OHSAA names new director

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jerry Snodgrass has been replaced as executive director of the OHSAA.

Snodgrass had worked for the organization for a dozen years, the past two as its executive director. He was removed from that role Monday.

“The Board of Directors felt it necessary to go in a different direction with OHSAA leadership,” Tim Stried, the OHSAA’s Director of Communications, said in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch. “We cannot go into more detail at this time.”

Snodgrass had been the voice of the OHSAA during the coronavirus pandemic, which canceled the girls basketball, boys basketball, ice hockey and wrestling state tournaments in March. He had to break the news of the cancelation of the spring sports season on April 20.

With both announcements, Snodgrass had stressed the difficulty of the decision, not only for the student athletes but especially from a financial standpoint in nixing the boys and girls basketball state tournaments.

According to its most recent available financial data, the boys basketball state tournament generated nearly $4.5 million in revenue during 2017, which accounted for 27 percent of total revenue across all sports for that fiscal year.

In 2018, the boys tournament brought in almost $4 million in total revenue, a slight dip to 25.6 percent of all revenue.

Combined in 2017 and 2018, boys basketball generated nearly $4 million in proceeds, while girls basketball totaled more than $3 million.

It is not clear if Snodgrass’ removal was because of any financial hardship resulting from COVID-19.

Being the face of an organization that was forced to take away the final season for thousands of seniors statewide, Snodgrass was met with both critics and supporters on social media.

In the wake of Monday’s announcement, supporters appeared to outweigh the critics.

“I’m saddened by the news involving OHSAA executive director Jerry Snodgrass,” Midwest Athletic Conference commissioner Don Kemper tweeted earlier this morning. “[He] was the most approachable executive director in my 26 years of involvement with the OHSAA and he always had the student-athletes’ best interest in mind. Thank you for your service!”

WCSM radio voice Rick Kremer also chimed in on Twitter this morning: “You will be missed as you have always been there for the State, Schools, and Student Athletes.”

Stried announced Monday evening in a press release Bob Goldring has been named interim executive director, effective immediately.

“Through a collaborative effort, we look forward to Bob guiding us and, more importantly, the OHSAA providing guidance to our member schools on the anticipated re-start of interscholastic athletics this fall,” OHSAA Board of Directors President Dan Leffingwell said in a statement. “He brings a solid understanding of the association’s responsibilities to serve member schools and administer sports. Bob is a proven relationship-builder who will reliably serve our member schools until the position is filled permanently.”