[Back to News]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2002
Contact: John Johnson or Randy Allen
517.332.5046 or www.mhsaa.com

EAST LANSING, Mich. - April 19 -- Forty-one year veteran official Robert L. Scholie, Sr., of Hancock received the Vern L. Norris Award from the Michigan High School Athletic Association in a presentation at its 23rd Annual Officials' Awards and Alumni Banquet, Saturday evening, April 20, at the Sheraton Lansing Hotel.

Scholie has been an MHSAA registered official in boys and girls basketball, football and track and field for more than four decades, and is a member of the Copper Country Officials Association.
He attended the East Detroit Public Schools while growing up, graduating from East Detroit High School in 1951. In 1955, Scholie earned his Bachelor's Degree in Education at Wayne State University. He then served in the United States Air Force from 1956-1958 before obtaining his Master's Degree in Education from Gonzaga University in 1959.

Now retired, Scholie spent 22 years teaching in the Detroit Public Schools and 20 years as owner and president of Hancock Coca-Cola Bottling. His officiating resume' includes officiating in the first MHSAA Football Finals in 1975 and numerous District, Regional, Semifinal and Final games in both the Upper and Lower Peninsula in basketball and football.

A mentor to many officials throughout the state, Scholie promoted the positive impact that can be realized from athletic officiating. He has been committed to officiating in a manner that promotes good sportsmanship and safety at all times.

Scholie has also served his community as a volunteer Little League coach and through numerous church service positions. He was nominated for the award by the West Pac Conference in the Upper Peninsula, whose members include Calumet, Dollar Bay, Hancock, Houghton, L'Anse, Ironwood and West Iron County High Schools.

The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who was executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86, and well-respected by officials on the local, statewide and national levels.

Previous recipients of the Norris Award are:

1992 - Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 - Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 - Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 - Jim Massar, Flint
1996 - Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 - Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 - Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 - Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 -- Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 -- Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,300 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.

(Copy by Matthew "Mo" Gerhardt, MHSAA Intern)