Fremont- Sandusky County – The Fred Dafler & Rick Haddix Scholarship Fund has been established with the Sandusky County Communities Foundation (SCCF) by the Ohio Track and Field and Cross-County Officials Association (OTF&CCOA).
The OTF&CCOA was founded in 1985 by a group of 41 OHSAA Registered Track and Field Officials to educate fellow officials to better serve the student athletes of Ohio and recognize their peers for the work they do to better the sport. With over 950 OHSAA Registered Track & Field Officials, the work the Association does to support their peers remains at the forefront of their work.
“The OTF&CCOA scholarship fund, now named for Hall of Fame officials Fred Dafler and Rick Haddix, honors their legacy while helping officials offset the financial burdens of higher education” stated Dennis Sabo, OTF&CCOA Treasurer. “The association awarded their first scholarships in 1987 and, in years since, has provided nearly $30,000 to 59 family members of officials”.
When asked about the contributions that Haddix and Dafler has made, BJ Duckworth OHSAA Liaison to OTF&CCOA shared that Fred Dafler was inducted into the OHSAA Hall of Fame in 1989 and passed away in 2023. Dafler was a former Assistant and Associate Commissioner at OHSAA and was a Coach & Certified Official. Dafler’s influence on the sport is immense and felt not only in Ohio but around the country. His work made track and field officiating in Ohio a pioneer in the nation, a trend continued by his predecessors today.
Rick Haddix was inducted into the OHSAA Hall of Fame in 2016 and passed away in 2021. Haddix was a long-time coach at Fostoria High School and officiated basketball, football, and track for forty years. Haddix also served several terms on the OTF&CCOA executive board. His contributions to the sport, his fellow officials, and former students, are immeasurable. Kim Haddix, Rick’s daughter, has been an official for over 20 years and is a member of the OTF&CCOA executive committee. Heath Haddix, Rick’s son, is an equipment manager for The Ohio State University’s Women’s Ice Hockey Team.
The Fred Dafler & Rick Haddix Scholarship Fund will be awarded to an individual planning to attend or already enrolled in a college, university, or institute of higher learning as a full-time student (minimum of 12 credit hours), or an individual planning to attend or already involved in a career or technical educational program. The candidate must be a member or a relative of a member of the OTF&CCOA.
The Sandusky County Communities Foundation strives to connect people who care with causes that matter. Anyone who desires to contribute to The Fred Dafler and Rick Haddix Scholarship Fund may do so on the Donate Now page at www.sanduskyccf.org or by making a check payable to: Sandusky County Communities Foundation in care of The Fred Dafler & Rick Haddix Scholarship Fund. Applications can be found on the OTF&CCOA website.
About the Sandusky County Communities Foundation: The Sandusky County Communities Foundation was established in 1998 to enhance the well-being of the people and communities of Sandusky County by managing permanent investments for philanthropic goals. The Foundation provides an efficient, effective structure for linking charitable interests with important programs and services and offers several options through which gifts can be made to benefit Sandusky County communities and organizations. Since 2009 more than $1,000,000.00 has been awarded to non-profit organizations through the Community Grant Program, in addition to numerous scholarships.
To learn more, or to donate, visit our website at www.sanduskyccf.org or contact Andrea Gibson at 419-332-1591 or [email protected].