Dr. R. Dawn Comstock of Colorado is a public health director who spearheaded the National High School Sports-Related Surveillance System (High School RIO) from 2004 to 2020. In that time, Comstock’s surveillance system produced crucial data regarding concussions in young athletes and led to her involvement with several sports-related children’s health committees and panels.
NFHS Citations are awarded to individuals whose contributions have impacted high school activity programs through their association with one of the following groups of professionals: state associations and NFHS staff, athletic directors, coaches, officials, music adjudicators and directors, and speech, debate and theatre directors.
Liam Frawley, CMAA, athletic director at Tappan Zee High School in Orangeburg, New York, isthe recipient of the 2016 NFHS Coach Educator of the Year Award. Frawley has held his current position with the South Orangetown Central School District since 2005. He is dedicated to personal and professional development, as evidenced by his service to the New York State Athletic Administrators Association, currently as its vice president and before that as chairperson for professional development. Frawley has also worked in collegiate and private schools, in addition to eight seasons as an athletic trainer in professional baseball. He has been recognized by his alma mater, Manhattan College, with a Distinguished Alumni award. Since the fall of 2013, Frawley has worked closely with Robert Zayas, executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, to lobby the New York State Education Department to develop a pathway to coach certification that was less restrictive than the previous 120-hour classroom instruction (over a five-year period) requirement to receive a profession coaching license.