Dietze Receives Award
Jeff Dietze Recognized as One of Nation's Top Athletic Administrators
Jeff Dietze, NASPAA Virginia State Representative, received the Frank Kovaleski Professional Development Award last month at the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics that was held at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina in San Diego
The award is presented annually to a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) who possesses and has contributed to the vision of professional development-the legacy of Frank Kovaleski-and who has made significant contributions and demonstrated excellence in professional development at the local, state and national levels. Kovaleski was director of the NIAAA, as well as assistant director of the NFHS, from 1989 until his retirement in January 2005. He was responsible for starting the NIAAA Leadership Training Program in 1996 and expanding the NIAAA Certification Program in 1999.
Recognized as one of the nation\'s top athletic administrators, Dietze, CMAA, has devoted his entire professional career to the development of high school students. A commissioned officer in the United States Army from 1964 to 1969, Dietze went on to earn a bachelor\'s degree in education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and furthered his education at George Mason (Virginia) University, where he earned a master\'s degree in secondary administration.
Dietze began his career at Groveton High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he served as science department chair, chemistry instructor, intramurals director and baseball coach. In 1975, Dietze moved to Fort Hunt High School as director of student activities. He spent 10 years there until Groveton High School and Fort Hunt High School merged to form West Potomac High School. He then served at West Potomac for 23 years and retired in February 2008.
A charter member of the NIAAA, Dietze has held numerous leadership positions with the NIAAA and the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (VIAAA),
including VIAAA president, VIAAA state certification coordinator, the Virginia delegate to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly, and chair of the Professional Development Committees for both the VIAAA and NIAAA.
Dietze published two articles in the Interscholastic Athletic Administration and 10 in the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (VIAAA) ADMission. He co-hosted the 2003 NIAAA LTC Summer Institute in Richmond, Virginia and currently teaches several NIAAA Leadership Training Courses including LTC 625 (Athletic Administration: Managing Game/Event Announcing), which was developed by the NASPAA.
Among his numerous awards, Dietze has received the Fort Hunt Sportsman Outstanding Service Award, the Athletic Director of the Year Award, the Presidential Leadership Award, and the John C. Youngblood Lifetime Achievement Award, all from the VIAAA. Dietze has also been recognized at the national level for his exceptional dedication and hard work. In 1997, the NIAAA conferred him a Distinguished Service Award and a year later, he received an NFHS Citation.
Earlier this year, Dietze was named the National Association for Sport and Physical Education Athletic Director of the Year for both the Southern District and the nation. As an enduring testament to his lifelong dedication to the young people of our nation, the Fairfax County School Board named the West Potomac High School stadium after Dietze in September 2008, at which time he received the Virginia Delegate Assembly Citation. In October, Dietze was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame.