NMAA board approves final measures at recent meeting

ALBUQUERQUE — Members packed into the Hall of Pride and Honor as the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) Board of Directors met for their monthly meeting Dec. 12 to go over final business for the year and approve several measures.

Executive Director Dusty Young, who took on the role recently, succeeding Sally Marquez, began the meeting with a review of the director’s report. The report included information pertaining to NMAA fall championships, recent commission and board elections, and the upcoming monthly athletic directors’ meeting and eligibility workshop, among other topics.

Next, several assistant directors gave presentations to the board concerning major events over the fall prep sports season.

Assistant director Zac Stevenson spoke about the inaugural state marching band competition, which was won by Rio Rancho High School, who also hosted the event. Cleveland High School made it a sweep for the City of Vision by taking silver.

As New Mexico’s reputation for producing great cross-country runners grows (thanks in part to the recent success of Rio Rancho’s Charlie Vause, the 2024 NXN National Champion), so too does the interest in the sport at all levels. That’s why assistant director Jackie Martinez, who spoke about the first-ever NMAA middle cchool cross-country meet.

Sports aren’t the only thing the board heard about. The “activities” side of things had plenty to present as well.

Martinez presented the NMAA activities report, which included information about the recent one-act play state competition and upcoming activity events to be held in the spring.

There were several other presentations pertaining to grants and scholarships before the board moved on to approving proposals.

The board approved changes to the state softball championship format and the state team tennis championship seeding process.

They also approved a proposal to add “Overwatch 2” as an approved title for esports competitions.

Additionally, the board voted to approve amendments to the wrestling officials’ fee schedule and to update game contract language.

Though the proposals were finished at that point in the meeting, the board did hold one final vote. They voted to approve the contract of Dusty Young, the new executive director, as well as that of associate director Scott Owen.

The board holds its next regular meeting on Feb. 19, 2025.