Plano ISD's Odenwald to Join UIL as Associate Athletic Director

June 18, 2007

Plano ISD Superintendent Dr. Doug Otto accepted the resignation announcement of Athletic Director Cliff Odenwald on June 7. Mr. Odenwald, who began his career in public education in 1978, has accepted the much-sought position of University Interscholastic League Associate Athletic Director in Austin, Texas.

“I can only wish Cliff my most sincere best wishes as he has secured a dream position for a professional who has dedicated his career to Texas student sports and public education,” said Superintendent Dr. Doug Otto. “He has been instrumental in affecting positive change and influence in Plano ISD, which has uniquely prepared him to serve at the state level. I have no doubt that the University Interscholastic League will benefit from his leadership just as we have in Plano ISD.”

During the four years Mr. Odenwald served as the Plano ISD Athletic Director, the district athletes achieved 36 district athletic championships. Also during his service, Plano athletes achieved many individual state championships in swimming, wrestling, track, and other sports. The team state championships numbered six since 2003 and included three state championship titles in the 2005/06 school year.

“If I have had any aspirations beyond Plano ISD it has been to serve all Texas school athletes and I now have the opportunity to fulfill that dream,” said Cliff Odenwald. “My experiences in Plano ISD have prepared me as a qualified candidate and I am willing to serve, but I must say that it is difficult to leave a community so focused upon excellence and student achievement both in and out of the classroom. The level of competition in Plano ISD inspires greatness. In addition to the many titles our students have earned, there are accomplishments that do not result in ribbons or trophies, but they are equally as important in the development of strong athletic and educational programs. I appreciate strides we have made in all areas of our program during my time here.”

Listed among the accomplishments during Mr. Odenwald’s leadership of the Plano ISD Athletic Department is the elimination of the student athletic fee (ACE fee) in 2007, which was adopted in 2003, and coincided with his arrival. The adoption of the fee was one measure to offset the effects of recapture. With aggressive marketing strategies and frugal budget management in cooperation with the district, the fee was eliminated fulfilling a promise the community.

Additionally, Mr. Odenwald is credited for organizing the Athletic Strategic Planning (ASP) effort through the secondary schools and for strengthening in-depth steroid education for coaches and students resulting in the much-emulated ATLAS and ATHENA education curriculum.

Biographical Information

Before joining the Plano ISD family of employees in June 2003, Mr. Odenwald was the Assistant Athletic Director in Garland ISD (1993— 2003). He began his athletic administration career by serving as the athletic coordinator at Naaman Forest High School in Garland ISD while concurrently teaching and serving as the head football coach in (1988—1993).

Mr. Odenwald departed public education during the years of 1982 – 1988 to serve at McMurry Universtiy in Abilene, Texas, first as a Physical Education Instructor/Coach (1982—1986) followed by a position as a Head Football Coach and Physical Education Instructor (1986—1988).

His first step into public education began at Wylie High School in Wylie ISD, in Abilene, Texas, as an assistant football coach and U.S. history teacher (1978 – 1980) followed by two years of service at Weatherford High School in Weatherford ISD, in Weatherford, Texas, as an assistant football coach and world geography teacher.