History of ASAA

In the early 1950′s, interested school men in Western Alaska, led by Mr. William Zahrandnicek of Palmer, Mr. W.W. Lahnum, Acting Superintendent of Anchorage, and Mr. Gordon Guffey, Anchorage High School, saw the need for separating the high school basketball tournament from local business promotion as part of the Fur Rendezvous. Thus, the Western Alaska High School Activities Association was organized to assure the needed educational leadership. During these same years, Mr. Sterling Sears of Juneau, Mr. Les Wingard and Mr. J.E. Danielson of Ketchikan, were moving ahead to fill the same need in Southeastern Alaska.

In 1956 the desire to have a state organization led to the establishment of the Alaska High School Activities Association by the State Department of Education Superintendents’ Advisory Commission.The Constitution and Bylaws were approved in the fall of 1957. The officers of the two divisions elected Mr. J.E. Danielson, Superintendent of Ketchikan, as Secretary-Treasurer and Mr. William Zahradnicek of Palmer, as Chairman. Mr. George McMillan of Juneau, Mr. Joe Montgomery of Anchorage and Mr. Sterling Sears of Juneau, were elected as members of the first State Board of Control.

In April of 1973, regions were established for basketball tournament purposes by a vote of the schools involved in those regions. Consideration was given to both school population and/or geographical location. From these basketball regions evolved the regional concept for all activities using the same criteria: Size and location.

Early years saw 20 to 25 schools serving 4,000 to 8,000 students, as members of the Association. Today, over 190 schools hold membership serving the needs of over 35,000 students.

Alaska School Activities Association, Inc. is now operating as a non-profit 501 (C ) (3) organization under federal tax laws. The Association was withdrawn from the State of Alaska budget in January, 1987. It began its independent operation on July 1, 1987. The Association operates under one Constitution and set of Bylaws regarding membership, student eligibility, contest organization, sport seasons, and other areas of general concern. The Association is authorized to prescribe the regulations and rules for conducting interscholastic activities involving teams, groups or contestants when a second high school or organization is participating in athletics, music, dramatics, speech and debates, and any other interscholastic activity that may be desired.