To: OPSWA Members
From: Tim Stried
Re: Annual Writing and Photography Contest, Other Updates
January 6, 2020
Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Memo
Greetings OPSWA members and Happy Holidays! Please see below for several updates and announcements.
CHANGE IN WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST!
The divisions and categories are the same as last year, but the OPSWA officers have approved a change in this year’s writing and photography contest. New this year, entries by the same author or photographer within a category will be given one collective score, instead of separate scores for each entry.
Sportswriters and photographers will submit one entry form for all the articles or photos within each category, instead of a separate form for each entry. Judges will evaluate all the entries per writer or photographer, not by individual article or photo. This means that a person will not have multiple placers within a category, so more writers and photographers will be recognized within each category.
Additional Details for Annual Writing and Photography Contest
Entries for the contest must be received at the OHSAA by February 18, 2020. The contest includes articles and photos about Ohio high school sports published in print or online between Jan. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2019. OPSWA members serve as judges in the contest, while the OHSAA Communications Office coordinates the contest copies, mailing, tabulating results, etc.
Call for Judges
The annual OPSWA writing and photography contest is judged by OPSWA members. Any OPSWA member interested in being a judge should notify Tim Stried. Every category will have at least two judges, with the final results being the average scores of the two judges.
Hall of Fame
The OPSWA officers have selected the 2020 induction class for the OPSWA Hall of Fame, which will be honored on Saturday, March 21 during the boys basketball state tournament. The honorees were announced on December 21 and include Craig Dunn (Logan), Pat Galbincea (Cleveland) and Mark Huber (Wilmington). The release is posted at:
https://bit.ly/2QoNeLD
Statewide Meeting Coming April 29
The 2020 OPSWA statewide meeting will be held on April 29. The meeting is free to attend and lunch is provided. The tentative agenda is as follows:
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10:30 to 10:45 – Introductions and welcome remarks from OHSAA
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10:45 to 11:15 – Comments and Q&A with Jerry Snodgrass, OHSAA Executive Director
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11:15 to 11:45 – Writing contest results and writers of the year announced
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11:45 to 12:30 – Lunch (complimentary)
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12:30 to 2:00 – Comments from OPSWA officers and group discussion topics
OPSWA Website and Officers
The following OPSWA officers were elected at the statewide meeting in April 2019 and their terms expire in April 2021.
President: Eric Frantz, MaxPreps and Dayton Daily News
Vice President: Scott Halasz, Xenia Daily Gazette
Vice President: John Cummings, Miami Valley Newspapers
Vice President: Greg Shoemaker, TriStateFootball.com
OPSWA Takes Control of All-Ohio Football and Basketball Teams
In October 2017, the Associated Press announced that it would no longer coordinate All-Ohio teams in football and basketball, but those honors continue thanks to the work of the district committees and the OPSWA officers. More discussion will take place at the April 2019 statewide meeting.
New ID Badges Available
The OHSAA produces ID badges for OPSWA members that include the member’s photo and the media outlet logo. Any OPSWA member that wants a new ID badge should email their headshot (and media outlet logo, if desired) to Tim Stried. There is no cost for the ID badge.
Membership Roster Sets Another Record
As of December 2019, there are 178 registered OPSWA members, which marks the most in the history of the OPSWA. Membership in the OPSWA is free. Current members do not need to resubmit a registration form every year. New members shall submit a membership registration form, which is posted at:
https://www.ohsaa.org/Portals/0/News/OPSWA/OPSWAMemberRegistration.pdf
Tim Stried
Director of Communications
Ohio High School Athletic Association
614-267-2502, ext. 124
614-267-1677 fax
4080 Roselea Place
Columbus, OH 43214