Liam Frawley

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has selected Liam Frawley, CMAA, athletic director at Tappan Zee High School in Orangeburg, New York, as the recipient of the 2016 NFHS Coach Educator of the Year Award.

Liam has held his current position of Athletic Director and Director of Physical Education 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, (NY Yankees, Montreal Expos, & Milwaukee Brewers) in professional baseball. He has been recognized by his alma mater, Manhattan College, with a Distinguished Alumni award.

Since the fall of 2013, Liam 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.

“Liam was instrumental in helping to revolutionize New York’s coaching certification program, which will encourage more coaches to become certified,” Zayas said. “We are excited to have the opportunity to offer the NFHS coaching courses in an effort to benefit the students of New York State.”

Liam also worked with Dan Schuster, NFHS Director of Coach Education, to create the courses and utilize the NFHS online education website to meet the needs of the New York State Education Department curriculum. On July 1, 2015, this option was approved, opening a new path for more coaches to become certified in New York.

This past January, Liam suffered a traumatic brain injury.  He now faces many months of rehabilitation in his recovery.  Liam grew up in the Bronx and, in addition to Rockland, Westchester, and the surrounding counties, has maintained an extensive network of relationships there as well as throughout NYS.

Liam has been recognized by many different professional associations, as has Tappan Zee HS’s athletes for its athletic/citizenship (dual) focus. At the time of this incident, Liam was set to be recognized by the National Federation of High School Associations as its 2016 NFHS Coach Educator of the Year Award recipient. Although he was not able to attend the ceremony, his family and many colleagues were there to accept his award. He is very closely affiliated with the NYS Public High School Athletic Association and has played a role in the design and implementation of an on-line curriculum to meet the requirements of the NYS Education Department to open a path for more coaches to become certified in NYS.

                             We dedicate this site to Liam’s recovery.