BULLETIN
February 2001 Volume LXXVII Number 5

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
East Lansing, January 17, 2001

Executive Committee Authority and Responsibility - The Executive Committee was reminded of its authority under Article VII of the MHSAA Constitution and specifically its responsibility to consider each application for waiver of an eligibility requirement on its individual merits, determining if the regulation serves the purpose for which it was intended in each case or if the regulation works an undue hardship on any student who is the subject of a request for waiver. (These underlying criteria may not be restated for every subject of these minutes.)
The Executive Committee was reminded that it was the responsibility of each member school involved to provide sufficient factual information about the specific request for the Executive Committee to reach a decision without further investigation. If information is incomplete, contradictory or otherwise unclear or has been received too late to be studied completely, the Executive Committee may deny the request for waiver or delay action. Such requests may be resubmitted to the Executive Committee with additional information at a subsequent meeting or appealed to the full Representative Council.
A determination of undue hardship is a matter addressed to the discretion of the Executive Committee within the educational philosophy and secondary role of voluntary extracurricular competitive athletics in the academic environment. The Executive Committee was cautioned to avoid making exceptions that would create precedent that effectively changes a rule without Representative Council action or local board of education adoption, which would exceed Executive Committee authority.
Students for whom waiver of a particular regulation is granted must be eligible in all respects under all other sections and interpretations of the regulations prior to their participation.
Adoption of these regulations is a choice schools make locally when they consider their option of MHSAA membership. Consistent with rulings of the Attorney General and Michigan Supreme Court, schools are not bound by the decisions of the Executive Committee, but the association may limit participation in the post-season tournaments it sponsors to those schools which choose to apply rules and penalties as promulgated by the MHSAA and adopted by each member school's board of education. The MHSAA exercises no independent authority over schools or students during regular season.
Wyoming-Godwin Heights High School (Regulation I, Sections 4 & 5) - A Bosnian refugee enrolled Sept. 30, 1999 at Godwin Heights High School, was placed in the 9th grade and played JV soccer for approximately one month. After the season when the student's records were received, the student was reassigned to the 8th grade. He reenrolled in 9th grade in August 2000. The school requested waiver of the semesters of enrollment and competition limitations so the student would have three more first semesters of competition.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver pending receipt by the executive director of third party documentation attesting to the refugee status of the student and his family.
Ann Arbor-Huron High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - For the Nov. 8, 2000 Executive Committee Meeting, a late request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who previously attended high school in Nova Scotia where he did not participate in athletics (the school has no teams). He sought to participate in ice hockey. Huron High School does not sponsor a subvarsity team in the sport, so Section 9(B) was not an option. He relocated from his mother's residence in Canada to relatives in Ann Arbor to assist him in avoiding use of alcohol and other drugs. No date of enrollment was provided.
The Executive Committee was not persuaded that this student's circumstances were analogous to a Bosnian war refugee or that precedent should be established to grant waiver for students who were transferring because of their alcohol use; and the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
The school requested that the Representative Council waive the transfer regulation for this student. At its Nov. 29, 2000 meeting, the Representative Council referred this item to the Executive Committee for its reconsideration if additional independent documentation was provided regarding the circumstances of this student's living situation in Canada.
The additional information provided to the Executive Committee consisted of the student's date of enrollment (Nov. 14, 2000), newspaper accounts of life on the reservation on which he had lived and a copy of the Memorial Tribute to the student's sister, who took her own life Dec. 12, 2000.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.
Berkley High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who had physical and emotional problems throughout his life. He has returned to Berkley High School after spending 11th grade at Eton Academy in Birmingham for academic assistance. There had been no change of residence since before 9th grade. The student had not participated previously in interscholastic athletics.
Noting the documented circumstances and the facts that the student had not participated and was returning to the original school, and concluding there was no competitive advantage to the student or school, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.
Bloomfield Hills-Lahser High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who transferred from Bloomfield Hills-Andover High School for physical and psychological reasons. She enrolled at Lahser High School on Jan. 2, 2001.
Noting that the student's parents had been advised in writing by the school district and had agreed in writing that the student would be ineligible, and in the absence of compelling independent medical documentation, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Burr Oak High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who has lived in the Burr Oak district since 5th grade but attended Sturgis Christian School where he had conflicts with school personnel and was unable to get classes he needed for graduation. He enrolled at Burr Oak High School on the first day of classes of the 2000-01 school year.
The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Center Line-St. Clement High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility at the subvarsity level was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who transferred Jan. 9, 2001 from Detroit-U of D Jesuit High School where he did not participate in interscholastic athletics.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the subvarsity level during the remainder of the 2000-01 school year.
Ecorse High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the subvarsity level was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled Sept. 25, 2000, after previously attending River Rouge High School where he did not participate in an MHSAA tournament sport.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the subvarsity level during the first semester of the 2000-01 school year.
Ecorse High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the subvarsity level was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled Oct. 17, 2000, after previously attending River Rouge High School where he did not participate in an MHSAA tournament sport.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the subvarsity level during the remainder of the 2000-01 school year.
Farmington Hills-North Farmington High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who previously attended and played football at Farmington Hills-Harrison High School. The transfer occurred Dec. 5, 2000, for personal, emotional and academic reasons.
The Executive Committee cited lack of detail and independent documentation, and denied the request for waiver.
Lincoln Park High School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment at Lincoln Park High School beginning Oct. 23, 2000, was made on behalf of a student who has been living with his mother in a Lincoln Park residence since before the transfer from Gabriel Richard High School.
The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Ortonville-Brandon High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the subvarsity level during the remainder of the 2000-01 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled Nov. 2, 2000, having previously attended Springfield Christian Academy where he participated in its soccer program. At its Nov. 29, 2000 meeting and pursuant to the explicit condition of the section of the regulation developed by the Representative Council and adopted by member schools, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
The school resubmitted the request under Section 9(D) but then advised that waiver was not sought at the end of 90 school days but at the start of the second semester of the 2000-01 school year.
The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Saginaw-Valley Lutheran High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grader, formerly a foreign exchange student from Russia, who attended Bay City-John Glenn High School two years ago and Tuscaloosa Academy in Alabama last year. The school requested eligibility for the remainder of this school year and 12th grade.
Citing the specific provisions of Interpretation No. 78 which had been adopted by both the Representative Council and local school districts, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Warren Woods Tower High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the subvarsity level was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who began this school year at Warren Woods Tower High School after attending 9th grade at Warren-De La Salle Collegiate High School where he did not participate in school sports.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the subvarsity level during the first semester of the 2000-01 school year.
Warren Woods Tower High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the subvarsity level during the second semester of the 2000-01 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who attended Warren Woods Tower for 9th grade through September of 2000 when he was withdrawn and home schooled. He will reenroll Jan. 22, 2001. The student participated in athletics in 9th grade but did not participate in any sports during the 2000-01 school year.
The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
West Bloomfield High School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment at West Bloomfield High School was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who transferred from Orchard Lake-St. Mary High School.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver, effective with the student's 91st school day of enrollment at West Bloomfield High School.
Whitehall High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who is being treated for depression. She is attending Whitehall High School but would attend Muskegon-Orchard View for the second semester of 2000-01 and return to Whitehall at the start of the 2001-02 school year. She would not participate in interscholastic athletics at Orchard View.
In the absence of compelling independent medical documentation, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.
Ellsworth Community School (Regulation III, Section 1) - Request was made to waive Interpretation No. 223 to permit 6th-grade boys and girls to participate on the 7th and 8th-grade track teams.
The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver for track and field only for the 2000-01 school year only.
Flint-Beecher and Davison High Schools (Regulation V, Section 3[C]) - A junior varsity football game between these schools at Beecher High School on Oct. 19, 2000 was ended prematurely by officials for lack of control by both schools of their game personnel and spectators. The Executive Committee reviewed (a) the Officials Report; (b) media reports; (c) Beecher's response to MHSAA inquiry; (d) Davison's response; (e) Big Nine Conference Grievance Report; and (f) updated summary of situations involving Beecher High School.
The Executive Committee determined that prior to its Feb. 14, 2001 meeting, Beecher High School must provide MHSAA staff copies of its response to the Big Nine Conference Grievance Report and have its athletic director, principal and superintendent meet with MHSAA staff in East Lansing.
Parchment High School (Wrestling Weight Monitoring Program) - The school requested waiver of the deadline for administering a retest.
The Executive Committee noted the options for appeal that were available but not utilized and denied the request for waiver.
New Member School - Pursuant to the MHSAA Constitution adopted by member schools and according to procedures for MHSAA membership as established by the Representative Council March 21, 1997, The Executive Committee approved an application for membership for Southfield-Alex & Marie Manoogian School. The school has not been a member since the 1998-99 school year. It is a public school academy with 80 students in grades 9-12 and anticipates sponsoring basketball and cross country for boys and girls. Because the Membership Resolution was received Oct. 10, 2000, the school is not eligible for MHSAA post-season tournaments during the 2000-01 school year.
Borrowing Resolution - The Executive Committee approved a borrowing resolution for the purchase of two network printer/copiers, which will result in less expense than current lease agreements.
Additional Items - The status of two long-pending lawsuits was discussed.
Next Meetings - The next meetings of the Executive Committee are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing; Thursday, March 22, 2001, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing; Wednesday, April 18, 2001, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing; Saturday, May 5, 2001, at 6 p.m. in Gaylord; and Wednesday, June 6, 2001, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing.

