Abbreviation OHSAA Legal status Association Region served Ohio Commissioner Daniel B. Ross Staff 20 | Formation 1907 Purpose Athletic/Educational Official language English Founded 1907 | |
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Headquarters Columbus, Ohio, United States Profiles | ||
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of competition by divisional separation of schools according to attendance population, and conducts state championship competitions in all the OHSAA-sanctioned sports.
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Membership
There are approximately 820 member high schools and 850 more schools in the 7th-8th grade division of the OHSAA. Most public and private high schools in Ohio belong to the OHSAA.
Districts
The Association is divided into six districts, each with its own District Athletic Board, including the Central District, East District, Northeast District, Northwest District, Southeast District, and Southwest District.
The District boards conduct Sectional and District tournaments. The main OHSAA board conducts Regional and State tournaments.
Classifications and divisions
Member high schools are divided into 3 classifications (A, AA, AAA). Prior to 1989 many sports held tournaments based on these classifications. Since then, each sport individually divides into numbered divisions based on enrollment, taking into account the total number of schools offering that Varsity sport and placing an equal number of schools in each division.
The classifications (A being the smallest schools, AAA the largest) are still used to fill spots on the District Athletic Boards (2 representatives from each class).
The number of divisions vary based on how many schools offer that sport. Football has the most, with 7 divisions (Division 1 being the largest schools). 3 sports have a single division: Boys' Ice Hockey and Girls' Field Hockey and Gymnastics.
History
The OHSAA is an unincorporated, non-profit organization founded in 1907. Members of the Western Ohio Superintendents' Round Table had frequently discussed the need of a central organization for high school athletics. In 1906 they passed a resolution to appoint a committee, headed by George R. Eastman, the first President of the Board of Control.
The first OHSAA-sponsored state tournament, Track and Field, was held on May 23, 1908 at Denison University. Columbus North became the first state champions, finishing ahead of Dayton Steele.
The OHSAA is currently headed by a commissioner. Prior to 1925, the Board of Control officers handled duties now associated with the Commissioner.
Commissioners since 1925
Girls
**(Individual/Doubles only, no Team championships)-
* X = single-sex school