Student Scholarship Recipients: Brevan Egbert – Sky View, Malea Hansen - Syracuse, Tate Kjar – Corner Canyon, MacKenzie Mayer – Grand County, Journey Toomey – North Sanpete and Daren Tovey - Viewmont, is now available.  Listen as the scholars share their stories on how they became...

The podcast makes it's fourth visit to Missouri.  UIAAA Connection #172 – Dory Smith, CMAA, former NIAAA Board Member and former Director of Athletics – Villa Duchesne High School, St. Louis, is now available. Dory's first opportunity in coaching came when she worked as a waitress. She would leave after lunch and coach.  She went to college before title IX funding for female athletes and w...

The podcast makes its third visit to Nebraska.  UIAAA Connection #171 – Steve Throne, CMAA, NIAAA President Elect and Director of Athletics/Assistant Principal, Millard South High School in Omaha, is now available. Throney's advice regarding being willing to do the work to be a successful AD is not to be missed. Listen as he takes us on his educational journey. Please Listen, Learn and Share!...

The podcast makes another visit to Utah County.  UIAAA Connection #170 – Jesse Roberts, CAA, Director of Athletics – Spanish Fork High School is now available. Jesse a graduate of Tabiona High School, chose a career in education over fighting wildfires. His reasoning – do you want to make money or do you want to make a difference?  Jesse also serves as a member of the UIAAA ADEC. Please Listen, Le...

The podcast makes its fourth visit to Georgia.  UIAAA Connection #169 – Dr. Mekia Troy, CMAA, Director of Athletics, Creekside High School is now available. A lifelong resident of Georgia, Mekia is another of the podcast guests that works at the same school which she graduated. She played basketball at Barry College, and currently serves the NIAAA on the national faculty of LTC 706. She and her co...

The podcast makes its first visit to Iowa.  UIAAA Connection #168 – Larry Moklestad, CMAA, Retired, Former Director of Athletics, Boone High School, is now available. Larry, born and raised in Iowa, got his first job at the age of 21 as the head football coach at Radcliff HS. He served as the Director of Athletics at Boone HS for 24 years. His advice for new athletic administrators? – Don't be...

The podcast makes another visit to Utah County.  UIAAA Connection #167 – Jeremy Main, Director of Athletics – Orem High School is now available. Jeremy worked and coached in high schools in Chicago and Rock Springs, Wyoming, before coming to Orem in 2021. He was a 3-sport athlete while attending Tooele High School, and is the only guest who previously spent time as a radio play-by-play game broadc...

The podcast makes its first visit to Wisconsin.  UIAAA Connection #166 – Jeff Sitz, CMAA, Executive Director – Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association is now available. Jeff is another of the few guests that worked at the same school which he graduated from. In fact, his father was a teacher and a coach at the same high school. Jeff first attended the NIAAA National Conference in 1984 in Milwauke...

The podcast makes its first visit to the Utah State Board of Education.  UIAAA Connection #165 – Teri Davis, Physical Education Specialist and curricular Content Specialist for the USBE is now available. Teri attended high school in Washington. Before her current job, she spent years in coaching and in officiating. She speaks about her efforts with the UIAAA to bring LTI courses to Weber State and...

The podcast makes another visit Northern Utah. UIAAA Connection #164 – Mitch Arquette, CAA, Director of Athletics for the Ogden School District, is now available. Mitch is one of the few guests who served as Athletic Director at his alma mater. He shares some great stories from his years as a coach and school AD.  Mitch gives importance advice not trying to install too much change too quickly. Ple...

The podcast makes its Third visit to Tennessee. UIAAA Connection #163 – Kelly Fish, CMAA, President of the Tennessee Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association is now available. Kelly has been involved in sports all her life. Her father coached girls Basketball for years. She teaches on the National Faculty of LTC 701 and followed her father's footsteps and coached girls basketball.  ...

The podcast makes its first visit to the Monterey Peninsula in California.  UIAAA Connection #162 – Justin Clymo, CAA, Director of Athletics, Stevenson School is now available. Justin I another of the few guests that is working at the same school which he graduated from. For those of you familiar with golf, his school is adjacent to the 17th Green and 18the tee at Spyglass, GC. The repeating theme...

The podcast makes another visit to the Jordan School District.  UIAAA Connection #161 - Bryan Veazie, Director of Athletics, Jordan School District is now available. Bryan, a native of Kearns, Utah, speaks about his journey in education which includes coaching, Assistant Principal and Principal at Copper Hills High School.  He worked in the assisted living industry before coming back to work in ed...

The podcast makes another visit to Alpine School District.  UIAAA Connection #160 – Whitney Randall, Assistant Director of Athletics and Head Volleyball Coach at Westlake High School is now available. Whitney attended high school  in Washington and graduated from Utah State University where she played volleyball.  She is the first podcast guest to receive a Master' degree from Arkansas State....

The podcast makes another trip to Tooele County. UIAAA Connection #159 – Cody Valdez, Director of Athletics at Tooele High School is now available. Cody is the first recipient of a UIAAA scholarship to appear on the podcast as an athletic administrator. He has also been added to the list of current ADs that work at the high school they graduated from. A Utah State graduate, Cody began his career a...

The podcast makes its first visit to Oklahoma.  UIAAA Connection #158 – Dustin Smith, CMAA, Region A At-Large representative on the NIAAA Board of Directors and Director of Athletics at Broken Bow High School is now available. Dustin spent 17 years in higher education at the University of Arkansas Ft Smith, before spending the last nine years in interscholastic athletics. His advice to find a ment...

The podcast makes its first visit to the far east.  UIAAA Connection #157 – Catherine "Kat" Tanco Ong, CMAA, Director for student activities, Brent International School, Philippines is now available. Kat was born in the Philippines, attended 3-8th grade in the United States, and high school in back in the Philippines. Her twelve-school conference, the Asian Pacific Activities Conference,...

The podcast makes another visit to Salt Lake County. UIAAA Connection #156 – Garrett Wilson, Director of Athletics at Brighton High School is now available. Garrett, who comes from a basketball family, coached basketball at three different high schools since the age of 18.  A newer Athletic Director, his timely advice about getting to know the coaches and helping out with the little things is not...

The podcast makes another visit to David School District.  UIAAA Connection #155 – Bo Roundy, Director of Athletics at Davis High School is now available. Bo grew up and went to high school in the shadow of Glacier National Park. A graduate of Utah State University, he has taught at two different high schools. Listen to hear his three suggestions for new ADs. Have FUN, the third suggestion is some...

The podcast makes another visit to Georgia. UIAAA Connection #154 – Kelli Smith, CAA, Director of Athletics for Henry County Schools is now available. Kelli, a mother of two daughters and native of Florida has been involved in sports all her life. At Georgia Southern she began helping out with the football teams and other sports. Her unique background of a 30-year Cheer coach and Special Ed teache...