Fargo’s Todd Olson Adds To Legacy With NDIAAA Hall Of Fame Induction

The Fargo Public Schools Activities Director started his educational career in Grand Forks before moving to Fargo

FARGO, ND (KVRR) – He’s made stops all around eastern North Dakota, leaving a mark in just about every community he’s spent time in and has been recognized from time to time, but more recently, Todd Olson was given a pretty prestigious honor. The Fargo Public Schools Activities director was just inducted in the North Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

“These are the fellow athletic directors around the state,” Olson said. “Very humbled by it and it has given back to me an awful lot more than I’ve given to it.”

A graduate of Mayville State, Olson shined on the basketball court, ending up as one of the program’s all time leading scorers. After getting his master’s at UND, he wouldn’t go far for his first stop.

“I started as a teacher and a coach in grand forks and it’s been 21 years in that community. A lot of great people, a lot of wonderful friends.”

One of those friends in the business is someone he goes back in time with. West Fargo High Activities Director Jay DeCann, who isn’t surprised one bit at Olson’s latest award.

“It’s been great to see him do the things that he’s done for the state of North Dakota at the high school level,” DeCann said. “You knew back then he was going to do pretty good things.”

Those things have included four coach of the year accolades at Grand Forks Central where cavalier native led the 1996 Knights Boys Basketball squad to their first State Title in almost 20 years.

After spending some time as AD there, In 2012, he came down to Fargo, where he’s been for the last nine years.

“This opportunity presented itself and it’s an hour down the interstate,” Olson said. “You knew all the people before you got here so there was some comfort in coming to Fargo knowing most of the people in the education business.”

“You talk all the time about leave your legacy and what are people going to remember you for,” DeCann said. “I think there are a lot of positives the state of North Dakota with high school athletics as far as coaching and also being an athletic administrator.”