Certification

What are the benefits of becoming certified?

• Develop a sense of personal and professional satisfaction
• Demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the profession
• Provide growth of professional knowledge and expertise
• Enhance the perception of the profession
• Increase the potential for employment opportunities or incentives
• Participate in a nationally registered program

What does it mean to be a certified athletic administrator?

Certification means different things to different people. For some, it is an opportunity to have an edge to advance in your career. To others, it is a vehicle for continuing education requirements to be met or to advance in salary. For others, it may be an internal motivation for achievement…to step up to the plate and to lead by example in building your career and setting yourself apart from the competition by establishing for yourself a comprehensive plan for self improvement.

Certification process steps:

1. Click on NIAAA Leadership Development Program and Certification for thorough description of all LTC classes and details about the certification process.

2. Click here to take to you the certification page.

3. There are Q and A's at the bottom of the page

4. Selecet the level you are interested in, and click the Leran more button

If you have questions or just need some help getting started, please contact:

Mike McGurk, CMAA
MIAAA Certification Coordinator
C: 816-365-6471- Mike.McGurk@lsr7.net

Certification Level Requirements

CERTIFIED ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATOR (CAA)

    Bachelor’s Degree, or higher, from an accredited institution
    Approval of Personal Data Form (PDF)
    Two (2) or more years of experience as an athletic administrator
    Employed by (or retired from) a school, school district or state high school athletic/activities association in such capacity                that the administration of interscholastic athletics is (was) among job responsibilities
    Completion of LTC 501, LTC 502, LTC 503, LTC 504, and LTC 506
    Successful completion of the CAA examination
    Read and abide by the NIAAA Code of Ethics

CERTIFIED MASTER ATHLETIC ADMINSTRATOR (CMAA) 

    Attained CAA designation
    Approval of Personal Data Form (PDF)
    Submission of supporting documentation
    Completion of LTC 501, LTC 502, LTC 503, LTC 504, LTC 506, LTC 508, and LTC 510
    Completion of minimum of six (6) LTC electives, one from 600 level, one from 700 level, and three additional electives
    Employed so that administration of interscholastic athletics is/was one’s primary responsibility
    All requirements and points earned since CAA designation except for leadership training courses
    Complete a graduate level written project, oral presentation or successful submission of a Quality Program Award
    Optional program implementation
    Read and abide by the NIAAA Code of Ethics

History of the Certification Program

Thomas Frederick, former associate executive director of the National Federation, conceived the concept of a voluntary certification program in 1984. In 1986 the NIAAA requested the Professional Development Committee to identify members for an Ad Hoc Committee to develop a certification program.

The NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) Program was implemented during the 1988-1989 school year. The first CAA exam was given on December 11, 1988 to 102 athletic administrators during the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ninety-seven athletic administrators successfully completed the program. Since the inception of the program, over 7000 athletic administrators have received the CAA distinction.

The trend by national associations, societies and professions to offer voluntary certification programs to their members was one of the primary reasons for the development of the certification program for athletic administrators. Some of these certification programs have more stringent requirements than others, but all promise at least one thing: increased recognition of the recipient’s high professional standards and commitment to the profession.

The examination was intended to be the culmination of the certification process. In order to qualify for the examination, an individual had to make an application and complete a Personal Data Form (PDF).

From the development of the certification program, the NIAAA subsequently added the Certification Committee to the list of NIAAA standing committees. The original certification process is unchanged. Access to the certification process has been made easier through the use of alternate sites for the examination. Previously, the examination was given only at the National Conference or during the summer NIAAA Board Meeting.

The CAA program may well be one of the most exciting and challenging projects undertaken by the NIAAA. It certainly has helped to further recognize and even to elevate the status of the professional interscholastic athletic administrator.

The NIAAA joined the National Certification Commission in October 1995 in an effort to stay abreast of information pertinent to the CAA program on a national scope.

The NIAAA Board of Directors in 1999 approved two additional levels of certification in order to meet the wide range of opportunities for athletic administrators. The NIAAA will offer a Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA), Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) and Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) beginning in the spring of 2000.

On October 26, 2001, Richard Jaffeson, Executive Director of the National Certification Commission informed Frank Kovaleski, then National Director of the NIAAA that the NCC had granted “full registration” to the NIAAA Certification Program.

 

Missouri Professional Certification

Professional certification in Missouri and throughout the country can be attained thorough the NIAAA at four levels. These are:

REGISTERED ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATOR (RAA)
REGISTERED MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATOR (RMSAA)                                                                              CERTIFIED ATHELETIC ADMINISTRATOR (CAA)                                                                                                                    CERTIFIED MASTER ATHLETIC ADMINSTRATOR (CMAA)

The NIAAA Certification Program is a voluntary professional service to athletic administrators with various levels of experience. An athletic administrator may earn certification as a Registered Athletic Administer (RAA), Registered Middle School Athletic Administrator (RMSAA), Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) and/or Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA). Less experienced athletic administrators, and /or master coaches may choose to make themselves more marketable with the RAA or RMSAA designation. More experienced athletic administrators may wish to earn the designation of CAA by combining the NIAAA Leadership Training with professional growth opportunities and services. Finally, through additional leadership training coursework, education, experience and leadership as well as the development of school/community based programs, an athletic administrator may qualify to attain the designation of CMAA. It is important to note that the certification is for individuals only and according to the NIAAA “does not imply that an association, school, or school district is certified”.

The implementation of four levels of NIAAA certification affords every athletic administrator with a ‘Blueprint” for achieving professional growth through a systematic, progressive process of developmental experiences. 

There has been a 50% increase in certification participation across the coutnry last year. Many school districts across the country are including certification as a requirement for athletic administration positions.

NOW is the time for you to begin this process if you are interested in obtaining the designation of RAA, RMSAA, CAA or CMAA using the current requirements.

Across the country there are 3,412 RAA’s, 121 RMSAA's, 7,467 CAA’s and 931 CMAA’s. So don’t be left behind……..JUST DO IT! You will be amazed how professional certification will result in a genuine sense of accomplishment and the amount of confidence you will have on a daily basis working as an athletic administrator.