The Ohio Valley Athletic Conference footprint encompasses 5,200 square miles of real estate in which you’ll find the 51 member schools.
There are thousands of student athletes competing annually in the conference’s 21 officially recognized sports.
But there’s another number that stands out just as much, if not more so, that might give the uninitiated a greater understanding of just how big the conference is.
That number? Six hundred and fifty two.
“I ask people all the time if they know how many head coaches there are in the OVAC,” said Executive Director Dirk Decoy as he embarks on his fourth school year in that position, fresh off the conference’s official start to the school season, the OVAC All-Star Game.
“At last count, there are 652 head coaches. Imagine trying to organize all of that. There are more than 25,000 high school kids so for me, it’s a lot of paperwork and organizational skills needed.”
Decoy took over for longtime and ultra-successful executive director Tom Rataiczak with the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Given events that transpired during the winter months of 2019-20 and still somewhat linger even now heading into the 2022-23 school year, Decoy is overjoyed to be staring at, what should be, a relatively normal year by comparison to his first three.
“It should be a standard year, however, I just informed our meet directors that COVID is still out there and to not fall asleep on it,” Decoy said.
How could anyone forget.
It wasn’t that long ago that ticket rationing and two entrants per athlete was the norm. Live-streaming was the lone option for those hoping to take in a game, but not directly related to one of the athletes playing.
That headache has long since passed.
“That was a nightmare,” Decoy recalled. “I know the athletic directors and felt sorry for them because they bore the brunt of that responsibility. They had to turn people away—grandparents and family members—and it was tough.”
Infusion of Fresh Blood
While Decoy is ready for his fourth year and (hopefully) first without interference by major outside events, he’ll be joined by some fresh blood in leadership positions.
Earlier in 2022, the conference announced the hiring of Doug Costain as its basketball commissioner along with Sam “Chicken” Jones to serve in the same capacity for football.
Anyone involved with the conference knows that both men are quite familiar. Costain serves as a basketball official and has done so for 33 years. Jones was a longtime athletics director, including at Buckeye Local. Both have spent countless hours helping the conference and the student athletes whom call it home.
“We are very excited about the fresh blood we have starting this year,” Decoy admitted. “You can feel a renewed sense and a spirit of energy.”
The conference is also making an effort to get even younger folks involved, particularly in one area—officiating.
It’s no secret that the rosters of qualified and willing officials in all sports, both within and outside the OVAC has dwindled through the years.
But Decoy and company are making a concentrated effort to boost the rolls for every sport.
“The OVAC is taking a lead role in the recruiting, training, and retaining officials in all sports,” Decoy said. “I’ve hired two directors of officials recruiting and they are already working by making commercials and putting out fliers.”
Decoy also noted that the conference will be setting up a canopy at all of its official events similar to an information booth trying to recruit officials and tout the benefits of officiating.
“We’re trying to tell all these young people that, once you graduate, you can stay in the game and come out and be an official,” Decoy said. “It’s a great way to make money doing a hobby.”
Decoy noted that anyone looking for more information can contact either Bob Gable or Chris Schubert.
Looking Forward
As eyes turn toward the future of the conference, Decoy and fellow members of OVAC leadership are looking to how they can add further value to the conference, both on the field, and off.
“We talk about taking this to the next level and the next level for us, is a more holistic approach for the student athlete,” Decoy said. “We want to implement some special projects and special events. I tell people, we’re all about making memories, along with the championships.”
Just what might those special projects and events look like.
Might the conference take a more active roll in putting on events like players showcases that can help conference athletes further get their names out into the recruiting atmosphere?
Ideas are floating around, and Decoy is willing to listen to all comers.
“We have some ideas of what we want to do, but nothing is in motion yet,” Decoy said. “We’re bringing people in with new ideas. They have a vision and a lot of people in this conference have ideas of what they want to do with their sport, and I want to hear about it.”
One thing Decoy has tried to change and continues to do so is make OVAC leadership more visible throughout the conference’s immense footprint.
That means more on-site trophy and scholarship presentations, rotating coaches meeting, and even moving some of the conference’s championship events away from their traditional homes.
The bowling championships were moved last winter from St. Clairsville to Parkersburg, while the baseball championships found a new home at the all-turf facility in Richmond, home to the Edison Wildcats.
“I want kids to experience that, playing on an all-turf field,” Decoy said. “That’s the memories we want to make as well as allow other communities in the conference to share in the OVAC experience too.
“I tell our staff good things happen when we travel and get out.”
The breadth of the conference does provide opportunities for networking and potential rivalries that otherwise might not exist.
How often would someone from, say, Dover, get to play in the same all-star game with players from Morgantown, Parkersburg, Calcutta, Marietta, and even Hundred?
It’s these types of opportunities, along with the competition and championship events, that have new schools making inquiries and longtime members, even those on the fringe, sticking with the OVAC.
“They really like the competition and you can play up or down, especially if you are one of the middle (classification) schools. They like how the events and the championships are ran, and we also here from the new athletics directors how helpful the other Ads are,” Decoy said. “Plus the consistent scheduling of fellow conference schools across all sports helps out.”