PUBLICATIONS - Monthly Bulletin distributed to junior and senior high schools and registered officials; Officials Directory and School Directory and calendars prepared; Book of Champions published; Association Handbook distributed to junior and senior high schools; rule books for football, basketball, track, swimming, wrestling, gymnastics, soccer, softball, spirit, ice hockey, volleyball, and baseball distributed to schools and registered officials; blanks and forms were distributed to schools. Stripes and Mentor were published and distributed to all registered officials and head coaches, respectively. The Officials Guidebook was published for distribution to all prospective officials. The Coaches Guidebook was published and distributed to all schools. The Competitive Cheer Manual was published for the seventh time.
RULES MEETINGS/CLINICS - General meetings and rules meetings held in baseball/softball, competitive cheer, football, basketball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, golf, wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball, soccer, and ice hockey for coaches and registered officials. The Officials Awards and Alumni Banquet honored 20 and 30-year officials. Special meetings were conducted for coaches association presidents and league and conference executives. Tournament managers meetings were held in most sports. Meetings were held with representatives of local officials associations. An ad hoc Officials Review Committee was convened to develop initiatives to better serve and support officials, local officials associations and officials assignors. In-service programs for officials assignors and sessions to train the basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling, soccer, baseball and softball trainers of approved officials associations were conducted. The 12th Women in Sports Leadership Conference was held. Meetings for competitive cheer judges and coaches were held separately across the state for the seventh time.
COMMITTEES - Over 300 different individuals served on Association committees during the 1999-00 school year.
PARTICIPANTS - Approximately 256,000 students were members of interscholastic athletic squads of the 737 member high schools during the 1999-00 school year.
REGISTERED OFFICIALS - There were 11,025 officials registered in one or more sports during the year.
UPDATE MEETINGS - Meetings for 1,159 people were conducted during the fall in Frankenmuth, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Gaylord, Pontiac, Comstock Park, and Marquette.
PACE SEMINARS - There were approximately 906 participants who completed one or more courses in the Program of Athletic Coaches' Education at sites throughout the state during the 1999-00 school year.
ATHLETIC DIRECTORS IN-SERVICE - 272 athletic directors participated in the Athletic Directors In-Service programs at 9 sites throughout the state during August of 1999.
SPORTSMANSHIP - continued to be an emphasis of the association. In place of the Statewide Summits of 1997 and 1998, the association distributed nearly $20,000 in mini-grants to support sportsmanship initiatives at the local and league levels.

The Representative Council has established procedures for indicating the intention to run for elected positions on the MHSAA Representative Council.
1. Any individual who is a representative of a member school (administrator, faculty member or board of education member) may submit his or her name to the MHSAA office by March 15.
A. Candidates must have superintendent or principal approval in writing.
B. It is essential that candidates be qualified for the position they seek.
1) If the position is for a representative of a certain area of the state, they must represent a school of the appropriate class (A and B or C and D) in that geographic area.
2) If they seek the position of a statewide at large representative, they must be a faculty or board of education member of an MHSAA member school. This includes administrators but not non-faculty coaches.
3) If they seek the position of statewide representative of junior high/middle schools or private and parochial high schools, they must be faculty (teacher or administrator) or board members for such schools.
2. Names submitted will be published in the May Bulletin and typed on the ballot mailed to member schools in September.
Elections will be held in the fall for the following positions:
Class C and D Schools—2 openings
Southwestern Section
Southeastern Section
Class A and B Schools—1 opening
Upper Peninsula
Statewide At-Large—1 opening
Jr. High/Middle Schools—1 opening
City of Detroit—1 opening
The procedures established for indicating the intention to run for elected positions are the same for the Upper Peninsula Athletic Committee as those stated above for the Representative Council.
Elections will be held in the fall for the following:
Class D U.P. School—1 opening
Class C U.P. School—1 opening
Class A-B U.P. School—1 opening

A procedure has been adopted by the Representative Council to select MHSAA committee members. In the early spring of 2001, all superintendents, principals, athletic directors, and coaches who desire to serve on MHSAA committees may submit their names for nomination. This is a summary of the make-up and responsibilities of MHSAA standing committees:

Description of MHSAA Committees

SPORT COMMITTEES
1. Consist of a balance of administrators and varsity coaches in the particular sport, plus the president of the coaches association for that sport.
2. Responsible for:
(a) recommending to the Representative Council changes regarding MHSAA regulations relative to the sport.
(b) recommending to the staff procedures, sites, and assignments for the MHSAA tournament in that sport.
Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Girls Competitive Cheer, Cross Country/Track & Field, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Skiing, Soccer, Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEES
1. Consist of administrators.
2. Responsible for selecting sites and assigning teams for all levels of MHSAA tournaments in the particular sport.
Girls & Boys Basketball (meets twice), Cross Country/Track & Field Site Selection, Track & Field Standards

SEEDING COMMITTEES
1. Consist of tournament managers and varsity coaches.
2. Responsible for determining seeded players and their positions in each flight and for assisting the tournament managers in conducting the tournament draw. Must have knowledge of players statewide and rules for making the draw.
Girls Tennis Area Seeding Directors, Boys Tennis Area Seeding Directors

OFFICIAL SELECTION COMMITTEES
1. Consist of tournament managers, athletic directors and coaches.
2. Responsible for selecting officials for most levels of tournaments in most sports.
Baseball, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Competitive Cheer, Football, Girls Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Girls Softball, Girls Volleyball, Wrestling.

