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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --July 21, 1999
Contact: John Johnson -- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. - -One of the most popular educational services offered by the Michigan High School Athletic Association is PACE -- the Program of Athletic Coaches' Education, which is co-sponsored with the Youth Sports Institute at Michigan State University and the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

The 1999-00 schedule includes seven single-day Level I programs; five one-day Level II seminars; six two-day Level I programs; and three two-day Level II program. The two-day programs meet on a Monday-Wednesday within in the same week. Last year, 845 coaches attended the program.

For a full schedule and registration form, click here.

Among the PACE venues are workshops scheduled at major meetings of statewide coaches and athletic administrator associations. During 1999-00, PACE Level I and II programming will again be offered at the fall meeting of the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan, the winter meeting of the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, and in conjunction with the MHSAA's Women In Sports Leadership Conference.

"We continue to receive excellent cooperation from allied groups which integrate PACE workshops into their major annual meeting programs," said Jerry Cvengros, MHSAA Associate Director and coordinator of PACE from the Association office. "PACE continues to be one of the most popular services the MHSAA offers to the coaching community."

Cvengros adds that PACE continues its popularity because it teaches the game outside the line -- teaching much more than game strategies. "We see whole coaching staffs, sometimes veteran coaching staffs, enrolling in the program because the coaching environment has changed so much in recent years. Many schools are requiring attendance at PACE as a condition of employment for its new coaches, be they faculty or non-faculty. More colleges and universities now include enrollment in PACE as part of their undergraduate coaching curriculums."

PACE provides training in legal responsibilities, prevention and care of sports injuries, physical conditioning, planning and evaluating instruction, motivation of student-athletes, positive coaching and MHSAA regulations.

Registration for PACE is $50 per individual for the single-day, Level I seminars, and those who complete Level I may register for Level II at a cost of $25 each. The four-week seminars are $75 per individual, or $60 if five or more coaches from the same school system enroll at the same site. For more information, contact the MHSAA at 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823. Telephone: 517/332-5046. E-Mail: [email protected].

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 conducted in 12 sports for girls and 12 sports for boys which attract approximately 1.3 million spectators each year.