Retired South Huntington Athletic Director Makes NYS Hall Of Fame

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — Dr. James Wright, the retired South Huntington Athletic Director, was inducted into the New York State Athletic Administrators Hall of Fame, adding to an already impressive list of career accolades, the school district announced.

Wright was the athletic director for the South Huntington School District from 2001 until he retired in 2021.

Wright was a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and New York State Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA) for 20 years. In Section XI, he stood as a Conference 1 president and served on seeding, finance, and policy committees while chairing girls cross country, fencing, and softball.

He is now the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) chair for softball and represented the NYSAAA on two NYSPHSAA Strategic Plans.

Wright remains a huge advocate for school athletics, as he's remained involved, according to the district.

"Sports prepare students for what they will encounter in real life," Wright said in a news release. "You learn to deal with adversity and have the opportunity to grow mentally and physically."

Wright is seen as a trailblazer in professional development both in New York state and nationally, the school district wrote. He independently created a comprehensive seven-course program for health and physical education directors (PEHPC) and created a program for aspiring and new Athletic Administrators (AAMPD). Wright has been New York’s delegate to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly four times. He is an NIAAA national faculty member for LTC 707 and has presented various workshops on technology, social media, mentoring coaches, and concussion management locally and nationally.

Wright’s other accolades include the NYS AHPERD Physical Education Director of the Year in 2011, the NYS Council of Administrators Physical Education Director of the Year in 2013, and the Suffolk Zone and NYSCOA Amazing Person Award.

He was the Section XI Wrestling Coaches Administrator of the Year twice (2013, 2017) and received the NYSAAA Chapter 11 Athletic Administrator Award in 2013. Additionally, in that year he received the NYSCOA Elis B. Champlin Award in Physical Education, their highest award. In 2019, he was awarded the NIAAA State Award of Merit for New York, and that same year, Wright received the Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Award from the NIAAA.

Along with his induction into the Hall of Fame this year, he also received the Dr. John Foley award for Professional Development for the second time.