The Colorado High School Activities Association’s 88th year of sanctioning high school athletics in the state begins when boys’ golf athletes take to the practice greens on Monday, August 4. All other sports begin formal practice on Monday, August 11.

Practices in all fall sports for boys and girls, with the exception of boys’ golf, can formally begin on August 11, with the first day of competition in cross country, boys’ soccer, girls’ field hockey, girls’ gymnastics, girls’ volleyball, football and spirit slated to start on August 28. Competition in boys’ golf commences August 7, boys’ tennis on August 14 and girls’ softball August 15.

“This is one of most exciting times of the year for student athletes. The sense of anticipation and excitement as the students start the school year, is also the continuation of a tradition that started 88 years ago. The students in 1921 had the same feelings of anticipation, perhaps even trepidation of starting something new, that the students have today. It’s a great time in a student’s life,” CHSAA Commissioner Bill Reader said.

In May, 1921, a group of superintendents and principals met in Boulder and organized the Colorado High School Athletic Conference. The purpose of this organization was to better regulate and develop the interscholastic school athletic program.

There were nine leagues by the time the first constitution was published, including the Northern, North Central, Western Slope, Suburban, Southeastern, Arkansas Valley, South Central and San Juan Basin leagues.

The first champions crowned that school year were Colorado Springs in football, Greeley in basketball, and Fort Collins in track and field.

In 1924, the Colorado High School Athletic Conference joined the National Federation of State High School Associations and has remained an active member of that organization ever since.

Loveland’s R.W. Truscott was the Association’s first president and Eaton’s J.C. Casey its first secretary (commissioner). Truscott replaced Casey as secretary in December, 1926 and held that post until July, 1948 when Glenn T. Wilson became commissioner. Ray C. Ball took over the commissioner’s post in 1966 and remained in the office until August, 1986 when Ray Plutko assumed the duties. Bob Ottewill became the Association’s sixth commissioner in July, 1990, and Reader assumed the reins in July 2002.

The CHSAA has had 55 presidents dating back to 1921. Its current president, Jefferson County Athletics Director Kevin Land takes over for Greeley West High School athletic director Harry Waterman to conclude the final year of a two-year term. Waterman was named to the CHSAA staff in June.

The Association enters the year with two new veteran administrative team members. Bethany Schott and Waterman each enters their first year, while Associate Commissioner Paul Angelico is in his 20th year with the CHSAA. Assistant Commissioners Bert Borgmann, Rhonda Blanford-Green and Tom Robinson are in their 21st, 13th and 6th years, respectively, on the administrative staff.

Sharon Aguilar serves as administrative assistant to Waterman, while Patty Sonnleitner (Reader), Kim Rose (Angelico), Lisa Cunningham Austin (Borgmann), Michele Sobczyk (Schott), Jane Boudreau (Blanford-Green) and Monica Tillman (Robinson) work in concert with the other administrators. Bookkeeper Donna Welch and mail room coordinator Audra Peterson round out the Association staff.