Plainfield North Athletic Director Elected To IHSA Board Of Directors

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield North High School's athletic director was elected to the Illinois High School Association Board of Directors, officials announced.

Ron Lear made Plainfield School District 202 history by being its first athletic director — and the fourth athletic administrator in IHSA history — to serve on the Board, according to Tom Hernandez, director of community relations.

Until a few years ago, Board seats could only be filled by high school principals. Now, athletic administrators can be elected to the Board if they serve as their school's ISHA official representative.

On the Board — which is the Association's administrative authority that interprets IHSA by-laws and establishes policies to meet the needs of 817 member high schools — Lear will serve as Division 3 representative. The division covers 125 schools, including all four District 202 high schools.

Lear will represent Divison 3 high schools on matters that come to the Board for review and input until his term ends in 2025, also the year he will retire, according to Hernandez.

"This is quite an honor," Lear said in a statement. "I want to represent not only my division but this entire state as best I can."

The Board isn't Lear's first experience with IHSA. He has also served on the finance committee as well as on the IHSA and Illinois Athletic Directors Association's administrators advisory committee.

"I've always been a guy that likes to be involved, to be able to give my ideas out and try to help my school, district and conference and now hopefully the state," said Lear, who's in his 18th year at Plainfield North and 12th leading the athletic department.