Lathrop High Athletic Director Chuck Selna was recognized as one of the Rookies of the Year at the California State Athletic Directors Association Conference in San Diego.

The other Rookie of the Year honor – athletic directors with four years or less at their respective schools – from the Sac-Joaquin Section went to Laguna Creek High AD Jon Ussery.

“To receive this honor took a lot of great people,” said Selna, who started at LHS at the beginning of the 2017 school year. “It starts at the top with (Principal) Greg Leland.

“He gives me the guidance to do the job and he’s been there as a former AD (at Sierra High).”

Selna also praised his secretary Karen Dell’Osso for the great overall job that she does on a regular basis.

Given the large area that the Sac-Joaquin Section encompasses, two award winners from the north and the south were named in each of the categories.

Jeff Dellis from Nevada Union and Greg Magni from Central Valley earned AD of the Year honors.

Lodi High AD Erin Aitken – she helped mentor Selna during his time there – was selected as CSADA President-elect at the conference.

SJS Commissioner Mike Garrison was also in attendance.

Selna, who is a 1987 graduate of Tracy High, got his start at Riverdale High in south Fresno County. He coached football, basketball and baseball.

He credits Jack Jordan, his football coach at Delta College, for helping get his start.

Selna also had stints at Central High (Fresno County), East Union High, Lodi High and his alma mater Tracy High prior to coming to Lathrop.

During his time as AD, the Spartans’ girls basketball squad captured titles in both the Valley Oak League and, most recently, the Western Athletic Conference.

On Tuesday, Selna was on his way to Ceres where the LHS boys’ volleyball team was looking to wrap up the WAC title.

CSADA, which has a strong connection with the California Interscholastic Federation since its inception, is one of the biggest volunteer associations for most of its 50 years of existence.

The mission is to create an athletic directors’ educational organization while helping increase the professionalism, knowledge and consistency of ADs in schools from throughout the state.

The awards are a major part of CSADA – its part of giving back to those hard-working athletic directors and recognizing the outstanding ADs.