“It aligns ourselves and our program with the best practices with national standards,” said Micheal Senisi upon his receival of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Quality Program Assessment (QPA) award.
Fifteen of the nation’s best high school athletic directors were recognized and awarded in 2023, and Atholton’s very own Mr. Senisi was one of them. NIAAA is an accredited educational institution founded to support and enhance educational-based athletics in middle and high schools. Every year they issue a QPA award which recognizes high school athletic programs at the exemplary level.
“Michael was the recipient of the NIAAA Quality Program Assessment Recognition for meeting standards of excellence in 10 categories which display direct evidence based documentation within the athletic department at Atholton,” said a representative at the NIAAA in an email to The Raider Review.
“This recognition places Athletic Director Michael Senisi and the Atholton Athletic Department as one of 70 schools in the nation who have obtained the NIAAA QPA Recognition.”
The QPA Recognition was presented in late December at the annual NIAAA conference. This year, the conference was held in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Senisi made the trip, and was presented with a plaque, banner, and commendation letter in recognition of his hard work and dedication to Atholton’s athletic program.
“Senisi is one of the most important people in this building,” said Daniel Ogordi, a student athlete at Atholton, “he’s in charge of the whole athletic program for the school and he does most of the work with little help.”
To show gratitude for all that Senisi has done for the Atholton Athletic department, the Atholton administration surprised him by presenting him with the award again before the Varsity Girls basketball game on Friday, February 2nd.
This award reflects all of the dedication Mr. Senisi has put into his work throughout his time at Atholton.
“It’s taken about two years to do this so it’s been a long task,” said Mr. Senisi, “but it allowed me an opportunity to look at our program and make some changes that we need to best meet the needs of our kids, community, and coaches.”
One of the changes inspired by this award is the reboot of Atholton’s Athletic Advisory council.
Senisi explained, “We’re starting back up our athletic advisory council. This will allow student athletes to have an input in our athletic program, to see changes that they would like to see through a student athlete’s perspective.” This council was in effect before the covid lockdown and it will soon be reintroduced.
Mr. Senisi is grateful for all of the people who helped him achieve this recognition. He thanks the administration because “they allowed me to look at the program and make changes as I see fit.”
He is also grateful for all of the coaches at Atholton who “do a lot of things behind the scenes that allow us to get the best opportunity for our student athletes.”
This award recognizes Atholton’s athletic department as one of the best in the nation thanks to all the work Mr. Senisi has done. “He really does care for the program,” said Ogordi.
“He is an important person in the AHS community and without him, our athletics wouldn’t be as organized as it is today.”