Five high school athletic directors will be inducted into the eighth Hall of Fame class of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) December 13 in Nashville, Tennessee, during banquet festivities at the 47th annual National Athletic Directors Conference co-sponsored by the NIAAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). 

This year’s conference will be held December 9-13 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. 

The 2016 NIAAA Hall of Fame class includes Carol Chory, CMAA, Virginia; Harold Erwin, CAA, West Virginia; Dennis Fries, CMAA, New York; Leslie Moore, CAA, Colorado; and one individual who will be inducted posthumously – Rodger Estes of Missouri. 

Following are biographical sketches of the five members of the 2016 NIAAA Hall of Fame class:

Dr. Carol Chory, CMAA

Virginia Beach, Virginia

From 1979 until her retirement in 2010, Dr. Carol Chory, CMAA, served as student activities coordinator for Kempsville High School in the Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Public Schools System, except for a two-month period in 1995 when she was acting assistant principal.

An active member of the NIAAA since 1980, Chory served on the NIAAA Credentials Committee from 1998 to 2005 and was the Virginia representative for the NIAAA National Emergency Network. She also served as NIAAA state delegate from 1995 to 1997, was co-chair of LTC 510 from 2000 to 2003, and was a speaker at the 1998, 1999 and 2007 National Athletic Directors Conferences. She completed 11 courses in the NIAAA Leadership Training Program.

In other contributions at the national level, Chory was a national field hockey official from 1978 to 1991, and organized the NFHS Field Hockey Rules Book index in 1989. In 2011, she had an article on athlete recognition programs published in the NFHS High School Today magazine.

A member of the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (VIAAA) since 1984, Chory was treasurer (1987-93) and president (1995-97), and represented the VIAAA on the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Executive Committee (1990-92). From 2001 to 2004, Chory was vice-chair of the VIAAA Corporate Sponsor Committee, and she was the VIAAA State Conference speaker chair or co-chair seven times, most recently in 2009.

In addition to her service on the VHSL Executive Committee, in 1997, Chory helped to design the format for the VHSL Student Leaders Conference which is still used today and was a conference speaker two times. She also was chair of the VHSL Equity Committee for three years and was the site director for several VHSL state tournaments.

Locally, Chory served Kempsville High School, the Beach District and the Eastern Virginia Athletic Directors Association (EVADA) in various ways. At Kempsville, Chory annually updated the parent athletic information handbook and student planner, and sponsored the Kempsville High School Blood Drive for the Red Cross and chaired the Kempsville Graduation Committee from 1979 to 2010.

Chory founded the EVADA and the Eastern Regional football program in 1986, and she served as the association's website chairperson from 2003 to 2010. She chaired the first EVADA committee that assumed production of the regional football program and made it the professional publication it is today.

Throughout her 31 years at Kempsville, Chory chaired the school’s Graduation Committee and established a format that was adopted by all Virginia Beach high schools. She also established the first District Scheduling Committee and chaired several district and regional tournament committees.

Among her honors, Chory was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Kempsville High School Hall of Fame in 2008. She received the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 1994, the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2004, John C. Youngblood Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 and the NFHS Citation in 2012.

Chory earned her bachelor’s degree from Longwood (Virginia) College, her master’s from the University of North Florida and her doctorate from Virginia Tech University-Tidewater Center. 

Harold Erwin, CAA

Buffalo, West Virginia

Throughout a career that has spanned more than 50 years, Harold Erwin has garnered many awards and a multitude of respect for his work as an educator, coach and athletic administrator.

After graduating from Buffalo (West Virginia) High School in 1961 and Glenville (West Virginia) State College in 1965, Erwin was an assistant football coach at several schools for seven years before returning to Buffalo in 1972 as athletic director and football and track coach. Erwin was athletic director at Buffalo for 29 years until his retirement in 2001. He also coached football for five years, track and field for 26 years and golf for seven years.

During his 29 years as athletic director at his alma mater, spearheaded many upgrades in facilities, expanded the number of sports for girls from four to 11 with the beginning of Title IX and improved the financial standing of the school’s athletic department by becoming debt-free in his first five years.

In addition to his local achievements at Buffalo High School, Erwin was a key contributor to West Virginia Athletic Directors Association (WVADA) and the West Virginia Secondary Schools Athletic Commission (WVSSAC).

A charter member of the WVADA, Erwin has served as its regional representative, secretary/treasurer, president, annual conference chairman, award chairman and liaison to the NIAAA. Since his retirement from Buffalo High School in 2001, Erwin has served as executive director of the WVADA.

