NFHS rules writing committees consist of experts in the given sport.  Each committee member is nominated by state associations, as is the chairperson, who guides the members through their work.  Each of the NFHS’s eight sections are represented on the given rules committee.  To allow for equal representation, there is also a member of the NFHS Coaches Association and the NFHS Officials Association on each rules committee.  Each committee member serves a four-year term.

The NFHS is pleased to welcome two new members of the Girls Gymnastics Rules Committee: Stephanie Hauser and Jo-Di Tapia.

Stephanie Hauser, Chair, began her role with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Executive Staff as assistant director on July 6, 2015. Her responsibilities with the WIAA include the administration and coordination of duties for the sports of gymnastics, volleyball and softball. For three years, she administered the sports of cross country, and track and field. 

Hauser came to the WIAA Executive Staff from Stevens Point Area Senior High School where she served eight years as the athletic administrator and assistant principal. She has been active in working with the WIAA as a member of the Sports Advisory Committee since 2009 and as a member of the Volleyball Coaches Advisory Committee. Hauser has also conducted presentations at the WIAA New Athletic Director Workshop and the WIAA Sportsmanship Summit. 

Prior to her administrative role in Stevens Point, she was the assistant principal and activities director in the New London School District from 2003-07. She also possesses coaching experience at the high school level. Those include stints as varsity volleyball coach at Cumberland High School in 1991, Pulaski High School from 1993-97, Bay Port High School from 1998-99 and at Winneconne High School from 2000-03. Other coaching experience came at the junior varsity level as softball coach at Cumberland in 1991 and at Green Bay Southwest High School from 1992-94, where she also coached the junior varsity basketball team.

In 2013, she was named the District 2 Athletic Director of the Year by the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association. Other leadership experience includes serving as president of the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association and as chair of the WADA District 2 Representative and Scholarship Committee. 

She is certified as an athletic administrator by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, as well as, in Red Cross CPR/AED, Educator Effectiveness Calibration for Evaluation, and Drug Influence Training and Education. In addition to her involvement in WADA and the NIAAA, she has been a member of the Associations of Wisconsin School Administrators, Stevens Point Area Sports Commission, Friends of Stevens Point Area Athletics, Stevens Point Hall of Fame Commission, Community Parks Improvement Committee, Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association.

She is a 1991 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Superior with a degree in secondary chemistry education. She received a master’s degree in education leadership from Marian College in 1997 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She was a member of the UW-Superior women’s basketball and softball teams and was named team captain and most valuable player of the women’s volleyball team, receiving all-conference honorable mention.

Jo-Di Tapia, NFHS Officials Association, has a passion for gymnastics that began during her middle school years. She knew then that she wanted to find a way to pursue a career in gymnastics and to work with children.  Jo-Di received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado in Education and pursued a teaching career in Physical Education and Health, as well as coaching gymnastics. Shortly into her teaching career she realized that teaching health at the high school level was where she truly belonged, so Jo-Di went back to school at the University of Northern Colorado and earned a master’s degree in Health Education.

Judging gymnastics in the off season was a way for Jo-Di to keep in touch with the sport and provided a way to learn more about the sport that soon became another passion of hers. After 32 years of teaching and 10 years of coaching, Jo-Di retired from teaching, but continued to judge gymnastics at the high school level as well as be a member of the Colorado Judging Association and the Colorado Activities Recreation Association. Along with coaching and judging, Jo-Di has served on the Gymnastics Judges Association in various positions and has served as the committee chair on the Colorado High School Activities Association Girls Gymnastics Committee.

Jo-Di is married to Les, a retired Physical Education teach and baseball coach. They have two adult children, Christina and Brian, who were multi-sport athletes throughout their school years. Jo-Di enjoys hiking, especially at Rocky Mountain National Park, and other mountains in Colorado and other state’s National Parks. When at home, she likes going on bike rides and trying to maintain a flower garden. Jo-Di and her husband love to travel and have traveled to many parts of the world with many more places to see. Their bucket list includes going to all the National Parks, all the Major League Baseball Stadiums and anywhere else that looks intriguing. 

The new members take over for Jan Adkins (Chair) and Joanne Runge (NFOA).  Each of the outgoing committee members served the membership well.

The Girls Gymnastics Rules Committee Meeting will take place October 20-22, 2019 in Indianapolis, IN.