OTHER STANDING COMMITTEES (Established and appointed by the Representative Council for specific purposes)
1. Athletic Equity Committee — Committee is to meet once a year to recommend to the Representative Council annual objectives designed to encourage participation by more women and minorities in interscholastic coaching, officiating, and administrative positions.
2. Awards Committee — This committee meets once as a group and corresponds throughout the year to establish policies and procedures and screen candidates for four MHSAA awards: Forsythe, Bush, Norris, and Women in Sports Leadership.
3. Classification Committee — The committee meets annually to study and make recommendations to staff and Council regarding policies and procedures of classifying schools for tournaments and elections. It consists of two representatives each from MASB, MASA, MASSP and MIAAA, plus other appointees to assume adequate representation of all sizes and types of schools.
4. Board of Canvassers — Comprised of a superintendent, two high school principals, one junior high/middle school principal and one athletic director. Members are responsible for counting the ballots for the election of Representative Council members and members of the Upper Peninsula Athletic Committee. Generally, the committee meets only once, but in the event of ties or runoffs, the entire committee or a portion of the committee returns to count runoff ballots.
5. Junior High/Middle School Committee — This committee is comprised of junior high/middle school principals and athletic directors to review rules and regulations as they pertain to junior high/middle schools.
6. Scholar-Athlete Committee — Established to administer the MHSAA Scholar-Athlete program, this committee consists of approximately 60 people who agree to attend two of three scheduled meetings each year and review award applications through correspondence.

Criteria for Nomination and Selection of MHSAA Committee Members

There are several criteria to consider before completing the Nomination Form:
1. Coaches should be on the school faculty and able to obtain release time from school.
2. The nominee should have at least two years of experience in the position currently holding.
3. Most committees require only a one meeting date commitment at the MHSAA building in East Lansing. Committee meetings are held during the work week.

Appointments to committees are based on the following criteria:
1. Committees should have male, female, and minority membership which reflects the total pool of available personnel.
2. Committees should maintain geographic and class size representation.
3. Some administrators will be appointed to sport committees.
4. The coaches association president/secretary of each sport is appointed to that sport committee, if the person is a school employee. If the President/Secretary is not a school employee, the Association must send a designee who is an administrator, faculty member or board of education member of an MHSAA member school.
Names of nominees will be submitted to the Representative Council for selection.
Over 300 people will be selected from the list of nominees submitted to serve on 38 MHSAA committees.

Very much has changed during the years since I first began to observe and share in the leadership of school sports in Michigan. A list of all of the things that are new or being done differently today versus the mid-1980's would take several pages of this Bulletin.
Still I resist the idea that all things must change, and I resent the implication of some people that the real leaders are those who cause and/or manage change.
To the contrary, the real leaders may be those people who are able to discern those things that should change from those that should not, and who act accordingly.
Merely because a thing can be changed doesn't mean it should be changed. And some changes should not be made and must be resisted.
Sometimes leadership is being at the head of the parade with all of its glory; but just as often, maybe more often, real leadership means being at the end of the column, out of favor, resisting the column's march in a particular direction, being dragged along kicking and screaming in objection.
The worst advice that any true leader could take is that of Werner Erhard who is often quoted as saying, "Ride the horse in the direction that it's going."
What if it's the wrong direction? Should we subordinate our own thoughts and wills to a horse?
No, human beings are blessed with intellects and with courage to help them distinguish positive change from negative, and to go against the flow when such is required as a matter of conscience.
Thomas Jefferson said, "In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of substance, stand like a rock."
Price Pritchett and Ron Pound have written "A Survival Guide to the Stress of Organizational Change." The booklet assumes change will occur and is intended to reduce the stress of change and to help the reader survive change. Among the 15 "Basic Mistakes" about which they write is "Decide not to change." They say, "Resisting change is one of the most common causes of stress on the job."
Of course it is! But going along just to get along with ill-conceived or designed or timed change does more damage than cause stress; it kills the spirit. It robs the worker of principle, of passion, of commitment.
Pritchett and Pound publish a "Survival Guide" that reads in part:
"Rather than banging your head against the wall of hard reality and bruising your spirit, invest your energy in making quick adjustments. Turn when the organization turns. Practice instant alignment."
Sounds like a bowl of Jell-O. This advice is mindless drivel of the "don't worry, be happy" school of thought. It's the kind of thinking that has allowed the erosion of standards in sports, schools and society.
Many of the changes in policies or procedures for school sports in this state - from single-sport specialization by athletes to the modification of the bench decorum rule for basketball coaches to elimination of the contest-by-contest exchange of eligibility lists by schools - may not have been good for students or schools or school sports. Many of the changes forced on state high school associations in other states by outside forces - for example, the relaxation of enrollment, age and transfer/residency rules - may not have been good for students or schools or school sports.
In fact, aside from improvements in facilities, physical training and equipment - some of which arguably has had both negative and positive effects - most changes that have occurred in school sports have represented a backsliding from the primary and precious principles of educational athletics.
It adds only a little to my stress level but a lot to my spirit to continue to fight for the fundamentals of school sports, which usually pits me against the trends and fashions of change.
Ultimately, I will not prevail. But someday I will go to my retirement and grave with the knowledge that I fought a good fight and slowed the decline in the standards and practices for interscholastic athletics.
I can live with that.

I just can't erase what had just happened to the football team. It was Saturday, 4:46 p.m. and all that is on my mind is – to my team's dismay – we were defeated in the regional final by East Lansing, 28 - 14.
It is my senior year. All year expectations for my team had been tremendously high. Everyone had one goal in mind – to play at the Silverdome.
After the loss, as I walked into the locker room and looked around, I saw tears, anger, and disappointment. Disbelief filled the air. All the time spent in the weight room, the seven-on-seven scrimmages in mid-July and the dog days of summer, looked as though they had not paid off.
The emotion of the defeat crowded my mind. Why didn't I do this? Why didn't I do that? If we had only made one more block or just one more tackle, the outcome could have been totally different. But I could not dwell on this lost opportunity; I had to learn from it.
As I sat in the locker room with my teammates and coaches, 1 realized they weren't just my teammates; but were my friends, or better yet, my family. They were people, with whom daily I had spent time and had developed friendships. We had laughed and cried together, but above all I learned from them.
Down the road I can use this experience. It may help me, as I venture off to college on my own without my friends or I may use it in my career or as I start a family and raise kids of my own. I learned so much and have many terrific memories. From day one, the team had unity like no other that I had ever been on. It was as if we were just one big family. All the seniors were captains and they took their responsibilities seriously. They were someone the underclassmen could took up to.
It wasn't just the 11 starters on defense or on offense that united the family, it was everyone from the first player to player number 55. The team's overall attitude was amazing. The community came out and showed their support. Loving parents were with us through each and every step. And then there were the coaches, who put in extra time and gave us encouragement and made us strive for excellence.
Coach Lauer, my freshman football coach, taught me the beauty of football; that it is more than just winning or losing. He taught me to cherish each sound, sight, and smell. He would always remind our team that we would remember these days for the rest of our lives. Even when we are watching our own kids playing football, we would still see ourselves on the field catching the winning touchdown pass or sacking the quarterback that one last time. He taught me to cherish every moment of this wonderful game; for one day it will help me with the facets of life
We received more education from this season than any class could ever teach us. We learned about LIFE! Everyone knows life doesn't always work out the way we want it to. Life isn't always as sweet as cherries, but we do have the ability to make the best from the situation we are given.
At that moment I realized the tears of my friends and teammates were not due to our defeat or the season being over, but because they realized that our family had just been broken up. We may never be part of something so unique or special ever again. We may still see each other in the halls, say hi to each other, hang out with each other on weekends, but in the end we will go our separate ways. Some are already working hard on the basketball court or on the wrestling mats, while others are taking a much needed break. Whatever the case, the memories will always bring a smile to our faces.
I will never forget this season. I will always remember the faces of my friends on the field, the packed Al Stockman Stadium, the locker room full of streamers and signs from the cheerleaders on game day, and everyone and everything that was involved with the Lakeshore football tradition. As for my football friends and family, I will miss you. I will never forget you. Thanks for the memories, the triumphs and defeats, and the lesson learned -- LIFE!