Erwin’s contributions to the WVSSAC are seemingly endless. He has served on the WVSSAC Board of Directors (2001-08) and the WVSSAC Basketball Committee (1994-present), and he has directed the state’s baseball tournament since 2000 and directed the boys basketball tournament five times. Since 1985, he has been program chairman for state playoffs in the sports of football, baseball and track. In addition, Erwin served on the WVSSAC “Project Target” Substance Abuse Committee.

Erwin has been an active member of the NIAAA since 1978. He has attended 35 of the past 38 NFHS national conferences, and was a presenter at the 1988 Las Vegas conference. He served as a member of the NFHS Athletic Directors Advisory Committee in 1996-97, and was a member of the NIAAA Board of Directors from 1998 to 2000. Erwin has also served as the Leadership Training Program assistant coordinator for West Virginia since 2001.

In addition to coordinating the Leadership Training Program in West Virginia, Erwin has completed 21 courses and earned his Certified Athletic Administrator recognition. He has served as the NIAAA National Emergency Network contact in West Virginia since 1994.

Erwin, who earned his master’s degree from Marshall (West Virginia) University, has earned many awards during his career. These awards include the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2005, the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 1990, National Council of Secondary Schools Athletic Director of the Year in 1986, an NFHS Citation in 1988, WVADA’s Athletic Director of the Year in 1988, West Virginia High School Coaches Association Athletic Director of the Year in 1989, Midwestern Conference Football Coach of the Year in 1975 and Midwestern Conference Track Coach of the Year in 1973.

Rodger Estes

St. Louis, Missouri

After beginning his 35-year career in education-based athletics as a teacher and coach for five years at Beaumont High School in St. Louis, Missouri, the late Rodger Estes launched his outstanding career in the Mehlville School District in St. Louis in 1965.

Estes coached football and track, taught English and was assistant athletic director until his promotion to athletic director for the entire Mehlville School District in 1974, a position he held for 15 years. During his time as Mehlville athletic director, Estes led a fund-raising effort for a football field at the new Oakville High School, which was named in his honor in 1981, and took Mehlville from a small suburban district to a multi-school district with outstanding facilities.

During Estes’ tenure, the number of sports expanded to eight for girls and 11 for boys, and his annual Mehlville Classic Basketball Tournament hosted many teams in-state and out-of-state teams.

Estes was known for bringing his special meals to secretaries in the Mehlville Central Office, holding barbeques for custodial and maintenance department employees and socializing with his coaches and peers. The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) recognized Estes for his exemplary service with its highest honor, the Irvin A. Keller Award.

In 1989, Estes volunteered to head Mehlville’s District Operations Department and then closed his career as assistant to the superintendent in charge of athletics and operations until his retirement in 1995.

At the state level, Estes assisted the MSHSAA with its state football championships (Show-Me Bowl) as executive chairman on three occasions and was cited by the MSHSAA in 1979 for “Outstanding Performance in Administration of Show Me Bowl I.” He also hosted numerous MSHSAA district and sectional meets at Mehlville.

Estes was equally involved with the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA), serving as a member of the legislative committee and rising through the ranks to serve as president in 1983. He was an active participant at the MIAAA state conference, making two program appearances.

At the national level, Estes served as the eighth president of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) in 1987. During his term as president, the Thomas E. Frederick Award of Excellence was created, along with the NIAAA State Award of Merit, and all 50 states were represented at the National Athletic Directors Conference for the first time. Estes also personally sold more than $10,000 in advertising to subsidize the NIAAA member services publication “Game Plan.”

Among his other accomplishments during his time on the NIAAA Board of Directors, time limits were set on committee members to allow more individuals to participate in the governing process.

In addition to the Irvin Keller Award, Estes was honored with the MSHSAA Distinguished Service Award, MIAAA Athletic Director of the Year Award, NFHS Citation, NIAAA State Award of Merit, NFHS Coaches and Officials Association Distinguished Service Award and the MSHSAA Gerald Linneman Lifetime Achievement Award.

After his retirement, Estes founded a company, Diamond Demon, and exhibited at the state and national athletic directors conferences each year until his death in 2000.

Dennis Fries, CMAA

Irondequoit, New York

Dennis Fries retired in 2006 after 39 years as a teacher, coach and administrator in the West Irondequoit Central School District. After a four-year break, Fries served his 40^th year in education in 2011-12 as director of athletics for the Churchville (New York) School District.

From 1984 to 2006, Fries was district director of physical education and athletics in West Irondequoit. After his first two years with the district, Fries was promoted to assistant athletic director, a position he held for 15 years before becoming district director.

Fries’ contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels have been extraordinary. Locally, he has been executive director of the Monroe County Public School Athletic Conference since 1996, and he is co-chair of the New York State Concussion Management Program. He has served as the executive director since 1997 and as treasurer since 1989 of Operation Offense, Inc., a national, award-winning drug and alcohol prevention program for scholastic athletes.

