Nine individuals who have made outstanding contributions to interscholastic athletics were recently named recipients of the 2012 Distinguished Service Awards given by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Kendra Tomsic, long-time Rowland Hall director of athletics, was among the nine from across the United States honored at an awards banquet in San Antonio, Texas, during the 43rd annual National Athletic Directors’ Conference, conducted jointly by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NIAAA.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to individuals from within the NIAAA membership in recognition of their length of service, special accomplishments, and contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state, and national levels. Nominations are submitted by state athletic director associations, screened by the NIAAA Awards Committee, and selected by the NIAAA Board of Directors.

For the past 35 years, Kendra has been helping student athletes excel in interscholastic athletics. Following three years as the head volleyball, basketball, and softball coach at the College of Eastern Utah, she taught physical education and health at Grand County middle and high schools for 10 years, head coaching volleyball, basketball and softball as well, and winning one state volleyball championship and two softball state titles during her tenure in Moab. Kendra moved to the Salt Lake area in 1991, teaching and coaching for a year at Highland High School before being hired as the athletic director at Rowland Hall in 1992, a position she has held since that time. Kendra also serves as head volleyball and assistant softball coach for the Winged Lions.

Kendra has been very active in the state and national athletic director associations, serving as the first female President of the Utah Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association in 2003–2004. She served on the UIAAA Board of Directors for four years, chaired the inaugural UIAAA Strategic Plan Committee, served as NIAAA liaison and certification director, and was a member of the Athletic Directors’ Advisory Council to the UHSAA for six years. The UIAAA named her Athletic Director of the Year and also honored her with the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 2007. That same year, the National Federation of State High School Associations selected her to receive the NFHS Citation, also a national award. She has been member of the NIAAA Strategic Planning Committee, as well as currently serving on the National Athletic Director’s Advisory Committee, which plans the annual NIAAA/NFHS Conference.

Congratulations, Kendra, on this prestigious honor!

Athletics