By TESSA ROBERTS
Moapa Valley Progress
A Moapa Valley High School administrator was honored earlier this month by the Nevada Athletic Directors Association. MVHS Assistant Principal Tony Polzien, was recently named as the 3A Athletic Director of the Year by the Association at its March 1 meeting held at The Orleans Casino in Las Vegas.
Polzien received high praise from his peers, colleagues and friends.
“Tony Polzien has exceptional effort for all the work he has done at Sunrise Mountain High School, as well as here at Moapa Valley High School,” said MVHS Athletic Director Dallas Larson.
Polzien worked as an administrator at Sunrise Mountain High School before coming to MVHS at the end of 2017. It was a return of sorts for Polzien as he had previously worked as Band Instructor at MVHS in the years before.
Polzien’s work at Sunrise Mountain contributed to the school’s first win at State in men’s soccer, their first appearance in the playoffs in football and their first win at playoffs.
After his return to Moapa Valley, the MVHS football team ironically beat Sunrise Mountain High School during playoffs that season.
Polzien was later selected to serve as an advisor on The Board of Control, for Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.
“He is well respected by the coaches at Moapa Valley and Sunrise Mountain High school,” said Larson. “He is also well respected by the many peers in CCSD and also around the state of Nevada. His background as a coach in football, wrestling and baseball gives him an insight and practical outlook as an athletic administrator.”
MVHS Principal Hal Mortenson also said that it is an honor to have Polzien at the high school.
“He has a wealth of knowledge in student athletics as he was previously a coach and now as an athletic administrator,” Mortenson said. “He is very well liked among the students, coaches, teachers, colleagues and administration. He is a true Pirate.”
