Tim Rogers, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Clair Muscaro, whose career in education began as a coach at Ravenna Township High School in 1956 and culminated with a reign of nearly 15 years as the commissioner of the powerful Ohio High School Athletic Association, will announce his retirement today.

The announcement will be made during the regularly scheduled meeting of the organization's board of control in Columbus, bringing an end to Muscaro's 20-year relationship with the OHSAA.

"I hate to see him retire," said Manchester principal and football coach Jim France, who has known Muscaro for almost 40 years. "Being the commissioner is a very, very difficult job. He is a man of high morals and he has had to make some very tough decisions over the years. We might not have seen eye-to-eye on all issues, but I always respected him. He will be a tough act to follow."

Muscaro, a native of Weirton, W.Va., who earned a master's degree from Kent State in 1959, declined to be interviewed for this story, saying he would prefer to wait until after the official announcement is made.

Bob Goldring, the OHSAA's director of information, said a committee of five board members would begin a search for Muscaro's replacement immediately. The job opening will be placed on the OHSAA's Web site today.

Sources have told The Plain Dealer that the next commissioner likely would be selected from outside the current administrative staff. Goldring said he was unaware of that decision.

The OHSAA staff is made up of the commissioner and five assistants, as well as Goldring.

One of the assistants is John Dickerson, who coached baseball and basketball and was an administrator at several schools in Northeast Ohio, including Elyria and Olmsted Falls. Dickerson, a native of Canton, has been with the OHSAA since 1995.

Muscaro, who was the principal at Woodridge High from 1967-84 and still has many friends in the Peninsula and Akron area, has guided the OHSAA to some of its greatest accomplishments and through some of its biggest controversies.

Under Muscaro's watch, which began on Jan. 1, 1990, the OHSAA has increased its emphasis on sportsmanship and scholarship. The organization has in place a catastrophic injury insurance policy that awards up to $1 million to any athlete who suffers a permanent injury during practice or in any game sanctioned by the OHSAA. For at least the last 10 years, member schools have not had to pay entry fees into any OHSAA tournament.

The football playoffs have flourished under Muscaro's guidance and the boys and girls state basketball playoffs also have been successful.

The organization has been involved in numerous lawsuits over recruiting issues, uniform issues and eligibility issues. It also was at the center of the LeBron James controversies and several years ago it was revealed by the Columbus Dispatch that several OHSAA administrators and district board members had taken extravagant business trips on the OHSAA ticket.

Muscaro is the eighth commissioner of the organization, which dates back to 1907. His tenure is the second-longest, exceeded only by the first commissioner, H.R. Townsend, who served from 1925-44.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

trogers@plaind.com, 800-683-7348 ]
© 2004 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.

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