Greg Lee: Retirement fits former IHSAA director John Billetz

John Billetz is 2 ½ months into retirement from his post as the Idaho High School Activities Association executive director, and his first order of business was taking care of himself.

“Somebody said I needed a goal for the first 90 days of retirement,” Billetz, 63, said.

He looked at his gut and knew exactly what he needed to do.

“I decided to try to lose 40 pounds,” he said.

He’s happy to report he’s halfway there. He didn’t want to say on the record how much he weighed before going on a diet.

“It’s the most I’ve ever weighed,” said Billetz, who played football back in the day at the University of West Virginia. “I wanted to get a little more healthier than I have been.”

He put the 20-pound loss in perspective.

“That’s like taking a cup of water out of the Atlantic Ocean,” Billet said.

Billetz spent the last eight years overseeing high school activities. Without hesitation, he said it’s the best job he’s had.

He wishes he had become the executive director earlier in his 38-year education career.

Billetz retired with the IHSAA as healthy as it’s been, especially financially. When he replaced Bill Young, the IHSAA faced an immediate challenge with a slumping economy.

The IHSAA weathered that storm and last year gave back $300,000 to its member schools. The reimbursement breakdown was $130 per activity at each school.

So the IHSAA, for example, cut checks for about $3,000 to the biggest schools.

You don’t see other states in the region doing that.

The IHSAA also has a contingency fund that has capped at $500,000.

So if the economy goes in the tank, the IHSAA can function and pay salaries for at least a year, Billetz said.

Billetz, who spent 11 years as principal at Post Falls High before taking the IHSAA job, is back at his home in Post Falls, which is about a football throw from the school.

Although he bought a townhouse near Boise State University to live in while working at the IHSAA, he has no plans to relocate. He has a daughter and grandchildren in the Coeur d’Alene area.

Billetz is tying up loose ends after relocating to Post Falls in mid-July. During our interview, his Boise-based dentist called to confirm an appointment. He said he was switching back to his dentist in the area.

“I never see myself leaving this area,” he said. “We’re still going to go to Boise frequently. We like to go tailgate at the BSU games and go back to the townhouse and watch it on TV. We’re going to a concert next month. And we’ll go to some Broadway-style plays. And if we get tired of the winter, we’ll head down there.”

Billetz said as IHSAA director he got too much credit when things went well and too much blame when they didn’t. The key to success was appointing good administrators to supervise the state tournaments.

It’s a misnomer to think he wielded power around the state. He didn’t vote on any issues. That was exclusive territory to the 15-member board.

“I would steer conversation at times, and the board would ask me my opinion,” he said. “Really, my job was like being a superintendent.”

Billetz could have continued at the IHSAA, but he sensed it was time to go.

“It was getting tougher for my wife and I to commute to see each other,” he said. “I thought things were going well around the state and it’s always good to leave on your terms.”