06/30/23- Assistant Commissioner Darren Bilberry Receives NFHS Citation for Section 2

June 30, 2023 2022-2023 News Releases

KHSAA Assistant Commissioner Darren Bilberry was one of eight individuals recognized on June 30, 2023 at the NFHS Annual Summer Meeting in Seattle. The eight 2023 state association Citation recipients are Larry White, Section 1, retired executive director, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA); Darren Bilberry, Section 2, assistant commissioner, Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA); Ernie Yarbrough, Section 3, assistant executive director/coordinator of officials, Georgia High School Association (GHSA); Todd Tharp, Section 4, assistant director, Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA); Jennifer Schwartz, Section 5, associate director, Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA); Mike Whaley, Section 6, associate director, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA); Roger Blake, Section 7, retired executive director, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF); and Andy Barnes, Section 8, assistant executive director, Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. 

Bilberry has served as assistant commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) since February 2007. His primary duties include student eligibility, Title IX education and managing various sports and activities.

During his time at the KHSAA, Bilberry has managed the sports of soccer, swimming and diving, softball and field hockey, along with the sport activities of bass fishing and bowling.

Prior to his 15-year association with the Kentucky state association, Bilberry was involved in athletic administration at the collegiate level. He was a part of the staffs at Southern Illinois University and Auburn University before returning to his alma mater, the University of Kentucky, to serve in the Kentucky athletic department.

Following his time in intercollegiate athletics at these three universities, Bilberry spent four years in secondary education as a special-needs teacher and assistant football coach before joining the KHSAA.

After graduating from Fort Knox (Kentucky) High School, where he participated in football, basketball, and track and field, Bilberry earned a football scholarship to the University of Kentucky and was a three-year letterman and earned Academic All-Southeastern Conference honors. He went on to earn his master’s from Kentucky as well as a master’s in education from Georgetown (Kentucky) College.

In addition to his work at the KHSAA, Bilberry has devoted time to the NFHS in his sports of expertise. He has been a member of both the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee and the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee.