AIA Executive Director David Hines to retire

Hines leaves a legacy of expansion and innovation in Arizona’s athletic landscape

By Pricilia Mugwa

PHOENIX — David Hines, Executive Director of the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA), will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year after an impactful eight-year tenure. Hines, who has been with the AIA for 16 years, will step down as the seventh leader of the association since its inception in 1925.

Reflecting on his career, Hines stated, “I have enjoyed each stop on my way to this position and the different roles I have served in. I’ve enjoyed working with the people in our office and alongside the statewide membership. But I’m not done yet. We still have a lot to accomplish this year.”

Under Hines’ leadership, the AIA has experienced unprecedented growth in athletics, activities, and technology. He has guided the association through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, marking one of the most dynamic periods in its history. Hines has played a crucial role in enhancing the AIA’s operations with an expanded staff to better serve member schools.

Hines noted, “The growth of the AIA and the things we can do have put us in the forefront nationally. The progress with AZPreps365 and the AIA online dashboard has been so beneficial for athletic directors to have a one-stop shop for many things. It is good to know the association has really moved the membership forward and we’re able to implement procedures that other states aren’t really doing.”

An Arizona native, Hines graduated from Tempe High School and played on the 1975 NJCAA National Championship football team at Mesa Community College. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University.

Hines began his career as a physical education teacher and coach before transitioning into administration. He served as the athletic director and assistant principal at Mesa Mountain View High School before joining the AIA in 2008 as a tournament coordinator. He was later promoted to Assistant Executive Director and then Executive Director in 2017.

One of Hines’ notable achievements is the expansion of sports opportunities for students. During his tenure, the AIA introduced adaptive sports, sanctioned new sports like beach volleyball, girls wrestling, and flag football, and recently added boys beach volleyball.

Hines expressed pride in the progress made, stating, “The things we’re doing with the Open Division and the true state championships, we’re elevating that to coincide with the growth of Arizona. We now have kids that are very competitive nationally and are able to go up against schools in states considered to be high-powered. We’ve even had more state records broken (in track & field) in the past two years than we have in a long time.”

The AIA has also expanded its divisions in football, basketball, and soccer during Hines’ leadership. His 10-year retrospective speech at the annual AIAAA conference highlighted the largest growth in participation in state history.

AIA Executive Board President Matt Belden praised Hines, saying, “His exceptional organizational skills, unwavering commitment, and positive attitude have been the backbone of our association. His ability to handle challenges with grace and efficiency has not only made a lasting impact on our daily operations but has also inspired those around him. David’s contributions have been invaluable, and his presence will be profoundly missed.”

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