— David Machemer
Stevensville Lakeshore Senior

As an apprehensive freshman, joining the swimming and diving team was like taking a plunge into a huge pool of uncertainty and anxiety. I was nervous and not sure whether to expect calm waters or tidal waves. Nevertheless, that first day of practice back in August 1997, I walked into the East Grand Rapids Community pool, and what would soon prove to be one of the best and most valuable experiences of my life.
Over the past four years I have come to know my roommates as sisters and my coaches as friends. I have had innumerable good times as well as some difficult times, but through it all, it has been an experience I will never forget. I joined the team hoping to have fun, be successful and maybe even learn a little something, and that is exactly what these last four years have provided.
Junior year. The tense, atmosphere of the much-anticipated State Meet along with high expectations for another championship title created intense pressure within the walls of the Eastern Michigan University pool. The competition was stiff, but I had been diving fairly well Friday night and I was off to a satisfactory start. With strong performances in the preliminary and semifinal rounds, I had qualified for Saturday's finals in fifth place. The next day, I came back hoping to merely maintain my position. I thought a fifth-place finish was pretty good, especially considering who I was up against. But once I walked into the pool for finals, I found atmosphere to be completely different, 100 percent more motivating. With my teammates cheering me on, my final dives were better than I could have ever imagined. It was very exciting, not to mention unanticipated, but as a junior, I got to stand up on the second-place block. I had finished runner-up in the state.
Senior year. Again, with the pressure, to earn another team state title, the added expectation that stemmed from my second-place finish the year before, as well as the many friends and family members watching from the stands, I was anxious to do well. Everything has to go perfectly, I thought, especially since it is most likely my last opportunity. Friday night before preliminaries and semifinals, I warmed up for what seemed like an eternity. I watched the competition closely and prepared myself for what would hopefully prove to be my best meet ever. But for some reason, the dives weren't the way I'd practiced the scores weren't nearly what I'd expected, and dive by dive, I watched my hopes for a top three finish wash down the gutter. It was like a bad dream, and all I could hope for was a miracle to give me another chance, but it wasn't going to happen. I didn't even qualify for finals. It was my senior year, my last meet, and I finished somewhere around 15th. I can't remember being as disappointed with myself as much as I was that night. My biggest fear in life, fear of failure, had befallen. People would say "good job" and I would become even more frustrated because – let’s face it – I didn't do a good job at all.
Through all this, I discovered something far more valuable than the second-place medal that my regional score would have earned me at the state meet; I had to realize the hard way that regardless of my individual success or demise, our team was strong. Both years, when I took an individual second and 15th place, our team won the state championship. As difficult as it was for me to accept my inadequate performance, I eventually had to realize that the team's success meant more. That day, some girls may not have had their best performances, but others had their fastest times, and together, we were state champions. I will never have another opportunity to dive at another high school state final meet, and I cannot go back and change what happened at this one. But even if I could, I wouldn't. Every person has had their share of disappointment and success, and this time around, it was my turn to be disappointed. After all, nobody is perfect. I had a great career regardless of this one meet and the team had a great finish regardless of my performance. These experiences have taught me some of the most important lessons in life, most of all that a whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and there is no "I" in the word TEAM.
Together Everyone Achieves More. We proved this beyond a reasonable doubt. Our spirit, vivacity, togetherness, talent and FOCUS are a dynamite combination. We are a winning team in every aspect. I am thrilled to have been a part of it, and even more honored to have been captain. Being a leader has been a wonderful experience, but one thing I greatly admire about this team is that there are not only three leaders, there are 60. Sixty people who have worked hard, made sacrifices, motivated one another, cheered on their teammates, and set an example. That's what makes this team so strong, and that's what fuels a state championship.
Nobody can achieve what we have on their own; they need the support of teammates, coaches, parents, friends and even the community. Without all these people, none of this would be possible.
A huge thank you to the coaches; their job is bigger than anyone realizes. They give us their time, wisdom, love, and encouragement, They have patience, they work hard and they deal with 60 moody teenage girls on a daily basis – heaven knows they should be making six figures for that alone. But they are simply good people; people who have impacted our lives in ways we cannot describe. Thank you coaches for all you've done, the list is endless.
Without our families, we would not be here today, literally and figuratively. Our parents come to our meets and sit in the 100-degree stands for hours just to see us compete. They are far more nervous for us than we actually are. They make us dinner after hard practices, wake us up in the middle of the night for morning practice, give us the thumbs-up when we do a good job, and give us a hug and reassurance when things don't go cur way. They buy our bathing suits, caps, towels, T-shirts, you name it, and they do it. Most of all they love us and cheer for us and cry for us and bend over backwards for us. Half of them are bankrupt and have a fall head of gray hair by the end of the four years, but they still support us. Thank you parents, for everything you've done. This list is endless as well.
Whether we realize it or not, our community also supports us. How many of you had at least 10 people congratulate you on the state championship? How many of you had five copies of the Grand Rapids Press article in your mailbox the next day with notes from neighbors? The school and community of East Grand Rapids are proud of us and they have good reason.
Finally, as I said before, it is teammates that make the difference. Thank you teammates for your positive attitude, never-ending support, hard work and big smiles. Thank you for everything you have done, and all the wonderful things you do and say. I wish I could thank you all individually.

— Kristin Riekels
East Grand Rapids Senior

745 Total High Schools
627 (84%) Total Public Schools
•21 (3%) Charter (Public School Academies)
•606 (82%) Traditional Schools

118 (16%) Total Nonpublic Schools
•110 (14%) Religious
•8 (1%) Non-Secular

519 Total Junior High/Middle Schools
466 (90%) Total Public Schools
•10 (2% Charter (Public School Academies)
•456 (88%) Traditional Schools

53 (11%) Total Nonpublic Schools
•52 (10%) Religious
•1 (1%) Non-Secular

The Representative Council again has attempted to set up schedules of division of proceeds and allowances for team expenses of schools participating in the 2001 Basketball Tournaments which will be as adequate as possible in view of probable receipts. It should be kept in mind by schools that participating in MHSAA tournaments is voluntary and that expenses of teams competing in tournaments are not guaranteed, although the MHSAA in the past generally has reimbursed competing and entertaining schools where local receipts did not meet the allowed expenses. The cooperation of all schools competing in the 2001 tournaments is asked in order that there may be an equitable return both to entertaining and competing schools, and to the MHSAA so that its services to schools and the broad program of meets and tournaments in sports other than basketball may be continued.

ADMINISTRATION OF TOURNAMENTS
The Representative Council formulates the general plans for MHSAA tournaments each year and is assisted by two committees – the Upper Peninsula Athletic Committee and the Lower Peninsula Basketball Tournament Committee. These committees arrange the details of tournament administration, select District, Regional and Quarterfinal centers, and assign competing schools to the various tournament centers. A special committee is appointed to assign officials in the Lower Peninsula. It has long been the policy of the MHSAA to have a large number of school people participate each year in the planning and execution of the tournaments to insure the best possible results and meet the needs and desires of schools.

Tournament Centers
128 District Centers
32 Regional Centers
Final Tournament games will be held at 16 Quarterfinal Centers, Semifinals and Finals at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Dates of Tournaments
District Tournaments -- Monday through Saturday, March 5-10, 2001
Regional Tournaments -- Tuesday through Saturday, March 13-17, 2001
Quarterfinals -- Tuesday, March 20
Semifinals -- Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23
Finals -- Saturday, March 24, 2001

FINANCIAL PLAN
Transportation Expenses of Competing Teams at District, Regional and Final Tournaments
1. At all tournament levels, competing teams will absorb their own travel expenses where the distance to the tournament site is 50 miles or less from the competing school.

2. Beginning with the 51st mile one way, a competing team at District, Regional or Final Tournament level will be reimbursed at the following rate per mile from the home city to the Tournament Center City for each trip:

Up to 100 miles -- $1 per mile
101 to 150 miles -- $1.50 per mile
151 to 250 miles -- $2 per mile
251 to 350 miles - $2.50 per mile
351 miles and over -- $3 per mile

3. Those schools which travel 100 or more miles (one way) to a tournament center are allowed $200 for hotel expenses (receipts required). A school cannot receive both hotel and additional travel allowances if games are played on successive days. This applies to travel in both District and Regional Tournaments.

Other expenses Of Teams Competing at the Final Tournament
1. Meal Allowance -- The maximum allowance for meals is three dollars ($3) for breakfast, four dollars ($4) for lunch and six dollars ($6) for dinner, per person for a maximum of fifteen individuals.
2. Lodging -- The maximum allowance is the current hotel rate secured for a maximum of fifteen individuals. Allowance for expenses of competing schools at the Final Tournament will continue 24 hours after the time of the elimination, provided they remain at the Tournament Center City. Schools which are defeated in Quarterfinal games (Tuesday, March 20) will not receive expense allowances for coming to the Final Tournament Center to attend Final games. (Overnight lodging will not be arranged or reimbursed for schools within 50 miles of the tournament site unless competition begins before 10 a.m. the next day.)
3. Additional Per Diem School Allowance -- In addition to the above allowances, schools competing in the Final Tournament are to be paid $100 for each day their team plays in Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final games. Any of the four Upper Peninsula schools which win their Quarterfinal games on Tuesday, March 20, will be paid the additional $100 above allowed expenses for Wednesday, March 19, if they cannot return home Tuesday night.

Division of District and Regional Tournament Proceeds
1. Before any division of proceeds is made, the following are to be deducted from the admission gross receipts: cost of officials, the amount paid to scorers and timekeepers (payment to each of the above $20 for a single game on one date; $10 for each of the above officials for each additional game scored or timed on the same date). All other administration costs not specified above must be deducted from the school's share of the proceeds.
2. The balance is to be divided as follows:
30% to the entertaining school, (includes management, liability insurance, rentals, heat, lights, janitor, honorarium, etc.)
70% to the MHSAA, (includes allowed expenses for competing schools).
or
25% to the entertaining college or university, (includes management, liability insurance, rentals, heat, lights, janitor, honorarium, etc.)
75% to the MHSAA, (includes allowed expenses for competing schools)

Division of Final Tournament Proceeds
High schools and others entertaining a Quarterfinal game of the Final Tournament will receive 10% of the gross receipts plus $450 for administration expenses and security.
The cost of administration of the entire Final Tournament (officials, trophies, medals, management, etc.) will be deducted from the total of the balances from Quarterfinal games plus the proceeds from the Semifinal and Final games. The balance will be divided among the competing schools to the amount of allowed expenses as indicated above.

Admission Prices for Tournament Games
The Representative Council at its March 1998 meeting set the following prices for all tournament game tickets: Districts: $4, Regionals - $4, Quarterfinals - $4, Semifinals - $5, Finals - $6 (parking not included).
District, Regional and Quarterfinal Mangers are authorized to conduct a pregame ticket sale, but all ticket prices are standardized for students and adults regardless of pregame sale.

OFFICIALS
Assignment and Fees
Officials for tournaments will be announced following assignments made by the Upper and Lower Peninsula Tournament Officials Committees. Tournament managers and officials selected will be notified.
Officials for this year's tournaments were chosen from the people on the Approved List. The number of teams entered and the days of duration of the tournament determines the number of officials assigned to each center. Agreements are entered into with officials as independent contractors and notification made to tournament managers of the officials assigned. Fees were set as indicated below.

District and Regional Tournaments
Fee for officials working one game per day in District Tournaments will be $40 plus the round-trip allowance of 15¢ per mile (minimum allowance $3) from home city of the official to District Tournament Center City for each day they officiate.
Fee for officials working one game per day in Regional Tournaments will be $40 plus the round trip allowance of 15¢ per mile (minimum allowance $3) from home city of the official to Regional Tournament Center City for each day they officiate.

Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals
Fees for officials working in Quarterfinal Tournaments will be $45, Semifinal and Final officials will be $50 per day and expenses, the latter being limited to one round trip allowance at 15¢ per mile (minimum allowance $3) from home city of the official to Tournament Center City (official highway map mileage). Semifinal and Final officials will receive single occupancy lodging at the current hotel rate, and an allowance of $14 per day for meals. Officials assigned to Semifinal games only will receive lodging and meal allowance if their home city is 70 miles or more from the tournament site (map mileage).

DRAWING AT DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS
Drawings at both Upper and Lower Peninsula District Tournaments will be by lot with the names of all teams placed in the hat on an even basis. Any school which has played four or more games on a District Tournament floor during the 2000-01 season is not to draw a first-round bye at that District Tournament.
Drawings are to be completed not later than Saturday preceding the week of the tournament and should be made in the presence of as many representatives of the competing schools as desire to attend. Principals and athletic directors are encouraged to attend draw meetings to obtain specific information concerning administration of the tournament. At Districts, no drawings may be made in any class prior to the Monday of the week before the tournament begins (Feb. 26). Notification should be sent to all competing schools as to the time and place of drawing. Attendance of school representatives is optional.
The safest method of drawing so that no confusion will result is to place the names of the teams on individual slips of paper, fold and staple each of them or place them in capsules. Place these names in a hat or container so that they may be drawn one at a time. Have some neutral party draw one capsule, read it aloud, display it to the group and place the name of the team drawn on the first line numbered. Repeat the procedure placing each name in its bracket as drawn. If this method if followed, there can be no confusion or mistake.
Whenever the home or any other team that is participating in a District Tournament on a floor (one which it has played four or more games during the 2000-01 season) and there are byes involved, do not place the name of such team or teams in the hat until after the byes are drawn. Home teams (or those having played four or more games in tournament or regular scheduled play on the floor during the current season) are not entitled to byes on such floors in District Tournaments. This assures an open draw to all contestants and eliminates any chance of such a team drawing a bye.

ADVANCE MASTER DRAWING FOR 2001 REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS
Advance drawings of 2001 District Tournament qualifiers to Regionals again were authorized by the Representative Council. These advance master drawings apply to all 2001 Regional Tournaments. Separate drawings were made at the Sept. 13, 2000 meeting of the Basketball Tournament Committee for four-team Regional Tournaments.
For a four-team Regional Tournament, District teams qualifying into the Regionals were placed in a container and designated as follows:
2nd Lowest District No. vs. 2nd Highest District No.
Lowest District No. vs. Highest District No.

REGIONAL WINNERS
It is the responsibility of winning schools to obtain Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final Tournament information packets from the Regional Manager.

FINAL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
Sites and pairings for Quarterfinal and Semifinal games were established by the Representative Council and the Tournament Committee in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The pre-determined Quarterfinal and Semifinal sites will enable competing schools to make housing, travel and ticket arrangements well in advance. Complete brackets including times, dates and locations are included in this Bulletin.

