The South Dakota High School Activities Association has extended an offer to Kristina Sage of Freeman High School to become an Assistant Executive Director beginning in July, pending approval of the SDHSAA Board of Directors at its April 17th Board Meeting. Sage has been at Freeman High School since 1989, first as a teacher/coach, and for the last 7 years as Freeman’s Athletic Director. Sage will be taking over for Jo Auch, who is retiring from the SDHSAA this summer after serving as an Assistant Executive Director since 2008. Sage’s duties will include oversight of the SDHSAA sports official’s programming, as well as sport administrator for boys and girls tennis, volleyball, competitive cheer, competitive dance, sideline cheer, boys and girls basketball, gymnastics, and softball.
SDHSAA Executive Director Dan Swartos is excited about the hire, stating “Jo Auch’s service to the SDHSAA and nationally to the NFHS has been tremendous and we have been incredibly thankful to have experienced Jo’s expertise, kindness, and humility for the past sixteen years. Jo leaves big shoes to fill, and we are excited to bring Kristina Sage on to the SDHSAA Staff to continue her work. Kristina’s experience at Freeman High School and the Cornbelt Conference, as well as her established relationships with Athletic Directors across the state, will lend itself well to the position. I know Kristina will serve our member schools and their students with the same passion and skill that she has shown at Freeman High School.”
Sage’s hiring will become official at the SDHSAA’s April 17th regularly scheduled meeting of their Board of Directors. The SDHSAA is a voluntary non-profit staff of nine headquartered in Pierre, SD and provides oversight and administration for athletics and fine arts activities to 180 member public, private, and federal high schools representing nearly 48,000 high school students in South Dakota.