The THSADA is the principal advocate for all athletic administrators in the State of Texas. The THSADA exists to promote, facilitate, and recognize all athletic administrators and is one of the largest state associations of its type in the country.
The Texas High School Athletic Directors Association was founded in 1971 by a group of Texas athletic administrators who decided that the issues and challenges facing school athletic administrators could best be addressed by forming their own Association in order to collaborate and network with each other.
Joe Bill Fox (Director of Athletics-North East ISD) was elected as the THSADA’s first President. The By-Laws and procedures for the Association were written by a group of athletic administrators led by Joe Tusa (Director of Athletics-Houston ISD).
The Association existed for many years as a volunteer organization, however because of the magnitude of athletics in Texas it was decided that the THSADA would need an Executive Director that could direct and lead the Association while promoting all the activities and initiatives conducive to a professional association.
In 2012, Rusty Dowling (former Director of Athletics-Katy ISD) was selected as the first Executive Director of the THSADA. Over the course of the years, the THSADA has expanded to five full-time employees and several part-time employees.
Membership is close to 1,700 along with a 10-member Board of Directors, eight standing committees and various ad hoc groups. The main event hosted by THSADA is the annual THSADA State Conference that features over 200 exhibit booths, golf tournament and a full slate of Texas Athletic Administrators Certification classes and is held in June. The THSADA Fall Forum is a two-day event held in October that features professional development, selected committee meetings and a social event. The Spring Sponsor Showcase that is held in early March and is a special event for THSADA sponsors to network with THSADA members over a two-day period. The THSADA also conducts the QUAD A (Aspiring Athletic Administrators Academy) at the Spring Sponsor Showcase and the State Conference. This program is the first step for anyone who would like to get into athletic administration in the State of Texas. The THSADA has created a new professional development curriculum designed specifically for Junior High and Middle School Coordinators called JHAMS (Junior High and Middle School). JHAMS sessions will be offered at the State Conference. Monthly Region meetings allow the eight different Regions to conduct meetings that address those issues significant to their respective region of the state.4