Dorman, Jim

Jim Dorman, a 1970 graduate of Castlewood High School and a 1975 graduate of South Dakota State University, has devoted more than four decades to education-based athletics as an athlete, coach, administrator and statewide leader. A four-sport standout at Castlewood, he was a three-time all-conference football player and a member of the school’s 1970 State B track championship team, anchoring the sprint medley relay. He continued his athletic career at South Dakota State University, where he earned two letters as a defensive back. Dorman began his career in education at Hamlin, where he served as a teacher, coach, and eventually athletic director. Over a 25-year coaching career, he contributed to numerous successful programs, including multiple state championship teams in football and track & field. His leadership extended to Madison High School, where he served as athletic director, activities director, and assistant principal, before moving to Sioux Falls Lincoln High School. At Lincoln, Dorman served as assistant principal in charge of activities for 11 years, overseeing one of the most successful athletic programs, highlighted by 24 state championships. Widely respected for his organizational skills and leadership, Dorman became one of the most influential figures in South Dakota athletics administration. He served as executive director of the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association for more than two decades, as well as executive director of the South Dakota High School Coaches Association and the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame. His leadership also extended nationally through significant involvement with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, where he served on the NIAAA Board of Directors for three years, earned the organization’s Distinguished Service Award in 2015, and was later inducted into its Hall of Fame. Dorman’s contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including South Dakota Athletic Director of the Year awards and national finalist recognition for Athletic Director of the Year. He is a member of multiple halls of fame, including the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association, the South Dakota High School Coaches Association, and several South Dakota-based organizations. A Certified Master Athletic Administrator, Dorman’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to students, coaches, and the values of education-based athletics. His impact is evident not only in championships and honors, but in the generations of leaders and programs he has helped shape across South Dakota.