At the state level, Fries served as president of the New York State Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA) in 1996-97, and he was the organization's treasurer for 15 years. From 1987 to 1996, Fries was the Chapter 5 representative to the NYSAAA, and he was president of the NYSAAA's Chapter 5 from 1989 to 1991. In 1992, Fries was named Section V Athletic Administrator of the Year, and a year later, he received the Chapter 5 Distinguished Service Award. In recognition of his achievements in athletic administration, Fries received the New York State Director of Physical Education of the Year award in 1998.

Fries has taught workshops at state and national athletic administrators conferences regarding Internet surfing, computer office program management and personal data assistant use. In 2014, Fries was chosen by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) to help with the implementation of the association’s Unified Sports program.

Nationally, Fries served on the NIAAA Board of Directors from 2002 to 2006, culminating with a one-year term as president. He served six years on the NIAAA Publications Committee from 1997 to 2002 and was selected to the Finance Committee of the third NIAAA Strategic Plan in 2009. He has served on the NIAAA Hall of Fame Committee since 2008 and was appointed vice-chair in 2010. From 2009 to 2013, Fries was co-director of the Section 1 NIAAA Summer Leadership Training Institute (LTI). 

Fries has completed 20 Leadership Training courses and has been an instructor for several LTI courses. He also has been a regular contributor to Interscholastic Athletic Administration magazine with his “Techno Talk” column.

Among his other awards, Fries received the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 2000, the NFHS Citation in 2003, the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2009 and the NIAAA Award of Merit in 2012. In 2007, he received the “Ellis H. Champlin” Award – the highest award given in New York state for administration in physical education. Last year, Fries was inducted into the NYSAAA Hall of Fame, the NYSPHSAA Section 5 Football Hall of Fame and the Cortland College “C” Club Hall of Fame. 

Fries, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Cortland (New York) State College, earned master’s degrees in both education and educational administration from Brockport (New York) State College.

Leslie Moore, CAA

Denver, Colorado

Leslie Moore, CAA, was a fixture in the Denver Public Schools (DPS) for almost 40 years as a teacher, coach, district supervisor, director of girls athletics and district athletic director. Moore concluded her career in 2008 after 10 years as district athletic director for DPS, an inner-city school district with 10 high schools, 360 coaches, 5,300 student-athletes, 19 sports and a $2.3 million budget.

Moore, who graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, also served as the district’s Title IX coordinator, overseeing 78 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 10 high schools, three alternative schools and 40 departments.

During her time as district athletic director, Moore worked with bond committees and contractors to fund and install artificial turf fields at each high school in the district and to build swimming pools at schools across the district. She also worked with Denver Parks and Recreation to build the first all-city softball facility for females. Moore was the first assignor to utilize female officials on boys basketball games and led the state in introducing three-person officiating crews for basketball.

At the state level, Moore made significant contributions to the Colorado Athletic Directors Association (CADA) and the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). One of the first post-Title IX female athletic administrators in Colorado, Moore served on the CADA Board of Directors from 1990 to 2011 and was the organization’s treasurer for 16 years. She was chair of the CHSAA Finance Committee and a member of the CADA Conference Planning Committee.

After being elected to the CHSAA Executive Committee in 1994, Moore became the first woman in 75 years to be chosen president of the CHSAA in 1996. She directed the CHSAA Board of Control for two years, and later served another term on the CHSAA Executive Committee (2002-05).

Moore served on CHSAA state tournament and seeding committees in track, basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis and gymnastics, and she hosted hundreds of regional and state playoff games. She was appointed to the CHSAA State Volleyball Committee and CHSAA State Gymnastics Committee and was a track official for 10 years.

Beyond her service to the CADA and CHSAA, Moore was a member of the Girls in Golf Program Board of Directors for 16 years, which was established by the Denver Parks and Recreation to support, promote and enhance opportunities for young women and girls to participate in amateur golf.

Nationally, Moore was a member of the NIAAA Board of Directors (2004-07) and served on the NIAAA Credentials Committee for six years, including a term as chair. She also chaired the Operations Subcommittee for the third NIAAA Strategic Plan Committee (2008-09).

In 2010, Moore was inducted into the Denver Public Schools Hall of Fame and the CHSAA Hall of Fame. Moore’s other honors include Colorado High School Athletic Director of the Year in 1996, NIAAA State Award of Merit in 1997, Sportswomen of Colorado Contribution to Sport Award in 1998, NFHS Citation in 2001, Kurby Lyle CADA Service Award in 2002 and Athletic Director of the Year by the Colorado High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2003.