New NIAA director to take over in July

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association has a new executive director, Bart Thompson and his first day will be July 1. He will be the fourth director in the history of the NIAA.

According to their website, the NIAA is a non-profit organization of secondary schools in Nevada. In essence, the NIAA is the governing body of high school athletics and activities in the Silver State as recognized by the Nevada state legislature.

School administrators established the League in order to develop and enforce high school athletic welfare and safety standards, eligibility and amateurism policies, and ethical conduct and behavior policies that would complement the academic work of students. The NIAA ensures that Nevada’s student-athletes engage in pure competition under uniform regulations.

Thompson was serving as the Assistant Director of Utah High School Activities Association since 2007. He was previously a teacher and coach in football, wrestling, and track and field at Viewmont High School in Bountiful, Utah from 1985 through 2007.

He also was a teacher and coach of cross country, wrestling and track at Clearfield High School from 1984 to 1985.

The new director graduated from Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah in 1978 and earned his bachelor of arts degree in political science from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah in 1983. He also holds a masters in secondary education from Weber State in 1990.

Thompson was a state runner-up in wrestling at Davis High School and he competed in track and field at Weber State, earning Big Sky Conference honors as a pole vaulter.

Thompson also served with the National Federation of State High School Associations’ sports medicine, wrestling rules, and speech, debate and theatre committees.

The incoming director said he was excited to have the opportunity to serve the students of Nevada.

“I am really looking forward to being able to get out to the office and get started,” Thompson said via email. “I would hope to be able to provide to schools the support they need in allowing as many of their students who desire to participate an opportunity. Education-based athletics is about making the high school experience a better one and thereby helping students to be more successful.”

He said he plans to meet with school administrators and coaches throughout the state to introduce himself and to get input on how the NIAA can be of value to them in helping them to provide the best possible education to the students they serve.