Ohio High School Athletic Association

Last updated
Ohio High School Athletic Association
AbbreviationOHSAA
Formation1907
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeAthletic/Educational
Headquarters4080 Roselea Pl.
Columbus, Ohio U.S.
Region served
Ohio
Official language
English
Executive Director
Doug Ute
Affiliations National Federation of State High School Associations
Staff
22
Website ohsaa.org
Remarks(614) 267-2502

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of competition by divisional separation of schools according to attendance population, and conducts state championship competitions in all the OHSAA-sanctioned sports.

Contents

Membership

There are approximately 820 member high schools and 850 more schools in the 7th-8th grade division of the OHSAA. Most public and private high schools in Ohio belong to the OHSAA. [1]

Structure

Districts

The Association is divided into six districts, each with its own District Athletic Board, including the Central District, East District, Northeast District, Northwest District, Southeast District, and Southwest District.

The District boards conduct Sectional and District tournaments. The main OHSAA board conducts Regional and State tournaments. [2]

Classifications and divisions

Member high schools are divided into three classifications (A, AA, AAA). Prior to 1989 many sports held tournaments based on these classifications. Since then, each sport individually divides into numbered divisions based on enrollment, taking into account the total number of schools offering that varsity sport and placing an equal number of schools in each division.

The classifications (A being the smallest schools, AAA the largest) are still used to fill spots on the six District Athletic Boards (two representatives from each class).

The number of divisions varies based on how many schools offer that sport. Football has the most, with seven divisions (Division I being the largest schools). Three sports have a single division: Boys' Ice Hockey, Girls' Field Hockey, and Gymnastics. [2]

History

OHSAA's 100th Anniversary logo. OHSAA 100 Anniversary logo.png
OHSAA's 100th Anniversary logo.

The OHSAA is an unincorporated, non-profit organization founded in 1907. Members of the Western Ohio Superintendents' Round Table had frequently discussed the need of a central organization for high school athletics. In 1906 they passed a resolution to appoint a committee, headed by George R. Eastman, the first President of the Board of Control.

The first OHSAA-sponsored state tournament, Track and Field, was held on May 23, 1908, at Denison University. Columbus North became the first state champions, finishing ahead of Dayton Steele. [1]

The OHSAA is currently headed by a commissioner. [3] Prior to 1925, the Board of Control officers handled duties now associated with the Commissioner.

In 1979, OHSAA adopted a bylaw prohibiting out-of-state students from competing in OHSAA-sponsored activities. This rule was affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the 1985 case Alerding v. Ohio High School Athletic Association , regarding St. Xavier High School students from Northern Kentucky.

Commissioners since 1925

OHSAA–sponsored sports tournaments

[3]

Boys

SeasonSportTournament Structure# of Divisions1st Tournament23-2024 State Tournament Location
Fall Cross Country District, Regional, & State31928 Fortress Obetz, Obetz
Memorial Park, Obetz
Fall Football Regional & State71972 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton
Fall Golf Sectional, District & State31927
(Spring sport 1927–1974)
The Ohio State University Golf Club, Columbus Scarlet Course (Div I & II)
North Star Golf Resort, Sunbury (Div III)
Fall Soccer Sectional, District, Regional & State31976 Lower.com Field, Columbus
Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State41923 UD Arena, University of Dayton, Dayton
Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State22007HPL Bowling Center, Columbus
Winter Ice Hockey District & State11978 Nationwide Arena, Columbus
Winter Swimming and DivingSectional, District, & State21928C. T. Branin Natatorium, Canton
Winter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State31938 Value City Arena at The Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University, Columbus
Winter Wrestling-Dual MeetRegional & State32013–2020 (discontinued)
Winter Gymnastics Sectional, District, & State11926–1937; 1965–1993 (discontinued)
Spring Baseball Sectional, District, Regional, & State41928 Canal Park, Akron
Spring Track and Field District, Regional, & State31908 Welcome Stadium, Dayton
Spring Tennis Sectional, District, & State2**1922 College of Wooster, Wooster
Spring Lacrosse State22017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
Spring Volleyball State22023 Wittenberg University, Springfield

