Norm Kaye (athletic director)
Encyclopedia
Norm Kaye founded the Sunshine State Conference
("SSC") in 1975 in Florida. The SSC is one of the premiere Division II (NCAA) sports conferences in the United States, having won 83 national championships. The six charter conference members were: Biscayne College (now called St. Thomas University
), Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida
), Eckerd College
, Florida Southern, Rollins College
, and Saint Leo College
.
At the time of the conference's founding, Kaye was Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at Saint Leo College
(now Saint Leo University). Kaye served as Commissioner of the SSC in its first year of existence, and then served as Executive Director of the conference for the following 12 years.
He was instrumental in building the Saint Leo athletic program over the course of five decades. He pioneered the professional physical education program at Saint Leo, which included Sports Management, Teacher Education, and General Physical Education. In 1977 he was named Chairman of the Division of Physical Education. Kaye also served Saint Leo for a three year period as Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Financial Aid.
Kaye is credited with coaching and mentoring hundreds of successful athletes and students. Notable Saint Leo baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
include Fred Cambria, Brian Dayett, Bob Tewksbury
, and Jim Corsi
. J. P. Ricciardi played baseball for Saint Leo and afterwards in the minor leagues before becoming a scout in the Oakland Athletics
organization and later a front office position. Ricciardi later became General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays
and is presently special assistant to New York Mets
General Manager Sandy Alderson
. Current San Francisco Giants
General Manager Brian Sabean
was an assistant baseball coach at Saint Leo. In 1984 Kaye hired former Major League Baseball Cy Young Award
Winner Mike Marshall to be head baseball coach at Saint Leo. Mark Carlson, a former student sports information director
for Kaye, is current Director of Broadcasting for the United States Golf Association (USGA).
Sunshine State Conference
The Sunshine State Conference was originally formed in 1975 as an NCAA Division II men's basketball conference. It has since expanded to sponsor championships in 14 sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball,...
("SSC") in 1975 in Florida. The SSC is one of the premiere Division II (NCAA) sports conferences in the United States, having won 83 national championships. The six charter conference members were: Biscayne College (now called St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University
Schools with the name St. Thomas University:*St. Thomas University *St. Thomas University *St. Thomas University, Japan...
), Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
), Eckerd College
Eckerd College
Eckerd College is a private 4-year coeducational liberal arts college at the southernmost tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.- Campus :...
, Florida Southern, Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
, and Saint Leo College
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic liberal arts university established in 1889 and located in Saint Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa. The University is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery...
.
At the time of the conference's founding, Kaye was Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at Saint Leo College
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic liberal arts university established in 1889 and located in Saint Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa. The University is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery...
(now Saint Leo University). Kaye served as Commissioner of the SSC in its first year of existence, and then served as Executive Director of the conference for the following 12 years.
He was instrumental in building the Saint Leo athletic program over the course of five decades. He pioneered the professional physical education program at Saint Leo, which included Sports Management, Teacher Education, and General Physical Education. In 1977 he was named Chairman of the Division of Physical Education. Kaye also served Saint Leo for a three year period as Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Financial Aid.
Kaye is credited with coaching and mentoring hundreds of successful athletes and students. Notable Saint Leo baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
include Fred Cambria, Brian Dayett, Bob Tewksbury
Bob Tewksbury
Robert Alan Tewksbury is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Tewksbury's talent was initially discovered by Andy Michael in Concord. Michael contacted the New York Yankees and Tewksbury was drafted by them out of Saint Leo University in the 19th round of the 1981 draft...
, and Jim Corsi
Jim Corsi
James Bernard Corsi was a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics , Houston Astros , Florida Marlins , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....
. J. P. Ricciardi played baseball for Saint Leo and afterwards in the minor leagues before becoming a scout in the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
organization and later a front office position. Ricciardi later became General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and is presently special assistant to New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
General Manager Sandy Alderson
Sandy Alderson
Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson is the general manager of the New York Mets. He previously served as an executive with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and the commissioner's office of Major League Baseball....
. Current San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
General Manager Brian Sabean
Brian Sabean
Brian R. Sabean is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the San Francisco Giants, a Major League Baseball franchise. He has held the job since 1997, when he replaced former General Manager Bob Quinn...
was an assistant baseball coach at Saint Leo. In 1984 Kaye hired former Major League Baseball Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
Winner Mike Marshall to be head baseball coach at Saint Leo. Mark Carlson, a former student sports information director
Sports information director
A sports information director is a type of public relations worker who provides statistics, team and player notes and other information about a college or university's sports teams to the news media and general public...
for Kaye, is current Director of Broadcasting for the United States Golf Association (USGA).