Sterling Heights, Utica

UCS’ Dilday honored

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo courtesy of Utica Community Schools Utica Community Schools Athletic Director Robin Dilday has been honored for his contributions to student athletics, winning the MHSAA’s Allen W. Bush Award. Photo courtesy of Utica Community Schools Utica Community Schools Athletic Director Robin Dilday has been honored for his contributions to student athletics, winning the MHSAA’s Allen W. Bush Award.

Utica Community Schools Athletic Director Robin Dilday was recently honored for his years of service as the Michigan High School Athletic Association bestowed its Allen W. Bush Award upon him.

The award is given annually to an administrator, coach, official, trainer, doctor or member of the media who has at least 15 years of experience in Michigan interscholastic athletics with unusually frequent and significant contributions to the MHSAA. Allen W. Bush was a director with the MHSAA from 1960 to 1978.

“I really appreciated it,” Dilday said about receiving the award. “I never thought about it, but I know the significance of it. It’s something that touched me.”

This award has been doled out to a handful of recipients each year for the past 21 years, with the selections being made by the MHSAA’s Representative Council. Dilday, a Utica High graduate, is one of four administrators statewide to win the award this year.

Dilday has worked in education for 38 years and for Utica Community Schools the last 28, including the past 18 as the district-wide athletic director. He’s also spent the past 18 years as president of the Macomb County Athletic Directors Association, works with the Macomb County Special Olympics and is the community fundraising chair for the district’s middle school sports programs. He was named to the Utica High School Hall of Fame in 2011.

He’s taken a leadership role in numerous projects, starting with the expansion of athletic program offerings, and the development of a coach’s handbook and student-athlete code of conduct for UCS schools. He’s also helped head up efforts to construct athletic facilities, hosted various MHSAA tournaments and served on several MHSAA committees.

While he didn’t want to talk much about his individual work and accomplishments, Dilday instead wanted to highlight the success of the district’s sports teams.

“It’s really hard for me to pick and choose one thing,” he said. “I like being able to see the benefits for the kids and enjoy those successes.”

Dilday said he’s participated in athletics most of his life in some capacity or another, competing and coaching, but never really thought about becoming an administrator until a couple of former colleagues at Utica Henry Ford II approached him about it.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” he said “It’s a position where you’re able to work with people, and get things done and have a positive influence. That’s the nice thing about the job.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1040. Follow Jon on Twitter.