New NIAA director aims to resolve high school football split

Cate Sgroi has taken over as the executive director of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association with a primary goal of resolving the recent split in high school football. Thirty programs in the Clark County School District dropped out of NIAA competition for the current season. Sgroi is now working to determine how to bring those schools back into state-sponsored events.

The new director is the first woman to lead the state athletic body. She began the role only weeks ago and faces immediate questions regarding competitive balance and the relationship between the association and its member schools. Sgroi acknowledged the distance between the NIAA and the schools that departed.

“I think it's pretty clear that there's some disconnect,” Sgroi said. “Finding out what the root cause is there and why they felt that that was the best decision for their schools is ultimately .. a pivotal moment for us.”

Sgroi believes the core issue stems from schools feeling overlooked by state leadership. She noted that administrators often feel the board is not meeting their needs or finding solutions that benefit student athletes. To address this, she has already held meetings with principals and superintendents. Her plan includes surveying current members to identify specific concerns and refocusing the membership committee on serving existing schools.

Competitive balance remains a central point of debate, particularly regarding whether public and private schools should compete separately. Sgroi cited Nevada's geographic size and limited membership as complicating factors in that discussion. The NIAA currently includes approximately 125 member schools across the state.

“We have to look at the practicality of that in a state of our size geographically,” she said. The association is evaluating its competition structure ahead of future realignment discussions. Sgroi stressed that any structural changes must benefit entire regions rather than addressing the needs of individual schools in isolation.

The NIAA is also expanding its athletic offerings beyond football. Girls wrestling is now officially a separately sanctioned sport for this school year. The association plans to host its first lacrosse state championship in spring 2027, with interest expressed by schools in both Northern and Southern Nevada. Sgroi described the lacrosse program as fully prepared for its inaugural state tournament.