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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --November 19, 1998
Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Nov. 19 - The first 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.

For the past three years, the Sports Nutrition Award focused on wrestling, and awarded over $75,000 in grants, scholarships and prizes during that time. For the first time in 1998-99, the program has been extended to honor schools in the 24 sports in which the MHSAA sponsors post-season tournaments.

Six of the 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, a seventh 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 campaign, which is the focus of its 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 Tournament at the Rose Arena in Mt. Pleasant on December 5.

The schools chosen to receive fall Sports Nutrition Awards are: Girls Basketball -- Saranac High School, Head Coach Robert Koerner, nutrition liaison Cindy Koerner; scholarship recipient Jodie Huver.
Boys Cross Country -- Sandusky High School, Head Coach Wayne Roberts, nutrition liaison Sandra Roberts; scholarship recipient Ryan Brown. Girls Cross Country -- Northville High School, Head Coach Chris Cronin, nutrition liaison Karin Nelson; scholarship recipient Alexis Troschinetz. Football - Saginaw Swan Valley High School, Head Coach Chuck Koons, nutrition liaisons Greg Whitney and Mark Sanger; scholarship recipient Andy Ramirez. Girls Swimming & Diving -- Mt. Pleasant High School, Head Coach Deb McAlpin, nutrition liaison Nate Tomson; scholarship recipient Regan Goodrich. Girls Tennis - Davison High School, Head Coach & Nutrition Liaison Jennifer Hall; scholarship recipient Jessica Sprovtsoff.

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. The head coach is Mark Urquhart, the nutrition liaison is Michele Urquhart, and the scholarship recipient is Kathy Harenski.

All schools which participated in Sports Nutrition Award program will be recognized with a certificate. Information for winter sports will be mailed soon to head coaches at each MHSAA member senior high school, and with the award recipients to be named in March, and the scholarship recipients to be honored at the Boys Basketball Finals in East Lansing on March 27. The spring sports recipients will be honored by the Girls Soccer Finals at Canton on June 12.

With headquarters in Okemos, UDIM is a non-profit, member-drive 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, private and parochial high schools and junior high/middle schools. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which does not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools may 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 United Dairy Industry of Michigan should contact Brenda Maneval at 517.349.8923 or 1.800.241.MILK (6455).