The Connecticut Association of Athletic Director’s awards program recognizes, honors, and promotes the outstanding work of our deserving colleagues at the local, state and national levels.  CAAD’s awards program acknowledges and gives thanks to athletic administrators and others for their generous sacrifice, labor, and dedication on behalf of interscholastic athletics and the youth of our state.

To assist the awards committee in identifying our colleagues and others who deserve to be recognized by CAAD, the committee respectfully requests that you place into nomination any and all individuals that you feel are worthy of such recognition.  Listed below is an explanation of the various awards presented by CAAD and NIAAA.  Nominations should be submitted no later than September 1.  Nominations should be forwarded to CAAD’s Awards Committee Chairman Dave Johnson.

Description of Awards

1.  CAAD Distinguished Service Award – "Inside the Field of Athletic Administration.”  CAAD’s most prestigious award, this award is presented annually to an athletic administrator who has made significant contributions at the local and state levels.

2. CAAD Distinguished Service Award – "Outside the Field of Athletic Administration”.  This award is presented annually to someone other than an athletic director who has had a profound and lasting positive impact on interscholastic athletics in Connecticut.

3. Robert Duncanson “Meritorious Service Award”.  This award, named in honor of one of the primary founders of CAAD, is presented annually to an individual who has served as an athletic administrator for a minimum of twenty years and has demonstrated the highest ideals of sportsmanship, integrity, and leadership in the performance of their duties.  This award also considers the nominees record of service and contributions to high school athletics.

4. CAAD Past President Award.  Presented by CAAD every other year at the annual awards banquet to the individual who served as CAAD President the previous two years in recognition of their leadership and dedication to the organization.

5. NIAAA State Award of Merit.  This is the highest honor available to a NIAAA member based strictly on the member’s service, leadership and contributions at the local and state levels.  To be eligible for this award, an athletic director must be a current member of CAAD and the NIAAA with at least one full year of membership.
6. NIAAA Service Award.   NIAAA Service Awards are presented to NIAAA members who have completed 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years as athletic administrators.  These plaques are presented every year at the Annual CAAD Luncheon Meeting on the first day of the Annual CAAD Statewide Conference.

7. NIAAA Distinguished Service Award – For NIAAA Members.   This award, which is presented annually in December at the NIAAA and National Federation Conference of High School Directors of Athletics, recognizes athletic administrators for special contributions at the state and national levels.  Contributions at the state level includes but is not limited to serving as an officer, board or committee member; serving as conference or workshop speaker; and for individuals who have received special recognition and honors.  Contributions at the national level include serving on NIAAA Committees, special contributions to the NIAAA, and for serving as a speaker or conference presenter at the NIAAA National Conference Program.

8. NIAAA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD – For Non-NIAAA Members. This award, which is also presented annually in December at the NIAAA and National Federation Conference of High School Directors of Athletics, recognizes individuals (who are not NIAAA members) for having made significant contributions to interscholastic athletics over an extended period of time or a unique contribution deserving of national recognition.  Contributions for service should extend beyond the local level and be so outstanding as to merit national recognition.

9. NIAAA HALL OF FAME

The NIAAA Hall of Fame is organized as a means of recognizing interscholastic athletic administrators,
promoting the vocation of athletic administration and preserving the heritage of the foundation.  This
honor is the highest an athletic administrator can receive from the NIAAA for his/her contributions and
accomplishments at the local, state and national level.  Further, this award sets the standard for
athletic administrators to emulate.  For further information on this award, go to www.niaaa.org.