FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --April 14, 1998
Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford -- 517.332.5046
EAST LANSING, Mich. - April 14 - The Michigan High School Athletic
Association Sports Nutrition Award, underwritten by the United Dairy Industry
of Michigan, will expand to educate and recognize the outstanding sports
nutrition efforts of its member schools in all 24 sports in which the Association
sponsors post-season competition in beginning with the 1998-99 school year.
For the past three years, the focus of the Sports Nutrition Program has
been to educate and present awards only in wrestling. The expansion of
the program to all sports was always a long-term priority of both sponsoring
parties.
"Teaching healthy eating habits is necessary in all sports,"
said John E. "Jack" Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA.
"To expand the Sports Nutrition Award program to educate, encourage
and reward the efforts of our member schools in all sports is a natural
expansion of a successful effort we have enjoyed the past few years in wrestling."
Under the expanded program, schools will be sent nutrition education materials
and award program entry forms. A school may submit a separate entry form
for any or all of the MHSAA sponsored sports in which they participate.
A winner will be selected for each of the 24 MHSAA sponsored sports and
will receive a $1,000 grant to enhance the winning sports program. A $500
scholarship will also be provided for a student-athlete participating in
the sport in which the award was presented. Additional details regarding
entry materials and awards presentations will be announced at a future date.
"The awards program will help coaches and athletes keep nutrition
top-of-mind all season long," said Donna Hensey, manager of Sports
Nutrition Programs for UDIM. "Learning about appropriate eating behavior
can have an immediate beneficial effect on athletic performance. Also,
long term, healthy eating may become a lifetime habit.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership
by over 1,330 public and private 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 is the only
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 boys and
12 sports for girls which attract approximately 1.3 million spectators each
year.
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.