LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Doug Ute

  • OHSAA Adds Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Volleyball to Ohio’s High School’s Sports!

    OHSAA Adds Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Volleyball to Ohio’s High School’s Sports!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Times are a-changing in the sports world! History was made in Columbus last Thursday when the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors voted to add Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Volleyball officially as “emerging sports” in the 2022-2023 school year. 

    “The OHSAA recognizing men’s volleyball is a huge win for the sport and for everyone that has worked so hard to get the boys game recognized on the big stage in Ohio,” former Loveland High School JV “A” Team Head Coach Matthew Ellis said, “There are a lot of people who have coached boys club and boys high school that deserve a ton of praise for getting the ball rolling on this. Volleyball is a game for everyone and this is a big step in showing that.”

    Loveland Athletic Director Brian Conatser told Loveland Magazine on Friday, “That’s great. Obviously, we’ve had a very successful men’s volleyball program here at Loveland. We’re excited. What a great opportunity. I know that Head Coach Terri Swensen is super excited.”

    Men’s volleyball is not currently an Eastern Cincinnati Conference sport according to Conatser. He said that the Conference will have to vote on it. “I’ll be the first one to bring it up,” added Conatser laughing.

    The OHSAA Wrestling Coaches Association has held a Women’s wrestling tournament since 2020 and the OHSAA Men’s Volleyball Association has held its tournament since 1998 according to the OHSAA press release that was sent out on Thursday.

    Terri Swensen current Men’s Volleyball Head Coach (Loveland Magazine 2018 File Photo)

    “The OHSAA has been talking with the boy’s volleyball and girls wrestling leaders for several years and we are now in the position to bring these two sports into the OHSAA,” said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute, “This move will help those sports continue to grow and allow those student-athletes to compete for an OHSAA state championship. It gives more kids opportunities and that is the mission of the OHSAA. We will look to keep a very similar format for the girls wrestling and boys volleyball tournaments as what the coaches associations have been doing,” Ute added, “The girls wrestling state tournament is held in mid-February and the boy’s volleyball state tournament is held in the spring. We have not yet developed tournament regulations, but we’ll start working on that so that those two sports hit the ground running next fall for the start of the 2022-23 school year.”

    Conatser said that Loveland has not had any female wrestlers in the past and that the sport is currently configured where females compete in whatever weight classification, Varsity or JV, they fit into with the current traditional high school’s program. Conatser said, “It’s actually co-ed now in Ohio. At Loveland, we’ve had some interested females in the past but none competed. I’m sure now that it is an OHSAA sport we will probably, and hopefully, we will see some females that will want to come out and participate.”

    Conatser said it will take some time to figure out how Loveland will handle coaching positions, etc. He said he assumed that females competing against males will continue until a transition to female-specific teams is organized. Currently, OHSAA has separate State tournaments for Women’s and Men’s wrestling competitions.

    OHSAA sports, with the new additions, officially has grown to 28, distributed evenly between men and women.

    OHSAA also announced on Thursday that they have plans to discuss providing an Esports tournament because gaming has grown exponentially in schools across the country over the last few years. OHSAA is actively looking to partner with a group that specializes in Esports.

    Here at Loveland Magazine, we are overjoyed to hear the news about the addition of Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Volleyball to the OHSAA organization! Congratulations to all those who officially get to now compete within their high schools in these 2 new emerging OHSAA sports! We can’t wait to see our Loveland Tiger Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Volleyball teams compete in 2022-2023!

    For the latest updates on local sports news stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

  • OHSAA Announces Adjustments to High School 2021 Football Schedules

    OHSAA Announces Adjustments to High School 2021 Football Schedules

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Although COVID-19 is still causing Ohio’s High Schools to be cautious, OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) announced in their routine Thursday morning meeting on the 14th that they voted in favor of making adjustments to the 2021 Ohio High School football regular-season schedules.

    In May of 2020, OHSAA released that the Ohio High School Football Playoffs would be expanded to 12 schools per region rather than 8. This expansion alone would increase the number of football playoff qualifiers from 224 to 336. To read more about how the new playoff format will work click the following link: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports/News/ohsaa-to-expand-football-playoffs-in-2021.

    With the approval of the playoff expansion, the 2021 regular Ohio High School football season will begin a week earlier. Now schools will be allowed to execute two of the mandatory five “acclimatization” days in July. Practices are officially able to begin on August 1st.

    Before the first day of the regular season for Ohio High School Football, which is on August 20th, teams will be able to participate in two scrimmages or jamboree games that can take place between August 6th-14th. The conclusion of the regular-season schedule will be on October 23rd followed by six weeks of playoffs.

    To view more highlights from the OHSAA Board of Directors meeting that took place on January 14th click the following link: https://www.ohsaa.org/news-media/articles/ohsaa-board-of-directors-meeting-highlights-44.

    Want to stay up to date on the latest Loveland and Ohio sports news? Stay tuned for more of the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!

  • New OHSAA Executive Director is Announced!

    New OHSAA Executive Director is Announced!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Columbus, Ohio – On Tuesday, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) introduced their new Executive Director, Doug Ute, making him the 11th person to fulfill the prestigious position!

    Ute, a Bellville, Ohio native, began his journey in 1988 when he became a part-time business teacher and a basketball coach at Noble Local Schools. Eventually, he went on to teach, coach, and fulfill the athletic administrator position at Buckeye Central High School. 

    Over the last 20 years, Ute acted as school Superintendent, 9 of those years being at Marion Elgin Local Schools and 11 of those years being at Newark City Schools. During Ute’s time at Newark, he created the Social, Emotional, and Academic Success (SEAS) program. The SEAS program allows counselors, teachers, and staff to get together and discuss ways to help their students succeed in life. Ute also expanded the free lunch program and made free breakfast available to all students. With all of Ute’s hard work and efforts at Newark, the school district had its highest graduation rate of all time.

    Ute went on to accept the position as Deputy Director of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, but shortly after was asked to fill the Executive Director position with the OHSAA.

    Ute said in a press release sent out by the OHSAA that he has always had the mindset of a coach and athletic director so OHSAA would be the perfect place for him to be.

    “I am humbled to be selected by the Board of Directors for this position and join a great team at the OHSAA office. We are all aware of the uncertainties that are before us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I know that together we can and will be stronger together,” Ute explained, “My focus has always been on helping students become better people, and athletics are such an important part in that. That is true now more than ever. I can’t wait to get started and help lead our member schools.”

    President of the OHSAA Board of Directors and Athletic Director at Mentor High School, Jeff Cassella, expressed his excitement for bringing Ute onto the OHSAA team in OHSAA’s press release.

    “We are excited to have someone lead our organization with Doug’s experience, both in working with student-athletes and with his experience in the workings of the OHSAA,” Cassella said, “The Board of Directors is confident that Doug’s leadership style and experience is a great fit to lead the OHSAA through this unique year.”

    Ute played basketball at Ashland University and graduated with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing. He later earned his Master’s Degree in School Administration, a Graduate Teaching Degree in Business, A Principal’s License, and a Superintendent’s License from Ashland University. Ute and his wife Kory, now have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

    To stay up to date on Ohio and Loveland’s latest sports news tune into the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!