Alaska School Activities Association Associate Director Sandi Wagner was honored with the inaugural Coach George Houston Service Award on Wednesday at the Alaska Airlines Region V 4A Basketball Tournament at Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s B.J. McGillis Gymnasium in Sitka.
The award was created by the Region V Board of Directors in recognition of the late Houston (1950-2023), who died Oct. 26, as a tribute to his legacy and commitment and devotion to players and the basketball community.
The award was presented by JDHS activities director Chad Bentz and JDHS boys basketball coach Robert Casperson between game sessions.
While Wagner did not make any remarks at the ceremony in front of a packed house, her tears said it all, as she and Houston were close friends.
“I was honored to present the award with Chad, and it was clear that Sandi was very humbled and honored to be the first recipient,” Casperson said. “The Juneau School District, Region V, and the state of Alaska have all benefited tremendously from her years of dedication and service to the youth through activities. She fits the criteria for the CGHSA perfectly and absolutely sets the standard for those who are bestowed with the award in the future.”
(Video courtesy of Andrew Friske / MEHS)
Eligible candidates include coaches, officials, athletic directors, administrators, and members of the broader community whose endeavors align with the principles and spirit of Houston, demonstrating a genuine commitment to the betterment of players and the basketball community as a whole.
“I can’t say enough about Sandi Wagner,” Bentz said. “She was my former teacher, my mentor and my friend who I’ve known for almost 30 years. I have learned so many different things from her about being an AD, how to improve as a coach, as well as a PE teacher. She continues to help anyone who seeks it. She loves what she does, and I have no doubt that she will continue to be involved in activities as long as she can. Presenting her with the award was one of my biggest highlights of my career as an AD, and I’ll never forget that moment. She deserves to be in the spotlight even though that’s the last thing she’d ever want.”
Wagner was acknowledged for her dedication, commitment and perseverance in efforts to support and enhance the Region V community; for her service, acts of generosity, kindness and selflessness that prioritized the well-being and development of students and athletes and the broader community; and her impactful and tangible contributions and initiatives that have positively influenced their experiences and fostered a sense of unity and camaraderie within the Region V community.
Alaska referee and official Keith Perkins, a longtime friend of Wagner, announced the award to a crowded gymnasium.
“Region V has unanimously agreed and is extremely pleased to announce the inaugural inductee Sandi Wagner for the Region V Coach George Houston Service Award,” Perkins read. “Her tireless advocacy for kids, as demonstrated by her work experience in the Juneau School District as a coach, teacher and administrator and in her leadership as Region V President, ASAA board member and former NFHS Equity and Citizenship Committee member for over 31 years in Alaska…She has mentored many and continues to help athletic directors across the state and country for that matter. There is no better way to start this award off with setting the standard as high as it can go with Sandi Wagner…”
Wagner and Perkins were both close friends with Houston and shared emotional hugs during the presentation.
“We shared about three good hugs,” Perkins said. “Our first hug was just a warm, teary-eyed hug. We each simply said to each other, ‘I miss him.’ On the second, we just talked about him. Our last hug I simply told her this was so right that she would be the first because of her imprint on JDHS, Region V, ASAA, and beyond. Her heart, my heart — we just kept coming back to George…She didn’t want to talk about the award. She was classic and class Sandi…we just kept thinking about our friend.”
Wagner’s list of accomplishments includes teaching in the Juneau School District for 31 years and she was the JSD activities director for 29 of those years. During that time, she was also part of the Region V Board of Directors and continues to represent ASAA on the Region V Board.
Wagner was Alaska’s only representative and member for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) for 10 years.
Wagner also coached the Juneau-Douglas High School volleyball team for 27 years and soccer for 21 years. She also coached basketball with Houston for three years.
Wagner has been the ASAA associate director for the past nine years and is responsible for historical data, the Alaska High School Hall of Fame and awards, and she serves on the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. She is the NIAAA Liaison and also coordinates tennis, 3A/4A volleyball, cheer, soccer and softball.
MEHS Residential and Activities Principal Andrew Friske, who is also the Region V president, helped craft the wording for the award.
“When Sandi was nominated it was a no-brainer,” Friske said. “It was a perfect way to honor Coach Houston and Sandi at the same time. Both humble, both passionate and both deserving…I told Sandi it almost seems that this award was tailored around her — which it wasn’t at all. She said just being mentioned in the same sentence as Coach Houston meant a lot.”
Earlier in the day, before she learned of the honor, Wagner was interviewed about what makes the Region V tournament and activities so special.
“It means a cohesive group of people that care about students and doing what is best for them and giving them the opportunity to compete,” she said.
Wagner, who has been involved with Region V tournaments as a coach, an AD, a Region V board member and as a Region V president, was asked about what made wearing all those different hats so attractive and fulfilling.
“The kids,” Wagner said. “When I went into admin and I went into ASAA, the thing that I missed the most were the students. You are still interacting with them, you are still doing things for them, but it is different. Yeah, the students stand out the most. There have just been so many great times and moments, you know, a group of very dedicated people working together and close friendships and networking.”
Wagner is also credited by her peers for championing female involvement in activities.
“When I first started I was the only female on the board,” she said. “And over the years that changed, and we got more females involved and more female coaches, and it is great to see. It has been awesome. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
