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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Sept. 23, 2004
Contact: John Johnson or Andy Frushour
517.332.5046 or www.mhsaa.com

EAST LANSING , Mich. – Sept. 23– One of the most popular services offered by the Michigan High School Athletic Association – its annual series of Update Meetings in October – will again offer in-service programming for athletic directors at five of the seven locations.

The Update series is attended annually by over 1,100 school administrators. During the meetings, information about current MHSAA activities is disseminated, issues affecting interscholastic athletics are discussed and attendees are surveyed on various topics.

Six luncheon meetings are scheduled in the Lower Peninsula and morning meetings are scheduled for Traverse City , as part of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals fall meeting, and Marquette in the Upper Peninsula . MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts will address high school superintendents, principals, athletic directors and school board members on a variety of topics at these meetings.

“These meetings are not only an excellent opportunity for the MHSAA staff to meet and discuss the issues with school administrators, but for those in attendance to meet with administrators from neighboring school districts with whom they normally are not able to have day-to-day contact,” says Roberts. “Issues discussed at the Update series are timely, and the information we gather through the surveys we conduct at these meetings is valuable to the Representative Council as it approaches topics the membership has placed before it for the coming year.

"The addition of the Athletic Director In-Service Workshops to the Update series has made it a very valuable teaching and listening tool for the Association.”

One of the major topics to be discussed at this year's Update series will be the proposed changes in the MHSAA postseason tournament calendar if the current sports seasons litigation results in court-ordered changes. Other topics to be discussed at this year's Update series are in the areas of officials retention, coaches education and cheerleading administration.

Roberts adds that the Update Meetings also provide school administrators an opportunity to ask questions and discuss any recent changes in the Association's rules and regulations. A survey is also taken on a variety of topics. This year's survey includes questions about potential tournament calendar changes; the three-player rule; girls competitive cheer; and the first practice and competition dates in all sports.

This will be the second year for Athletic Director In-Service programs to take place in a morning-long session prior to most of the Update Meetings. These workshops are designed to help prepare those administrators for the rigors of their jobs, and placing them into the Update meeting schedule resulted in more than doubling the attendance over previous years.

Parties interested in attending the Update Meetings and Athletic Director In-Service Meetings may obtain more information by contacting the MHSAA office at 517.332.5046.

Here is a schedule of the 2004 Update Meetings:

• Sept. 27 – Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City (7:15 a.m. – Part of the MASSP Conference)
• Oct. 6 – Pine West, Kalamazoo (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 11 – English Hills County Club, Comstock Park (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 13 – Zehnder's Restaurant, Frankenmuth (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 18 – Hidden Valley Otsego Club, Gaylord (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 20 – Holiday Inn South, Lansing (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 27 – De Carlos Center , Warren (Noon)
• Oct. 29 – Northern Michigan University , Marquette (10 a.m.)

Lunch will be served at all sites except Marquette . Breakfast will be served at Traverse City , where the Update will be part of the MHSAA's Annual Business Meeting.

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,500 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.

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