MERCY RULE
The point differential rule will be active throughout the tournament. "When in the second half a point differential of 40 points is established, a running clock will be in effect for the remainder of the game. The clock shall be stopped as normal for all timeouts, including injury and the third-period break. The clock will revert to regular time schemes when the score is reduced to a 30-point differential or less."

BASKETBALLS
Balls that meet National Federation rules code standards that are of top grade, catalogue numbered, leather covered or composite cover, molded, orange-tan color will be used in all tournaments. Each tournament manager will provide a ball of the above description for use in that tournament.

TEAM ENTRY AND ELIGIBILITY
District-Regional-Final entry blanks will be sent by individual schools to the assigned district manager not later than Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001. The tournament manager will contact you later relative to drawings and other details. Notify the manager immediately if your school is not planning to enter the tournament.
The Entry Blank, Team Roster Form and the Master Eligibility List (Form 1) will constitute a complete entry for the District, Regional and Final Tournaments or until eliminated.
After the District drawings are completed there can be no changes or additions made to the Master Eligibility List (Form 1).
Late Entries: If the Entry Blank, Team Roster Form and Master Eligibility List are received after the deadline date, but before the drawings are made, it may be accepted with the payment of a $50 late fee which will be retained by the host school.

CONTESTANTS AND CHEERLEADERS TICKETS
The Representative Council again instructed that tournament managers and competing schools be advised that the limit for the number of contestants tickets is 20. Exception: the only allowed exception will be for those teams that have more than 15 players on the regular season roster. Twelve tickets for cheerleaders also are to be made available to each competing school provided there are that number dressed for action.

CHAPERON TICKETS
Host managers will arrange for student chaperons from visiting schools to enter free of charge.

ADVANCE PURCHASE BY SCHOOLS OF TICKETS FOR DISTRICTS AND REGIONALS
Schools are urged to contact District or Regional tournament managers in advance if they plan to bring groups of students or adults to tournament games. Usually tickets for such spectators should be purchased in advance to assure seating accommodations.

BANDS & HALFTIME PERFORMANCES
By action of the Representative Council, bands or musical instruments are not to be allowed at District, Regional or Quarterfinal tournament sites. This regulation was adopted to conserve space, lessen expense to schools and to avoid unnecessary confusion. By action of the Representative Council in May 1998, pep bands are allowed to perform before their game and during timeouts and breaks during the Semifinals and Finals only of the MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament.
Also by Council action, halftime performances shall not be permitted. This would apply to such activities as demonstrations for dance, trampoline and any other similar performances.

LOTTERIES AT TOURNAMENTS
Schools shall not conduct lotteries or drawings for distributing money or merchandise either before, during or after any tournament basketball contests. Non-players are not to shoot baskets at half time. The distribution of miniature balls is prohibited. The sale of merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, belts, etc. is not permitted at MHSAA sponsored events, except selected early rounds and at the Final Tournament when coordinated with the MHSAA staff.
Concession stands, whether operated by school or non-school groups, must confine sales to non-alcoholic beverages and edible items . Sale of non-edible products other than school spirit items (such as pom pons) is prohibited at MHSAA tournament sites without the approval of MHSAA staff.

VIDEOTAPING OR FILMING AT MHSAA SPONSORED MEETS AND TOURNAMENTS
The Representative Council at its May 1996, meeting voted to eliminate MHSAA Handbook Regulation II, Section 14(A), that prohibits schools from videotaping or filming contests in which they are not participating without permission of competing teams. Previous Council action in 1995 had eliminated the Regulation for football only, but in 1996 the Regulation was eliminated in all sports. Leagues and conferences may continue to enforce third party (scouting) limitations for league games and league teams, however, non-conference opponents will not be subject to such prohibitions and will be allowed to videotape events without advance permission. It is to be understood that videotape scouting does not include press box or preferred seating status without prior consent of the host school.
Media Taping/Filming - The filming/taping of MHSAA events must be cleared through the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Members of the media may, without paying a fee, arrange with the local tournament manager to take clips of MHSAA events for public showing. Under no conditions may an MHSAA event be filmed or taped for showing in its entirety without advance clearance through the MHSAA.
Spectator Videotaping/Filming - Spectators must receive permission from the tournament manager for any live action taken of athletic events other than snapshots. If permission is granted for spectators to film the entire event or take clips, it is to be with the understanding the tape/film may not be sold, leased, borrowed, rented for commercial purposes or shown on cable television. The tournament manager should not permit spectators to interfere with the view of other spectators or news media personnel covering the activity; is not required to provide electrical hook-ups; or tripod space; may require spectator videotaping from a designated location(s); and if there is any question as to the purposes of filming or taping, the request should be denied by the local tournament management.
Live Television Coverage - Radio Coverage - No radio or television origination is permitted at any site until application has been made through the MHSAA, fee paid and authorization given by the MHSAA through the tournament manager.
Delayed Television - Arrangements for taped delayed broadcasts must be made through the MHSAA office and only one origination will be allowed at a tournament center. A fee is required for each boys basketball game at each site. Tape delayed telecasts of events for which live television is contracted, will not be permitted. MHSAA Finals in all sports are not available on a delayed television basis.

2001 FINAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Location of Games
Quarterfinal Games will be played Tuesday, March 20, at 16 locations selected by the Basketball Tournament Committee.
Semifinal Games will be played Thursday, March 22, and Friday, March 23, at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

SEMIFINALS
SESSION 1 - Two Class C games - (1 and 2:50 p.m.) Thursday
SESSION 2 - Two Class D games - (6 and 7:50 p.m.) Thursday
SESSION 3 - Two Class A games - (1 and 2:50 p.m.) Friday
SESSION 4 - Two Class B games - (6 and 7:50 p.m.) Friday
Each of the sessions will require separate admission tickets.

FINAL (CHAMPIONSHIP) GAMES in all classes (A-B-C-D) will be played at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on Saturday, March 24. There will be separate morning, afternoon and evening sessions as follows:
Saturday Morning -- 10 a.m. -- Classes D/C
Saturday Afternoon -- 4 p.m. -- Class A
Saturday Evening -- 7:30 p.m. -- Class B
Each of the sessions will require separate admission tickets.

TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT
General management of the Final Tournament will be under the direction of Nate Hampton, Assistant Director, MHSAA. Final Tournament Headquarters will be established at the Kellogg Center of Michigan State University for the four Final games.

ADMISSION PRICES
The following admission prices for the 2001 Final Basketball Tournament games were adopted by the Representative Council:
Quarterfinal Games (March 20) - General admission, $4. Semifinal Games (March 23 and 24) - Reserved seats only, $5. Championship Games - Reserved seats are $6 (parking not included). There will be approximately 15,000 reserved seats. No general admission tickets will be available for the Semifinal or Final sessions.

TICKET DISTRIBUTION FOR QUARTERFINAL GAMES FOR ALL CLASSES — MARCH 20
All Quarterfinal tickets will be sold at the site of the host facility. Competing teams will have access to approximately half the house for its game. Tickets remaining after the advance sale to competing schools will be sold to the public by the host facility manager.

DISTRIBUTION OF SEMIFINAL RESERVED SEAT TICKETS FOR ALL CLASSES -- MARCH 22-23
Competing schools in all classes will be able to purchase 1,200 tickets for advance sale of Semifinal tickets for the session in which their teams are competing, plus a pro-rated portion of the allotment not requested by other schools participating in the session. Approved basketball officials and schools of all classes throughout the state may order in advance (not later than Feb. 9), reserved seat tickets at $5 in accordance with the quota established for the purchase of reserved seat tickets for Semifinal games to the limit of the supply available. If there are reserved seat tickets remaining after the above advance sale to officials and schools both general and competing, those tickets will be placed on sale at MSU on Monday, March 1.