Girls

SeasonSportTournament Structure# of Divisions1st Tournamentstyle="background: #e3e3e3;"23-2024 State Tournament Location
Fall Cross Country District, Regional, & State31978 Fortress Obetz, Obetz
Memorial Park, Obetz
Fall Field Hockey State Qualifying & State11979 Thomas Worthington High School, Worthington
Fall Golf Sectional, District & State21993 The Ohio State University Golf Club, Gray Course, Columbus
Fall Soccer Sectional, District, Regional & State31985 Lower.com Field, Columbus
Fall Tennis Sectional, District, & State2**1976 College of Wooster, Wooster
Fall Volleyball Sectional, District, Regional, & State41975 Nutter Center, Wright State University, Dayton
Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State41976 UD Arena, University of Dayton, Dayton
Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State22007HPL Bowling Center, Columbus
Winter Gymnastics Sectional, District, & State11977 Hilliard Bradley High School, Hilliard
Winter Swimming and DivingSectional, District, & State21977C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton
Winter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State12023 Value City Arena, Columbus
Spring Softball Sectional, District, Regional, & State41978 Firestone Stadium, Akron
Spring Track and Field District, Regional, & State31975 Welcome Stadium, Dayton
Spring Lacrosse State22017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
**(Individual/Doubles only, no Team championships)

Past team state champions

Schools with most team titles

[3]

Rank# of
Titles
SchoolCity# of
Boys'
Titles
# of
Girls'
Titles
Year of
First
Title
Year of
Last
Title
164 St. Edward Lakewood64X*19782023
261 St. Xavier Cincinnati61X*19572021
351 Upper Arlington Upper Arlington272419372022
444 St. Ignatius Cleveland44X*19882022
542 Hawken Gates Mills73519772022
640 Minster Minster83219762022
739 Walsh Jesuit Cuyahoga Falls221719822016
8t34 St. Vincent – St. Mary Akron231119272022
8t34 Columbus Academy Gahanna201419772023
1032 Graham St. Paris32019302022
1131 Thomas Worthington Worthington121919382022
1230 St. Francis DeSales Columbus23719712022
1329 Brecksville-Broadview Heights Broadview Heights52419812022
1428 Coldwater Coldwater181019832021
15t27 Canton McKinley Canton23419372010
15t27 Newark Catholic Newark171019782016
15t27 Archbishop Alter Kettering161119782022
18t24 Archbishop Moeller Cincinnati24X*19722019
18t24 East Tech Cleveland23119202002
18t24 Beaumont School Cleveland HeightsX*2419862012
21t22 Elder Cincinnati22X*19432005
21t22 Archbishop Hoban Akron101219802021
21t22 Marion Local Maria Stein16619752022
* X = single-gender school

Schools with most team titles in one sport

[3]

Rank# of
Titles
SchoolCitySportFirstLast
142 St. Xavier CincinnatiBoys' Swimming19702021
235 St. Edward LakewoodWrestling19782022
332 Hawken Gates MillsGirls' Swimming19842022
423 Graham St. ParisWrestling19822021
522 Brecksville-Broadview Heights Broadview Heights Girls' Gymnastics 19942022
617 Upper Arlington Upper ArlingtonBoys' Golf19412006
6t17 Glenville ClevelandBoys' Track19592022
816 Beaumont School Cleveland HeightsGirls' Track19862008
915 Minster MinsterGirls' Cross Country19822022
10t13 Canton McKinley CantonBoys' Swimming19371961
10t13 East Technical ClevelandBoys' Track19201955
10t13 Minster MinsterGirls' Track19762018
10t13 Marion Local Maria SteinFootball20002022
14t12 Columbus Academy GahannaField Hockey19942019
14t12 Elder CincinnatiBaseball19432005
14t12 Upper Arlington Upper ArlingtonGirls' Swimming20032017
14t12 Columbus Academy GahannaBoys' Golf19832021
14t12 St. Ignatius ClevelandSoccer20042022
19t11 St. Edward LakewoodIce Hockey19852008
19t11 St. Ignatius ClevelandFootball19882011
21t10 Maple Heights Maple HeightsWrestling19561974
21t10 Magnificat Rocky RiverGirls' Gymnastics19902003
21t10 Walsh Jesuit Cuyahoga FallsGirls' Soccer20002016
21t10 Dunbar DaytonBoys' Track19482017
21t10 Woodridge PeninsulaBoys' Cross Country20062020
21t10 Mount Notre Dame CincinnatiGirls' Volleyball19952020
21t10 St. Vincent–St. Mary AkronBoys' Basketball19842022

Schools with most consecutive team titles in one sport

[3]

