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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 1998
Contact: John Johnson 517.332.5046
Seasons Survey Results Announced
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Sept. 14 - A survey
to determine the preferences of its member schools regarding
the placement of sports seasons has shown that the status quo
is preferred by a four-to-one margin in results announced today
by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Responding to a request of the Kent Intermediate Superintendents'
Association, the MHSAA Representative Council voted in May to
conduct another survey to determine member schools' preferences
for sports seasons. This specific request was to determine
if school administrators, including superintendents, favored
the alignment of high school seasons with their intercollegiate
counterparts, which would have the following effect in Michigan:
· Moving Lower Peninsula Boys Golf from Fall to Spring
· Moving Girls Tennis from Fall to Spring
· Moving Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving
from Fall to Winter
· Moving Girls Basketball from Fall to Winter
· Moving Girls Soccer from Spring to Fall
· Moving Girls Volleyball from Winter to Fall.
Of 573 responding schools submitting useable surveys, 101 (17.6
percent) favored the change while 472 (82.4 percent) did not.
Five surveys were submitted without a yes or no answer.
Of the 20 school districts of the Kent Intermediate Superintendents'
Association, which in September of 1997 signed a letter requesting
the alignment of high school sports according to intercollegiate
seasons, only 5 voted in the affirmative on this summer's survey.
"This survey posed precisely the question the Kent Intermediate
Superintendents' Association requested we ask, and the results
show overwhelmingly what schools want," said John E. "Jack"
Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA.
Here is a breakdown by school classification of the responses
to the survey:
· Class A - Yes 12; No 131; 1 No Preference; 1 Undecided
· Class B - Yes 30; No 127
· Class C - Yes 27; No 131
· Class D - Yes 32; No 101; 2 No Preference; 1 Undecided
The placement of MHSAA postseason tournaments has been determined
throughout history by the time of year when most schools have
conducted their sports. The most recent survey effort represents
at least the fifth time in 20 years that the MHSAA has sought
its membership's input regarding the placement of girls basketball
and girls volleyball postseason tournaments.
In 1979, a mail survey of all member high schools indicated
that 90.2 percent preferred girls volleyball in the winter and
girls basketball in the fall.
In 1981, a mail survey of all member high school principals
indicated 88 percent opposed a combined season for girls and
boys basketball.
In 1985, a mail survey of all member high school principals
indicated that 85.5 percent opposed scheduling girls basketball
and boys basketball in the same season.
In 1994, 63.8 percent of 782 respondents at MHSAA Update Meetings
opposed changing girls basketball to winter and girls volleyball
to fall.
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. 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.
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