The Connecticut Association of Athletic Director’s awards program recognizes, honors, and promotes the outstanding work of deserving colleagues at the local, state and national levels. The CAAD awards program acknowledges athletic administrators and others for their generous sacrifice, labor, and dedication on behalf of high school athletics.
To assist the awards committee in identifying colleagues and others who deserve to be recognized, the CAAD awards committee requests that you place into nomination any and all individuals that you feel are worthy of such recognition. Listed below is an explanation of the awards presented by CAAD and NIAAA. Nominations should be submitted no later than September 1. Nominations should be forwarded to CAAD Awards Committee Chairman Dave Johnson.
CAAD State Awards
A. CAAD Hall of Fame. This award is the highest honor an athletic administrator can receive from CAAD. This award recognizes an athletic administrator who has exhibited ongoing and consistent excellence, distinction and superior performance as an athletic administrator while making significant contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, league and state levels. Note: while many athletic directors have served programs over a long and distinguished career, their accomplishments must have been worthy of statewide recognition to be considered for the CAAD Hall of Fame. Longevity without significant accomplishments does not qualify as appropriate credentials for the CAAD Hall of Fame. Read More about Procedure, Criteria and Eligbility - Click Here
B. CAAD “Distinguished Service Award”. The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to an athletic administrator who has made significant contributions at the local and state levels.
C. CAAD “Friend of Athletics Award”. This award is presented to someone other than an athletic director who has had a significant and positive impact on interscholastic athletics in Connecticut. **Note: this award might not be presented every year. This award will only be presented in years when there is a viable, worthy candidate.
D. Robert Duncanson “Meritorious Service Award”. This award, named in honor of one of the primary founders of CAAD, is presented annually to an individual who has served as an athletic administrator for a number of years and has demonstrated the highest ideals of sportsmanship, integrity, and leadership in the performance of their duties. This award also considers the nominees record of service and contributions to high school athletics.
E. CAAD “Past President Award”. Presented by CAAD every other year at the annual awards banquet to the individual who served as CAAD President the previous two years in recognition of their leadership and dedication to the organization.
F. NIAAA State Award of Merit. This award is based strictly on the member’s service, leadership and contributions at the local and state levels. To be eligible for this award, an athletic director must be a current member of CAAD and the NIAAA with at least one full year of membership.
G. NIAAA Service Award. NIAAA Service Awards are presented to NIAAA members who have completed 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years as athletic administrators. These plaques are presented at the Annual CAAD Luncheon Meeting on the first day of the Annual CAAD Statewide Conference.
NIAAA National Awards
A. NIAAA Distinguished Service Award. This award is the highest honor available to a NIAAA member and is presented annually in December at the NIAAA and National Federation Conference of High School Directors of Athletics. The award is presented to a limited number of individuals in recognition of their length of service, special accomplishments, and contributions to athletic administration at the local, state and national levels. States may nominate NIAAA members or individuals from outside the field of athletic administration.
B. NIAAA HALL OF FAME The NIAAA Hall of Fame is organized as a means of recognizing interscholastic athletic administrators, promoting the vocation of athletic administration and preserving the heritage of the foundation. This honor is the highest an athletic administrator can receive from the NIAAA for his/her contributions and accomplishments at the local, state and national level. Further, this award sets the standard for athletic administrators to emulate. For further information on this award, go to www.niaaa.org.
C. NFHS Citation – The NFHS Board of Directors selects eight athletic administrators (one from each of the eight sections) to receive the NFHS Citation. Recipients of the NFHS Citation are selected from persons nominated by their respective state athletic director associations. This award recognizes athletic administrators from across the nation who have excelled in the profession.
D. Frank Kovaleski Professional Development Award - The is presented annuall to an NIAAA member who has made significant contributions and demonstrated excellence in professional development at the local, state and national levels. The board selects a recipient from among the eight section nominees each year.