SeasonSportSchool# of consecutive state titlesYears
Fall Boys' Cross Country Caldwell 81985–1992
Fall Girls' Cross Country Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 52009–2013
Fall Field Hockey Gahanna Columbus Academy 31999–2001
Fall Field Hockey Thomas Worthington 32015–2017
Fall Football Cleveland St. Ignatius 51991–1995
Fall Boys' Golf Gahanna Columbus Academy 52017–2021
Fall Girls' Golf Dublin Jerome 52011–2015
Fall Boys' Soccer Cleveland St. Ignatius 42019–2022
Fall Girls' Soccer Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 52012–2016
Fall Volleyball Cincinnati St Ursula Academy 61993–1998
Winter Boys' Basketball Cincinnati North College Hill 32005–2007
Winter Boys' Basketball Columbus Wehrle31988–1990
Winter Girls' Basketball Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown 52009–2013
Winter Boys' Bowling Springfield Kenton Ridge 22009–2010
Winter Boys' Bowling Mechanicsburg 2*2021–2022
Winter Girls' Bowling Coldwater 22012–2013
Winter Girls' Bowling Gahanna Lincoln 2*2020–2021
Winter Boys' Gymnastics Cleveland East Tech 51933–1937
Winter Girls' Gymnastics Brecksville-Broadview Heights 19*2004–2022
Winter Ice Hockey Cleveland St. Ignatius 42016–2019
WinterBoys' Swimming and Diving Cincinnati St. Xavier 132009–2021
WinterGirls' Swimming and Diving Gates Mills Hawken 24*1999–2022
Winter Wrestling-Individual St. Paris Graham 20*2001–2019, 2021
Winter Wrestling-Dual Team St. Paris Graham 72013–2019
Spring Baseball Newark Catholic 32002–2004
Spring Baseball Cincinnati Elder 31958–1960
Spring Girls' Lacrosse Upper Arlington 32017–2019
Spring Softball North Canton Hoover 42011–2014
Spring Softball Springfield 41992–1995
Spring Boys' Track and Field Cleveland East Tech 61939–1944
Spring Girls' Track and Field Cleveland Heights Beaumont 71986–1992

* active streak

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota State High School League</span> High school activities governing organization

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States. The association supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for member schools. Membership includes nearly 500 schools, including special schools, home schools, and 435 high schools. The State High School League is an affiliate of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia High School League</span> High school sports association in the United States

The Virginia High School League (VHSL) is the principal sanctioning organization for interscholastic athletic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The VHSL first sponsored debate and also continues to sponsor state championships in several academic activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Ohio)</span> Parochial, coeducational, college prep school in Louisville, Ohio, United States

St. Thomas Aquinas High School (STA) is a private, Catholic co-educational high school located in Louisville, Ohio, United States, run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. It was founded in 1964 to serve the Catholic families of eastern Stark County and parts of Portage County. When it opened, Aquinas enrolled both male and female students, but was a single-sex educational institution, as boys and girls attended classes within separate wings of the school. STA began practicing its current co-educational format in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association</span> High school sports governing body

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is the regulatory body for all high school sports in Wisconsin. Its history dates to 1895, making it the earliest continually existing high school athletic organization in the country. It also provides the licensing program for more than 10,000 officials in the state, and oversees junior high or middle school athletics in about 100 of the state's nearly 400 school districts. Among its duties are the administration of state tournament series in its various sports, overseeing eligibility and conference alignment, and promoting sportsmanship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association</span>

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), along with the affiliated Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association (TMSAA), is an organization which administers junior and senior high school sporting events in Tennessee. The TSSAA is the only high school athletic organization in the United States to have a five-sport, Olympic-style spring sport championship tournament, known as Spring Fling, for baseball, softball, track and field, team and individual tennis, and soccer. Spring Fling began in Chattanooga in 1993, later moving to Memphis, and then establishing itself in Murfreesboro. The TSSAA was one of the first high school athletic organizations to host a central site for football championships, beginning in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan High School Athletic Association</span> High school athletics organization in Michigan

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast Ohio Conference</span>

The Northeast Ohio Conference (NOC) was a high school athletics conference, recognized by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), in northeast Ohio. Eighteen member schools — each located within the Northeast District of the OHSAA — competed in three six-member divisions: Valley, River and Lake. Dan Gerome served as the last NOC commissioner. Anthony J. Paletta designed the conference logo in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garfield Heights High School</span> Public, coeducational high school in Garfield Heights, , Ohio, United States

