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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --November 16, 1999
Contact: John Johnson or Andy Frushour-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Nov. 16 - The fall sports recipients have been selected to be honored through the Michigan High School Athletic Association's Sports Nutrition Award program, underwritten by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

This is the second full year in which the program honors schools in the 24 sports in which in the MHSAA sponsors post-season tournaments. For the first three years of the program, the Sports Nutrition Award focused on wrestling.

Seven schools were selected in a drawing from all of the entries received in their respective sports to receive a $1,000 cash grant for their program, and a $500 scholarship for a student-athlete chosen by their own criteria. In addition, an eighth school was honored after being judged to have conducted the most creative nutrition education program of all the entries submitted. The merit award will present a $2,000 cash grant to a school's sports program and a $1,000 scholarship to a student-athlete of its choosing.

The Sports Nutrition Award program is part of UDIM's sports nutrition education program, which is the focus of its year-round partnership with the MHSAA. Schools in all sports were invited to participate in a program where they could implement a nutrition education program from a variety of options. Schools only needed to provide verification of participation in the program to become eligible for the prize drawing.

The fall sports scholarship recipients will be honored at ceremonies at halftime of the Class C championship game of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals at Rose Arena in Mt. Pleasant on December 4. The game begins at 5 p.m. (EST)

The schools chosen to receive fall Sports Nutrition Awards are: Girls Basketball - St. Johns High School, head coach Mark Laceski, nutrition liaison Diane Penix, scholarship recipient Amy Marie Hyde; Girls Cross Country - Traverse City West High School, head coach Ann Post, scholarship recipient Emily Johnston; Boys Cross Country - Bear Lake High School, head coach Dal Townsend, nutrition liaison Lynette Maxey, scholarship recipient Aaron Shrum; Football - Rapid River High School, head coach Steve Ostrenga, nutrition liaison Francie Larrabee, scholarship recipient Adam Rushford; Boys Soccer -- Sandusky High School, head coach Randy Filkins, scholarship recipient Jesse Buck; Girls Swimming & Diving -- Ferndale High School, co-coaches Ann Herrold, Beth Thayer and Diane Chasteen, scholarship recipient Tara Haggerty; Girls Tennis -- Davison High School, head coach Jennifer Hall, scholarship recipient Jenni Benford.

Sandusky was a recipient last year in boys cross country, while Davison is receiving the girls tennis award for the second straight year.

All of the applications were considered for the Merit Award, given to the school judged to have the most creative sports nutrition education program. A committee of UDIM and MHSAA representatives selected the girls cross country application from Warren Mott High School for the second consecutive year. The head coach is Mark Urquhart, the nutrition liaison is Michele Urquhart, and the scholarship recipient is Nicole Yuhase.

All schools which participated in the Sports Nutrition Award program will be recognized with a certificate. Information for winter sports will be mailed soon to head coaches at each MHSAA senior high school, with the award recipients to be named in early March, and the scholarship recipients to be honored at the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals at East Lansing on March 25.

With headquarters in Okemos, UDIM is a non-profit, member-driven association that conducts a total promotion program for Michigan produced milk and other real dairy products.

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.

MEDIA ADVISORY -- Media interested in obtaining more information about the United Dairy Industry of Michigan should contact Brenda Maneval at 517.349.8923 or 1.800.241.MILK (6455).