The three Regional Meetings for 2021 were held this week across the state, bringing together leaders of TSSAA member schools to discuss legislative proposals and elect representatives to the organization's Board of Control and Legislative Council. The A. F. Bridges sportsmanship awards were also presented to the winners in each Athletic District and Grand Division.
Seventy-six percent of member schools had an administrator present for the meetings (353 of 464). The best attended meeting was the Middle Regional Meeting where 140 of 174 member schools were in attendance.
A full list of A. F. Bridges Award winners are included below.
Eight elections were held for seats on the Board of Control and Legislative Council. The individuals elected are listed below:
- Patrick Spangler of Bradley Central High School (Board of Control, Third Athletic District)
- Grant Swallows of Warren County High School (Board of Control, Fourth Athletic District)
- Greg McCullough of Memphis Central High School (Board of Control, Ninth Athletic District)
- Braxton Brady of Evangelical Christian School (Board of Control, West Tenn. Independent School Representative)
- Keith Turner of Science Hill High School (Legislative Council, First Athletic District)
- Art Crook of Station Camp High School (Legislative Council, Fifth Athletic District)
- Jonathan Kee of Huntingdon High School (Legislative Council, Seventh Athletic District)
- Robert Sain of Middle Tennessee Christian School (Legislative Council, Middle Tenn. Independent School Representative)
The membership voted on two proposals presented by fellow member schools. A proposal by Bradley Central High School to eliminate the August 15 notification deadline in the Home School Rule (Article II, Section 25) was supported by 82% of the membership. A proposal by Bartlett High School to restructure the regional and sectional tournaments in baseball and softball was supported by 59% of the membership. Only 52% of the East Tennessee schools in attendance supported the measure.
The proposed change to the Home School Rule will be considered at the next meeting of the Legislative Council which will be held at 9 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2021 at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro.
The proposed postseason tournament modifications will be considered at the next meeting of the Board of Control which will be held at 9 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2021 at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro.
The full results appear in the minutes attached below.
A. F. Bridges Award Winners
School System Administrator of the Year
John English - Unicoi County School System (Athletic District 1)
Dr. Jimmy Carter - Union County Schools (Athletic District 2)
Jerry Levengood - Rhea County School System (Athletic District 3)
Mike Jones - Fentress County Schools (Athletic District 4)
Vincent Durnan - University School of Nashville (Athletic District 5)
Vicki Beard - Giles County School Sys (Athletic District 6)
Pat Dillahunty - Huntingdon Special School District (Athletic District 7)
Jonathan Criswell - Milan Special School District (Athletic District 8)
Braxton Brady - Evangelical Christian School (Athletic District 9)
Principal of the Year
Todd Barnett - Science Hill High School (Athletic District 1)
Mike Casteel - Greenback High School (Athletic District 2)
Steve Henry - Soddy-Daisy High school (Athletic District 3)
Larry Creasy - Siegel High School (Athletic District 4)
Michel Sanchez - Cane Ridge High School (Athletic District 5)
Stephen Wenning - Cheatham County Central High School (Athletic District 6)
Anita Tucker - South Side High School (Athletic District 7)
Chuck West - Dresden High School (Athletic District 8)
John Bush - Wooddale High School (Athletic District 9)
Athletic Director of the Year
Aaron Clay - Washburn High School (Athletic District 1)
Reid Estus - Christian Academy of Knoxville (Athletic District 2)
Michael Reece - Signal Mountain High School (Athletic District 3)
John Olive - Tullahoma High School (Athletic District 4)
John Miller - Montgomery County Schools (Athletic District 5)
Eric Crabtree - Cornersville High School (Athletic District 6)
Ken Northcut - Trinity Christian Academy (Athletic District 7)
Mike Moore - Lake County High School (Athletic District 8)
Brady Benjamin - Memphis Central High School (Athletic District 9)
Female Coach of the Year
Brooke Shelley - Northview Academy (Athletic District 1)
Jayme Smith - Anderson County High School (Athletic District 2)
Miriam Arnold - Chattanooga School of the Arts & Sciences (Athletic District 3)
Jennifer Grandstaff - Blackman High School (Athletic District 4)
Lynn Dearing - Goodpasture Christian School (Athletic District 5)
Barbara Campbell - Brentwood (Athletic District 6)
Susan Humphry - Chester County High School (Athletic District 7)
Carla Wyatt - South Gibson County High School (Athletic District 8)
Becky Pendleton - Houston High school (Athletic District 9)
Male Coach of the Year
Ken Cutlip - Science Hill High School (Athletic District 1)
Jonathan Netherland - Austin-East High School (Athletic District 2)
Joey Knox - Cleveland High School (Athletic District 3)
Rob Edward - Clay Co. High School (Athletic District 4)
Derek Wix - East Robertson High School (Athletic District 5)
Brett Young - Nolensville High School (Athletic District 6)
DaMonn Fuller - South Side High School (Athletic District 7)
Shane Jacobs - Peabody High School (Athletic District 8)
Kris Harman - Barlett High School (Athletic District 9)
Official of the Year
Frankie Carson - Tri-Cities Association (Athletic District 1)
Josh Orrick- Knox-Ridge Association (Athletic District 2)
Steve Johnson (Athletic District 3)
Gerald Tidwell (Athletic District 4)
Matthew Bell (Athletic District 5)
Chuck Grooms - South Central Association (Athletic District 6)
Scott Courtney (Athletic District 7)
Keith Ward (Athletic District 8)
Robert Willis (Athletic District 9)
Contributor of the Year
Jeff Bedard - Crown Laboratories of Johnson City (Athletic District 1)
Jesse Smithey - 5 Star Preps (Athletic District 2)
David Kelman (Athletic District 3)
Jay Walker - Peg Broadcasting (Athletic District 4)
Dave Gould - Main Street Media (Athletic District 5)
Anthony Puca - Marshall County Tribune (Athletic District 6)
Jim Farmer (Athletic District 7)
Vann Swain (Athletic District 8)
John Varlas - Daily Memphian (Athletic District 9)
East Tennessee Divisional Finalists
CLASS A
Oliver Springs High School (Winner)
Sunbright High School
Webb School of Knoxville
CLASS AA
Johnson County High School
Sullivan East High School (Winner)
South Greene High School
CLASS AAA
Bradley County High School
Daniel Boone High School (Winner)
Tennessee High School
Middle Tennessee Divisional Finalists
CLASS A
Jackson County High School
McEwen High School (Winner)
Summertown High School
CLASS AA
Alvin C York Institute
Stewart County High School (Winner)
Whites Creek High School
CLASS AAA
Cookeville High School
Tullahoma High School (Winner)
Stewarts Creek High School
West Tennessee Divisional Finalists
CLASS A
Big Sandy High School
Fairley High School
Westwood High School (Winner)
CLASS AA
Craigmont High School
Decatur County Riverside High School
Scotts Hill High School (Winner)
CLASS AAA
Munford High School (Winner)
Ridgeway High School
White Station High School