Garfield Heights High School is a public high school located in Garfield Heights, Ohio, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It is part of the Garfield Heights City School District. The school currently contains approximately 1,300 students. The mascot is the Bulldog and the school colors are navy blue and gold. The current principal is Tammy Hager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin Jerome High School</span> Public, coeducational high school in Dublin, Ohio, , United States

Dublin Jerome High School is a public high school located in Dublin, Ohio, northwest of Columbus, Ohio. It is the newest of the three high schools in the Dublin City Schools district. Jerome opened for its first year during the 2004–2005 school year. Though located in the southeast tip of Union County, Dublin Jerome primarily serves students in parts of Franklin County and Delaware County. Jerome's mascot is the Celtic Warrior. Jerome was ranked number 143 in the Newsweek top high school rankings in 2013. In 2010 and 2021, Jerome was honored as a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvania Southview High School</span> Public, coeducational high school in Sylvania, , Ohio, United States

Sylvania Southview High School is a public high school in Sylvania, Ohio. It is one of two high schools in the Sylvania Schools district, the other being Sylvania Northview High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky High School Athletic Association</span> Athletics governing body

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) has been the governing body of the U.S. state of Kentucky's high school athletics since 1917. It is located in Lexington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athens High School (Ohio)</span> Public, coeducational school in The Plains, Ohio, United States

Athens High School (AHS) is a public high school in The Plains, Ohio which is located in southeast Ohio. It is the only high school in the Athens City School District. The AHS mascot is a Bulldog, and its school colors are green and gold. The Plains is located five miles (8 km) northwest of Athens, Ohio.

Zanesville High School is a public high school in Zanesville, Ohio. Zanesville High School is the only public high school in the Zanesville City School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Findlay High School</span> Public, coeducational high school in Findlay, Hancock, Ohio, United States

Findlay High School is a public high school in Findlay, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Findlay City School District, and the second largest high school in northwest Ohio. Their nickname is the Trojans. They are members of the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. They have a respected performing arts program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clay High School (Portsmouth, Ohio)</span> Public, coeducational high school in Portsmouth, Ohio, United States

Clay Junior-Senior High School is a public high school in Clay Township, Ohio, United States, located four miles (6 km) north of the Portsmouth in Scioto County. It is the only high school in the Clay Local School District. Clay is a rural high school serving about 300 students in grades 7–12 in Southern Ohio. The first class graduated in 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth West High School</span> Public school in West Portsmouth, Ohio, United States

Portsmouth West High School (PWHS) is a public high school in Washington Township, just south of West Portsmouth, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Washington–Nile Local School District. Athletic teams are known as the Senators, adopted when the school's official name was Washington High School, and the school colors are black and orange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley High School (Ohio)</span> Ohio, public, rural, high school in the United States

Valley High School (VHS) is a public high school in Lucasville in Scioto County in southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Valley Local School District. Their nickname is the Indians, and their colors are purple and gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Public High School Athletic Association</span> Governing body of interscholastic sports

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is the governing body of interscholastic sports for most public schools in New York outside New York City. The organization was created in 1923, after a predecessor organization called the New York State Public High School Association of Basketball Leagues began in 1921 to bring consistency to eligibility rules and to conduct state tournaments. It consists of 768 member high schools from the state divided into 11 geographic sections. While as its name suggests the vast majority of its members are public, it does include a number of private and Catholic high schools. Most of these are located in Central New York and the Capital District, where parallel sanctioning bodies for private schools do not exist. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations as well as the New York State Federation of Secondary School Athletic Associations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clay Local School District</span> School district in Ohio

The Clay Local School District (CLSD) is located four miles (6.4 km) north of the Portsmouth, Ohio, city limits on U.S. Route 23 in Clay Township in Scioto County—which is 85 miles (137 km) south of Columbus, Ohio; 50 miles (80 km) west of Huntington, West Virginia; and 100 miles (160 km) east of Cincinnati, Ohio. Clay is a rural Ohio public school district serving 700 students in grades pre-K through 12 in Southern Ohio. With the creation of a high school (Clay Township High School) for the district in 1940, students for the first time were able to graduate from a Clay Local School District building.

References

  1. 1 2 Fred Dafler. "The History of the OHSAA". Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  2. 1 2 OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site" . Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site" . Retrieved 2006-12-31.