The meeting was called to order at 9:20 a.m. Following committee introductions, John E. “Jack” Roberts, MHSAA Executive Director, welcomed the committee, shared committee responsibility and explained how action made by the committee would flow to the Representative Council to initiate change or to enact new policy.
Following Mr. Roberts' discussion the committee viewed the newest video production of the MHSAA, "Stripes.” This latest project was in part a result of a recommendation made by the 1999 Basketball Committee relating to the perception of officials by coaches and the public. After the video presentation, the committee reviewed last year's committee minutes and the remainder of the committee's recommendations to MHSAA staff and Representative Council.

RECOMMENDATIONS STILL ACTIVE FROM 1999 COMMITTEE
1. Regarding Quarterfinal contests on home floors – The 1999 committee recommended that the MHSAA staff seek leagues and/or conferences or school districts (if a multiple high school district) to adopt Quarterfinals in cities where Quarterfinals are held. Should a predetermined host find its team competing in the Quarterfinal contest, then the site would be moved to a comparable league, conference, or district member school. [Staff will present the idea, assess the acceptance of attendees at the upcoming league and conference meeting, and survey our leagues and conferences for interest.]
2. Regarding perception of officials - MHSAA staff shared with the committee minutes of the ad hoc committee on this subject. The Basketball Committee was pleased with the action and recommendations of the ad hoc committee and suggested to continue efforts and discussion that member schools use the opportunity of preseason parent/athlete meetings to bring in local officials to discuss and explain sport rules.
3. Regarding the effect of AAU and other non-school programs - MHSAA staff shared the minutes of the ad hoc committee formed to discuss this issue. This year's Basketball Committee again shared concerns on AAU tryouts that followed on Sunday after the MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals and the seemingly growing interest of players and their parents to have personal trainers and shooting specialists. In general, the Basketball Committee agreed with the findings and recommendations of the ad hoc committee, especially with creating information and encouraging students to participate in more than one school sport.
4. Regarding Girls Basketball Semifinals and Final partially reserved seating sections - MHSAA staff identified the procedure used and the generally positive evaluation by CMU and MHSAA staff. This year's committee discussed at length the procedure used, made several observations, but no recommendations for change in the policy or procedure for next year.

RULES MEETING REQUIREMENT FOR COACHES AND OFFICIALS
The committee reviewed the rules meeting attendance requirement for coaches and officials, the Basketball Rules Meeting format and possible sites for the 2001-02 school year.

NATIONAL FEDERATION SURVEY AND MICHIGAN POINT DIFFERENTIAL REPORTS
The committee reviewed the 2000 National Federation Basketball questionnaire and game statistics survey, representing last year's boys' and girls' seasons. The committee also reviewed results of the Michigan Point Differential Reports filed by member schools this past season. In general, those responding still believe our point differential rules comply with the rule's original intent.
Question Responses:
• Was normal time resumed (varsity only)? Yes - 1; No - 221
• Does the rule comply with its intent (varsity only)? Yes - 214; No - 16
159 high schools reports; 50 junior high schools ; 45 7-8-9th grades ; 254 total reports received

BASKETBALL GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETINS
The committee reviewed MHSAA Bulletin (General Information Bulletin) material relating to both the boys and girls basketball tournaments. The committee found the information clear, concise and a good guide for tournament information.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The committee reviewed and discussed the tournament format and essential dates for next year's boys and girls tournaments. Discussions included a potential change in the Quarterfinal date. The committee discussed at length the potential for change in the girls tournament format (see recommendations to the Representative Council).

GENERAL DISCUSSION ITEMS
Committee discussions also included current three-player regulations; three-person officiating crews at Regionals; current scrimmage regulations; seeding the District level of tournament; starting times for multiple games during the tournament when the host decides to clear the facility; officials mileage for tournament travel; National Federation rules changes to allow the clock to stop during the last minute of the game with every made basket, and a request to eliminate from National Federation rules coverage that allows a player to save team possession by bouncing the ball off an opponent.

MICHIGAN POINTS OF EMPHASIS
• Post play
• Screening
• Handchecking
• Sportsmanship

RECOMMENDATIONS TO MHSAA STAFF
1. Continue efforts in requesting the National Federation Basketball Committee to include rule book language to allow state associations to adopt a point differential rule if they so choose (18-0 in favor).
2. Recommend to host sites that if multiple contests require clearing the facility, then game starting times should be at least 2 hours apart (18-0 in favor).
3. Maintain current 3-player regulations (18-0 in favor).
4. Recommend to the National Federation Basketball Committee to adopt regulations that would allow the clock to stop during the last minute of the game with every made basket (10-8 in favor).

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
1. Regarding current basketball point differential rule - allow point differential rule to include stopping the clock for free throws any time after the two-minute mark remaining in the game (18-0 in favor).
2. Regarding officials mileage - consider increase in officials mileage from the present $.15 per mile to $.25 per mile. (16-1 in favor, 1 abstained)
3. Regarding three-person officiating crews - assign 3-person crews for each Regional basketball contest (18-0 in favor).
4. Regarding current girls basketball tournament schedule - start girls basketball District and Regional levels of the MHSAA tournament one-week earlier (the Quarterfinals would be conducted on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week and the current schedule for Semifinals and Finals would be maintained.
Proposed 2001 calendar (sample):
First Practice - August 6, 2001
First game - August 20, 2001
Districts - November 5-9
Regionals - November 13-17
Quarterfinal - November 20
Semifinals - November 29-30
Finals - December 1
(13-3 in favor)

The official baseball and softball, provided at every level of the MHSAA Baseball and Softball Tournaments during 2000, 2001 and 2002 are:
Baseball Rawlings R100
Softball Wilson A9011SST

In three sports – basketball, girls volleyball and soccer – a game ball is designated on an annual basis and provided to the Finals site. Recently, Brine was selected to provide the game ball for the Boys and Girls Soccer Finals for the 2001-02 school year. Therefore, the most current list of game balls for MHSAA finals is this:

Girls Basketball (2000) Rawlings 28.5
Boys Basketball (2001) Rawlings
Girls Volleyball (2001) Spalding TF-4000
Girls Soccer (2001 & 2002) Brine NCAA
Boys Soccer (2001) Brine NCAA

The MHSAA is grateful for the support of these companies for MHSAA postseason tournaments and for their service to schools year-round.

The MHSAA Golf Committee met in the MHSAA Office Building on this date to review the current terms and conditions of the MHSAA Golf Tournament Series and to discuss proposals submitted by golf coaches and the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.
The meeting began with introductions by each committee member. John E. “Jack” Roberts, Executive Director of the MHSAA then reviewed with the committee the process by which committee proposals are discussed, reviewed and voted upon by the MHSAA Representative Council. Following his presentation, committee members were alerted to the number of schools receiving invitations for members of its golf team to compete in the National Open Championship. They were notified that unless the format had changed, it would be an eligibility violation for golfers in Michigan to participate in that event.

Scrimmage Regulation
The committee was asked to input to the MHSAA any changes it would suggest of the current scrimmage regulation. In general committee members agreed that golf teams participate in no more than three, more than likely two scrimmages and do not see any reason to change the regulation.

