Palmyra-Macedon Central School District Athletic Director Tom Schmandt has been awarded the New York State Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA) Chapter 5 Athletic Administrator of the Year.

Based on criteria outlined by NYSAAA, the award is presented annually to a Chapter Athletic Administrator who is a member in good standing of the NYSAAA who has made an outstanding contribution to athletics over the years, and has shown evidence of dedication to athletics through the activities of the NYSAAA. The recipient should also have practiced and supported the positive values of "education based athletics" throughout his/her career.

Schmandt was selected by his peers from the nine leagues which make up Chapter 5 (Section V). In total, Chapter 5 consists of over 125 schools. 

In his career spanning over two decades, Schmandt has been a fixture at Pal-Mac serving in a variety of roles including varsity football coach. For the past 11 years, Schmandt has led the Pal-Mac Athletic Department as Director of Physical Education, Athletics and Community Services. Other roles which he has worked in include physical education teacher and assistant principal at the middle school. Schmandt has also coached baseball in addition to patrolling the sidelines of the gridiron.

In his role as AD, Schmandt excels with ability to connect with students and the community at-large. The quality comes directly from his passion for athletics and appreciation of the role which sports and extracurricular activities play in the development of youth.

“Being connected with school and a team allows us to experience life and learn a multitude of lessons like winning, losing, resiliency, failure, disappointment, joy, discipline, work ethic, cooperation and collaboration along with many more,” said Schmandt.

The work of Schmandt can be summed up well in his own words as he states, “I hope students and parents cherish these moments yet keep them in perspective. High school is a fleeting moment in life, and we are looking to provide an education based program that allows personal growth. Just because it is not the way you would do it, does not make it wrong. It is not all about winning. It is about the journey to the championships, always learning from the experiences we have.”

Pal-Mac would like to thank Tom for his outstanding contributions to the district.

The award will be formally presented March 19 at the Roy O’Neill Awards Banquet in Saratoga Springs during the NYSAA Conference.