(7-7-20) Late yesterday the OHSAA released a statement that staff member Bob Goldring was named as the interim Executive Director of the association.

The executive board decision to make the change surprised many administrators, coaches, media and fans. Snodgrass held the Executive Director position for two years.

Snodgrass was still answering questions as Executive Director on Twitter, so the announcement was unexpected to him –

 

The outcry from Snodgrass’ supporters is still ringing out today on Twitter –

 

 

 

The issue being overlooked by those supporters, the OHSAA needed a leader, not a cheerleader. Snodgrass’ biggest accomplishment as Executive Director was the ‘Golden Megaphone’ program. A good program, but it should have a been the focus of a staff member not the Executive Director.

 

Snodgrass might have been a great PR tool, numerous interviews to the media and making friends with all of them, attending sporting events and sitting with student sections, press conferences that only featured him, traveling around the state on numerous days, doing presentations for associations.

Making friends was an accomplishment he had…time in the office, dealing with the issues…who was doing that during those days away? As a PR person he did what he had to, but does that make a leader in crisis solve key problems?

 

During his two-year run as Executive Director …. state tournament venues were in constant flux in numerous sports, attendance numbers were way down and the non-existence of a TV deal for State Championships on over-the-air stations. Tournaments being moved out of Columbus. Lack of public support for officials after several altercations (head butts) took place, transfer policy, reviewing of certain suspensions. Not everyone was a ‘friend’.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, Snodgrass’ lack of input on state re-starting issues He would often put the burden on the Governor’s orders as reason for not being able to enact plans for the future. Why was the OHSAA left out of early decisions being made? It took an outcry from the public to get them involved.  Often the OHSAA membership was the last to be informed of new details of the situation.

 

The next OHSAA Executive Director will have his hands full, with depleted funds available, messes to clean-up and bridges to rebuild with numerous groups.

The OHSAA Board is receiving lots of flack on their decision, one for not saying good things about the departing Snodgrass.  That is quite interesting, hopefully those reasons for the firing will be revealed. It indicates that the issues were deep and would lead to his firing.

Taking a look at OHSAA Board Members you have some of the most qualified individuals in the state representing highs schools in Ohio.

Dan Leffingwell (Board President)
Superintendent, Noble Local Schools, Sarahsville

Jan Wilking (Board Vice President)
Athletic Administrator, Cincinnati Wyoming High School

Jeff Cassella
Athletic Administrator, Mentor High School

Ryan Fitzgerald
Director of Athletics, Columbus Hamilton Township High School

Scott Kaufman
Assistant Principal/Athletic Administrator, West Chester Lakota West

Steve Watkins
Principal, Dalton Middle School​

Gary Kreinbrink
Athletc Director and Girls Varsity Basketball Coach, Leipsic High School

Leonard Steyer
Principal, Chillicothe Southeastern High School

Bill Warfield
Curriculum Development Supervisor, Olentangy Local School District, Lewis Center

The firing of Snodgrass comes from the discretion of this group from different regions in the state.  With no clear direction in place for fall sports in place, for these individuals to make this move at this time, it had to have been based on some lack of leadership issues that made it happen.

Conducting a national search for a new Executive Director puts just another issue on the plates of these administrators. Most likely this is the last thing they wanted to see take place.

Time to move forward for the future of high school sports in Ohio…how will the membership react.