NYSAAA Chapter 5
Spring Newsletter for Athletic Administrators in Section V
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Denny Fries Luncheon - June 8th
Denny Fries Luncheon - June 8th
The 2026 NYSAAA Chapter 5 Dennis E. Fries Awards Luncheon will be held on Monday, June 8th at the Valley Oak Event Center.
Registration: 10:30 AM
Awards Ceremony: 11:00 AM
Using the form below, please indicate the total number of individuals from your district who will be attending, including yourself, award winners, and any guests. An invoice will be sent for all additional attendees.
Cost Information:
Award winners: $80 (includes plaque and lunch)
Additional guests: $30 per meal
Note: Current Chapter 5 members, essay winners, and parents will receive a meal at no cost.
Important Deadlines:
Awards submission deadline: April 30th
Plaque order deadline (Appreciation Awards): April 30th
After this date, you may still register to attend, but no additional appreciation award nominations will be accepted.
Registration deadline: May 20th
For questions, please contact JLombardi@Midlakes.org.
Payments can be sent to Caroline Chapman, Chapter 5 Treasurer
Caroline Chapman
Canandaigua Academy Athletics Department
435 East Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424
The Dennis Fries Luncheon is named after longtime West Irondequoit Director of Athletic Director Dennis Fries. Denny is a founding member of Chapter 5 and has been dedicated to the ongoing professional development of athletic directors in Section V, NYS, and through the United States. Denny attended his last NYSAAA conference in March with his wife Kathy.
Dennis Fries
New Location
Map to Location
Denny at the 2025 Luncheon with his MCPSAC Colleagues
Letter from the President
Letter from the President
Dear Chapter 5 Athletic Administrators,
Our executive committee has decided to work on a quarterly newsletter to touch base with supportive resources to our Chapter 5 members. If you have submissions to this newsletter or ideas for upcoming professional development opportunities, please touch base with your league Chapter 5 rep or myself.
Our chapter is the largest in the state and we aim to have 100% membership and look forward to continuing to offer two annual professional development days and the annual luncheon. We also always encourage everyone to attend the NYSAAA Conference each March. We have unique positions and it is important for us to touch base with each other to gain new ideas and valuable connections.
The luncheon and the awards deadline is listed above. I would encourage you to nominate a dedicated member of your team to be recognized at the annual Dennis Fries Awards Luncheon. This is a great opportunity to recognize someone who provides valuable support to your athletic program.
As a reminder, Chapter 5 members are able to attend the luncheon in Geneseo as part of their dues. We hope you can make it and celebrate the success of our organization over the past year!
Thank you and stay dry,
John Lombardi
President of Chapter 5, President-Elect of NYSAAA
Director of Athletic, Health, & Physical Education
Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District
Congratulations to our Chapter Scholarship Winners!
Congratulations to our Chapter Scholarship Winners!
Josslyn Weimer - Victor Central Schools
Jeremiah Yaar - Pittsford Sutherland
Dennis Fries NIAAA Student Athlete Scholarship
Congratulations to our Chapter 5 2026 Award Winners
Congratulations to our Chapter 5 2026 Award Winners
Athletic Administrator of the Year: Caroline Chapman, Canandaigua
Distinguished Service Award: Scott Barker, Pittsford (Retired)
Community services Award: Special Olympics
Judith A, Martens Secretarial Award of excellence: Gina Colombo, Webster Schroeder
Liam Frawley Emerging Administrator Award: Pamela Lockwood, Clyde-Savannah
Judith Ann Knight Positive Change Award: Mike Murray, Churchville-Chili
Otis Sennett Award for Excellence: Dave Michelsen, RCSD
NYSAAA Conference - March 17-20, 2026
NYSAAA Conference - March 17-20, 2026
Key Note Speaker: Dave Gardi
Key Note Speaker: Dave Gardi
Dave Gardi spoke about the importanance of making solid and quick decisions in athletic administration roles in high pressure situations. Gardi, who previously worked for the NFL, is now the Senior Vice President for Football Initiatives for the Washington Commanders.
Keynote Speaker: Andrew Marotta
Keynote Speaker: Andrew Marotta
Andrew Marotta, who is currently the Director of Communications & Academic Services for the Port Jervis School District (Section IX), was previously a high school principal and a ACC men's basketball official.
Marotta spoke about the importance of making split second decisons when everyone is watching. Marotta discussed the importance of welcoming vistors to your school and discussed when he went to Notre Dame to be an official he was greated by name every step of the way, and at the final step the Leprechaun greeted him. Marotta shared stories of his travels as an ACC official but also the importance of being present when at school and engaging with students.
Keynote Speaker: Robert Zayas
Keynote Speaker: Robert Zayas
Robert focused on addressing two main topics with the membership:
Three Region Rotation
School without Border Ad Hoc Committee
Reminder - The Referendum Vote is due on April 17 to Kathy Hoyt
Congratulations, Caroline Chapman!
Congratulations, Caroline Chapman!
Congrats to Caroline Chapman of Canandaigua on being named the Chapter 5 Athletic Administrator of the Year! Check out the video made for the conference.
Congratulations, Dave Michelsen!
Congratulations, Dave Michelsen!
Dave Michelsen, CAA, of the Rochester City School District was awarded the Otis Sennett Award for Excellence in honor of his more than three decades of dedication to education based athletics. Congratulations Dave on this well-deserved honor! This award was given in Saratoga!
Save these Important Dates for the 2026-2027 School Year!
October 19 & February 8 are tentative
August 19
Required NYSPHSAA meeting at W-FL BOCES
October 19
Fall Professional Development Day at W-FL BOCES
February 8
Winter Professional Development at Bristol Mountain
March 16-19
NYSAAA Conference
Saratoga Springs
National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association
Annual Conference - December 11-15, 2026 - Phoenix, Arizona
Professional Development Resources
TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
TALK is by a former Section V Student-Athlete, Alison Wood Brooks, a 2003 Graduate of Canandaigua Academy. Alison is currently a professor at Harvard Business School and is a consultant for the Boston Celtic on comunication.
The idea behind TALK is that people prep and think about four main things when engaging in conversation - all conversation including tough conversations at work:
T - Topics - Generate topics & ideas before meeting
A - Ask Questions - Engage with the other person, ask follow up questions
L - Levity - Remember to have fun and to try to enjoy the conversation
K - Kindness - Even if sharing tough news, be kind to the person
Chapter 5 PD at Bristol Mountain - February 2026
Thank you to our 2025-2026 Sponsors!
Simplify student-athlete registration with FinalForms
We host our February meeting at Bristol!
BSN helped sponsored our conference gift this year!
Become Certified though NIAAA
Become Certified though NIAAA
Athletic directors can earn professional certifications through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), with key credentials including Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA), and Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA). These certifications, ranging from entry-level to advanced, demonstrate competency in leadership, management, and professional growth in interscholastic sports
Chapter 5 was founded in 1984 by athletic directors in Section V as a professional development organization. The founding athletic directors were Larry Perkins, Denny Fries, Dave Martens, Ralph Dewey, Mike Foster, Bill Guerrera, Judi Knight, and Nancy Viola.
Today’s ADs deal with everything from eligibility rules and budgeting to mental health, NIL issues, and legal compliance. A dedicated group helps members stay current, especially with organizations like New York State Athletic Administrators Association or National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association setting evolving standards. We are thankful and remember those who came before us and started Chapter 5.
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