Please give to The Capital Times Kids Fund.

Learn how the annual fund drive helps our community.

Semrau: With his personal touch, Chickering put Wisconsin high school sports on the map

Dennis Semrau  —  10/09/2008 7:39 am

Ask about the impact that Doug Chickering has had on high school sports in Wisconsin and Jerry Petitgoue elicits memories of Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden.

Putting a football spin on it, Dick Rundle echoed Vince Lombardi as his point of reference.

But leave it to Barneveld High School principal and athletic director Kevin Knudson to put Chickering's impact into a fitting perspective that today's generation can relate to.

"I'm a big Brett Favre fan and said it's like losing Brett Favre," Knudson said with a chuckle at the mention of the former Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets. "But I don't think Doug is going to come out of retirement."

Chickering, executive director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association since Jan. 1, 1986, announced his retirement Wednesday after 45 years in the education profession. It will become effective July 31, 2009.

Knudson summed up the thoughts of many of Chickering's peers when he said, "We'll miss him big time. I don't know if we'll find a person of his stature to replace him. We'll just find someone to take over his job."

Among the major changes in high school sports during Chickering's tenure as only the fourth executive director in the 112-year history of the association were the:

• addition of nonpublic schools into the WIAA in 2000, which coincided with open enrollment statewide
• substantial expansion of state tournament series opportunities in all sports for girls and boys both team-wise and individually
• addition of nonpublic and ethnic minority representation on the Board of Control and Advisory Council
• hiring of the current executive staff
• placing of state tournaments in the state's finest facilities
• planning and construction of the current WIAA headquarters
• enhancement of exposure for prep sports through various media platforms
• improved relations with the University of Wisconsin system schools, which host many of the WIAA's state tournaments.

"Doug leaves a tremendous legacy on education and interscholastic athletics in Wisconsin and the nation," said Knudson, who is also 2008-09 president of the WIAA Board of Control. "The impact he has had on the lives of many students, athletes and school administrators is immeasurable."

Simply put, Chickering has put Wisconsin high school sports on the map.

''Professionally, he always handled any situation at a very high, professional level," said Knudson, who added that Chickering's reputation is as strong nationally as it is in Wisconsin. "Because of Doug, Wisconsin is used as a model for our high school organizations nationally."

That's evidenced by the fact Chickering served on a number of committees within the National Federation of High Schools, and currently is the chairman of the NFHS Foundation Board of Directors.

Chickering said there is still work to be done in Wisconsin, citing the impact of club sports on high school athletics, the rise of participation and transportation costs and the issue of public versus private schools and their divisional placement for tournament play.

You can't please everybody, although Chickering has tried to give everyone a voice in the discussion of what direction high school sports should take in this state.

Chickering's tenure is best described by Petitgoue, the longtime Cuba City boys basketball coach who is the winningest coach in state hoops history.

"Doug Chickering brought a sense of calm to high school athletics and prestige and class," said Petitgoue, who is also the executive director of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. "When you look at the man, honesty just comes out of every pore.

"He had some tough issues to face and he faced them. The state of high school athletics in Wisconsin today is so much better off because we had Doug Chickering as long as we did."

Rundle, Petitgoue's counterpart with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, said that during his own career in high school teaching and coaching that covered nearly four decades, there has been no one who has had a greater impact or been more valuable to education in the state than Chickering.

Rundle said Chickering, who has also served as a teacher, coach, official, athletic director, principal and district administrator, defines the word "integrity."

"I don't know of anyone who has had to make the constant level of big decisions that that man has made," Rundle said of Chickering, who has been involved in teaching and high school athletics for 45 years. "No one could have possibly handled it better than he has. We owe a great debt to this man for the service over the past many years."

With a calm, cool and collected demeanor, Chickering has kept the only thing that really matters in his job at the top of his list of priorities: the student-athletes around the state whose ability to compete in interscholastic sports has made a major impact on their lives.

As the parent of a former female high school student athlete, I am grateful for that.

But as a reporter whose job is to publicize high school sports, Chickering's ability to treat everyone fairly and to be proactive in garnering input before making decisions was equally appreciated.

"He has brought accessibility to the WIAA," said Todd Clark, who is in his ninth year as the organization's communications director. "That comes from him and has permeated through the staff in our relationships with the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association, the School Board Association and all of the other educational associations."

That was seen from his participation in the annual area meetings around the state, which he looked forward to helping kick off each school year, to his appearance at state tournaments to honor those student-athletes who competed at the highest level.

"High school sports are special in Wisconsin and so many from so many walks of life contribute daily to that standing," Chickering said. "I'm privileged to have had a leadership opportunity."

However, Chickering will best be remembered for being an advocate for the state's smaller schools and for the athletes who competed for the pure love of competition and being able to represent their communities.

"I will always have a love and passion for the tournaments because each one of those state championships is a homecoming of sorts for people who really have a passion for those activities, whether they be parents who are there or a fan for that sport," he said.

"The greatest example of that is our individual wrestling tournament. It is always satisfying to talk to some of the people who come to all of those. I will always enjoy that environment and hope to be part of it long after I retire."

Chickering, who attended now-defunct Hawkins High School -- which was absorbed into the Ladysmith district -- was always a strong advocate of adding more divisions to the state tournament field. He still is.

"I come from an era when there was only one division," he said. "When I was in high school, there were 80 kids in my school and 18 in my graduating class, so I understand what small is."

Chickering has received many honors, including induction into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002. In addition, he will receive the 2009 Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award presented by the WFCA in March.

But it was never about the awards or the recognition. It was about the kids.

"For 45 years, there's never been a morning when I haven't looked forward to going to work," Chickering said. "Beginning when I was a teacher throughout my years with the WIAA, high school sports have been a big part of my life. That will not change.

"Now, it's time to be just a fan."

Dennis Semrau  —  10/09/2008 7:39 am