NEWS

LABECKI TO JOIN WIAA EXECUTIVE STAFF AS DEPUTY DIRECTORSTEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control approved the recommendation of Dave Anderson to name Wade Labecki as the next Deputy Director of the Association at today’s meeting.

Labecki, 45, will fill the deputy director vacancy beginning July 1, 2009, created by the promotion of Anderson to executive director effective Aug. 1. “I’m very excited for the opportunity to work in high school athletics in Wisconsin at the highest level,” Labecki said. “I plan to do my very best to serve the membership.”

Labecki has served as assistant administrator and transportation director at Baldwin-Woodville High School since 2006 and as athletic director since 2000. Responsibilities of these positions included budgeting, purchasing, scheduling, supervising coaches and staff, programming, coordinating school transportation and participating in discipline and truancy issues.

Prior to his most recent positions at Baldwin-Woodville, Labecki taught accounting, business law, general business and Internet classes from 1987-2006. In addition, he served as head football coach from 1988-2004 after one season as defensive coordinator of the 1987 State championship team. He led the Blackhawks to a State Championship in 1992, a State runner-up finish in 1994, five conference titles and a 108-63 record. He coached the Blackhawk baseball team to a 122-55-1 record from 1990-97, which included two conference championships and a State Tournament appearance in 1991.

Labecki was elected to the WIAA Advisory Council last October. Other related experiences include memberships in the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and the Wisconsin High School Forensics Coaches Association. “We were pleased with the quality of candidates that expressed an interest in the deputy director position; it was a robust process involving the staff,” Anderson said. “We are very excited about the skills and experience Wade will bring to our staff and the membership. The ranks of the athletic directors in this state have served this membership well in the past, and we look for that to continue.”

Labecki has received a number of professional honors and awards during his career. Among them was his induction into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008 and his selection to coach in the 2000 Shrine Football All-Star game.

He is a 1987 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science degree in Comprehensive Business Education. He received a Masters of Education in Administration degree from St. Mary’s University (Minn.) in 2001 and is currently working on an Educational Specialist and Doctorate of Education degree at Argosy University (Minn.).

A 1982 graduate of Thomas More High School, he served as vice-president of the student body and starred on the football team that won the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association State championship in 1981. He also lettered in wrestling and track and field during his high school career and was a member of the National Honor Society.

The WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 503 senior high schools and 116 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. It will sponsor 25 championship tournament series in 2008-09. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580.