MIAA, Boston Serve as Hosts for 105th NFHS Summer Meeting

The MIAA and Boston hosted the 105th National Federation of State High School Associations Summer Meeting from June 28-July 1 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.

MIAA News

Posted: July 8, 2024

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association served as the host committee for the National Federation of State High School Associations’ 105th Summer Meeting, held June 28-July 1 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.

This was the fourth time Boston played host to the NFHS Summer Meeting, with the most recent previous event in 2014.

The national leader for education-based high school athletics and activities programs since 1920, the NFHS features a membership of 51 state high school associations – one in each of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. More than 850 state association staff and board members, NFHS Board of Directors members, other national high school activities leaders and their guests attended this year’s meeting – attendance totals not seen at the Summer Meeting since the last time it was held in Boston in 2014.

After a day of meetings and summits, the Opening Ceremony officially began the Summer Meeting festivities on Friday, June 28, which included performances by the Millbury High School marching band and Leominster High School cheer squad. Boston Bruins anthem singer Todd Angilly performed the Star-Spangled Banner. Merik Dismang, a Unified Athlete from Olathe (Kansas) East High School, who has battled cancer, was honored with the National High School Spirit of Sport Award. Anders Lovstuen, a multi-activity participant and exemplary student leader at Decorah (Iowa) High School, was the recipient of the National High School Heart of the Arts Award.

Saturday's General Sessions were highlighted by a speaker panel featuring local athletes and notable names who were past MIAA athletic standouts. addressing the role interscholastic athletics play in growing courageous leaders:

Sean McDonough (Hingham HS, 1980), ABC/ESPN commentator (served as panel moderator)
Erin McDermott (Oakmont Regional HS, 1990), Harvard University athletic director
Jermaine Wiggins (East Boston HS, 1993), former New England Patriots/NFL tight end
Mark Daigneault (Leominster HS, 2003), NBA Coach of the Year/Oklahoma City Thunder (appeared virtually)

On Sunday, June 30, the Summer Meeting Luncheon included the presentation of 13 NFHS Citations to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to high school activity programs. Eight Citations were awarded to outstanding state association administrators in each of the NFHS sections: Todd Nelson of New York (Section 1), Sean Conley of the District of Columbia (Section 2), Mary Sheldon of Mississippi (Section 3), Robert Faulkens of Indiana (Section 4), Jo Auch of South Dakota (Section 5), Rhonda Blandford-Green of Colorado (Section 6), Brent Mizutani of Hawaii (Section 7), and Ron Laird of Wyoming (Section 8). Five additional Citations were distributed to individuals who have shown exemplary service to the four NFHS professional associations. This year’s professional association recipients were: Bill Castle of Florida (NFHS Coaches Association); Jay Lemelin of Montana (NFHS Officials Association); Peter Eklund of Iowa (NFHS Music Association); David Yastremski of New Jersey (speech and debate); and Janine Stroemer of Illinois (theatre) – NFHS Speech/Debate/Theatre/Academics Association.

WATCH: Luncheon replay

Supplementing the weekend's agenda, 35 individual workshops were offered on notable topics including: current legal and medical issues; event safety; artificial intelligence (AI); Name, Image and Likeness (NIL); preparing meaningful budgets; and athletic program standards.

On Monday, July, 1, the Hall of Fame Press Conference set up the Summer Meeting’s signature culminating event, the Hall of Fame Banquet and induction ceremony. The Class of 2024 inductees: (athletes) Dot Ford Burrow of Mississippi, former MLB standout/2024 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Joe Mauer of Minnesota, former NFL players Takeo Spikes of Georgia and Tyrone Wheatley of Michigan; (coaches) Paula Kirkland of South Carolina, Gary Rankin of Tennessee, Roy Snyder of Pennsylvania and Ronald Vincent of North Carolina; (administrators) Mike Colbrese of Washington and Marie Ishida of California; (official) David Gore of Oklahoma.