Three-Person Regulation
Although golf coaches do not have concerns with the three-person regulation because summer time is when they would most likely have contact with potential team members, they did make the following observations:
1. Athletic Directors may need to run through a checklist with coaches if they are involved in the sport during the off- season. It may include who, where, and when type questions.
2. The three-person regulation is very hard to administer. Coaches need to be made aware of the nuances of the regulation in writing.
3. There is a need to more clearly publicize the interpretation that coaches of the boys program or the girls program are under the regulation for both programs.
4. The suggestion was made to modify the regulation based on the number of players in the sport needed to field a team on the court or field and also base the number on an appropriate figure to allow skills to be practiced.

Golfers Wearing Jewelry
The MHSAA staff had put this item on the agenda because of the number of phone calls that had been received. The committee chose not to recommend a jewelry rule because (1) golf is not a contact sport; (2) coaches need to enforce a jewelry rule if they feel that jewelry is inappropriate, and (3) if the callers were referring to body piercing, golf coaches need to deal with it locally.

Lower Peninsula Final Tournament Locations
Based on MIGCA membership and golf committee input, coaches prefer college course venues in different locations in the state instead of some of the courses located in the Lansing area. Use of college courses would allow better practice facilities, use of premier courses and those that have more of a championship setting with use of tournament scoreboards.
Housing also seems to be an ongoing problem in the Lansing area. College courses suggested are University of Michigan, Oakland University, Ferris State, Grand Valley State University and Eastern Michigan University along with continuation of MSU. In addition, the MIGCA Board would provide on site hosts who would prepare and distribute Saturday pairings from Friday tournament results.
The MIGCA is requesting the opportunity to meet with the MHSAA Representative Council to provide rationale for this recommendation and to provide results of a survey gathered from its membership regarding this topic.

MHSAA Final Tournament Observers vs Coaching
Although coaches of teams at the Finals have served as observers for foursomes for many years and want the observer role continued, coaches would like to be on the course to watch their team members play and coach to a limited degree. USGA Rule 8-2 Note allows coaching of competitors in a match or tournament. This rule has been followed by coaches in league and invitational matches during the regular season. Committee members expressed golf coaches' desire to have the opportunity to coach and watch their players at the Finals as coaches in other sports do. They agreed that schools would have to bring another qualified person to the Finals to act as an observer. A recommendation to the Representative Council resulted.

Substitutions on Finals Saturday
Currently teams competing at the LP two-day finals are not allowed to substitute for any reason prior to competition on Saturday. The committee cited many reasons why the rule should be changed including: (1) Saturday graduations in the spring; (2) illness or injury after Friday competition, or (3) a desired change for disciplinary reasons. As a result of the discussion, a recommendation to the Representative Council resulted.

Regulation II Section 11(H)
The MHSAA staff received correspondence and telephone calls regarding Handbook Regulation II Section 11(H) expressing enforcement concerns as it relates to golf teams. The regulation requires a team that has begun a match to count it as a day of competition even though it may be necessary to suspend play. In addition, if the match is replayed in its entirety on another day, that will also count as a day of competition. MHSAA staff provided the committee the rationale for the current regulation.
When the committee members discussed the issue they expressed the following:
1. The use of a non-school facility makes it difficult to reschedule on another day to pick up a match where it was left off;
2. Most regular season matches are played in a shotgun start format which makes it difficult to begin play where they left off;
3. There is no provision in USGA rules that allow a match to be considered completed after a certain number of holes have been played.
When asked, committee members shared methods they use to determine a winner under these unusual circumstances. Some tally scores based on the number of strokes above par on each hole played. The lowest team score wins. Some tally the scores of all holes played by every player. Some coaches admitted they had no knowledge of Regulation II Section 11(H). Some invitational hosts stipulate that if 7 holes out of 9 or 14 holes out of 18 are played, it is considered a completed match.
The committee concluded that individual schools and leagues should formulate a policy so the regulation will be followed by all.

Recommendations to the Representative Council
1. Relocate Lower Peninsula Boys and Girls Finals to college/university courses through out lower Michigan and rotate usage of these facilities (13-1 in favor).
2. Change the terms and conditions of the Finals so that coaches of teams can substitute a player(s) before the last day of competition. (14-0 in favor).
3. On an experimental basis, allow coaches to coach at the Saturday session of the Finals under the following conditions:
a. Each school must provide a qualified person to serve as an observer. Parents of players would not be allowed to serve as observers.
b. Only one coach for each team or individual qualifier may be on the golf course.
c. Coaching may only take place between each green and next tee box.
d. Coaches may not line up putts or walk off yardage for their players.
(14-0 in favor)

The committee reviewed the history and purpose of the Classification Committee, which was created by Representative Council action in 1986. The goal is to bring together the thinking of a cross section of school leadership to a broad range of topics related to classification of schools for athletic competition, and to bring recommendations to the Representative Council on those topics where consensus can be formed.
The committee reviewed the minutes of the 2000 Classification Committee meeting and subsequent representative council action. Committee recommendations included the review of reclassification plans in cross country, track and field, soccer, and competitive cheer.

Agenda Items

Cross Country: MHSAA Assistant Director Nate Hampton presented a survey on team and individual competition in the 2000 boys and girls cross country championships. Concern was expressed that the reclassification of schools into four equal divisions has resulted in fewer opportunities for athletes from class D schools.
Because this was the first year under the new plan, the committee agreed that a similar report is prepared for next year, to determine if there is a pattern that limits opportunities for small schools.

Cooperative Programs: A letter from a member school suggesting a change in cooperative program agreements so that private schools could not enter into agreement with public schools was discussed. No action was taken.

Football Playoffs: Several letters suggesting various ideas to reclassify private schools and perennially successful public schools in the football playoffs were reviewed with no action taken.

Enrollment Declaration: The committee reviewed concerns about the counting of alternative education students on the MHSAA Enrollment Declaration form. After a lengthy discussion several minor changes were recommended for implementation on the current form.

MHSAA Handbook: A staff recommendation to revise Regulation I, Section 9(B) of the MHSAA Handbook was reviewed.
The committee revised the proposal as follows: "The Executive Committee may consider varsity eligibility in a specific sport for 9th and 10th-grade transfer students with no previous interscholastic participation if their new school does not sponsor subvarsity competition in the requested sport."
The recommendation will be advanced to the representative council for consideration in May.

Current policy dictates that the MHSAA will consider conducting a post-season tournament for a sport when it is sponsored on an interscholastic basis by at least 64 member high schools for two consecutive years.

I favor the MHSAA taking the initiative to conduct postseason tournaments in the following sports by the 2003-04 school year, regardless of the number of schools that sponsor these sports locally on an interscholastic level at the present time or then:
1. Coed Bowling Yes 260 (32.3%) No 545 (67.7%)
2. Girls Field Hockey Yes 177 (22.2%) No 620 (77.8%)
3. Girls Ice Hockey Yes 153 (19.1%) No 648 (80.9%)
4. Boys Lacrosse Yes 195 (24.5%) No 602 (75.5%)
5. Girls Lacrosse Yes 176 (22.1%) No 620 (77.9%)
6. Coed Indoor Track & Field Yes 128 (16.2%) No 662 (83.8%)
7. Boys Indoor Track & Field Yes 144 (18.1%) No 653 (81.9%)
8. Girls Indoor Track & Field Yes 149 (18.8%) No 644 (81.2%)
9. Boys Volleyball Yes 205 (25.9%) No 588 (74.1%)
10. Boys Water Polo Yes 156 (19.6%) No 639 (80.4%)
11. Girls Water Polo Yes 156 (19.7%) No 635 (80.3%)
12. Girls Wrestling Yes 135 (17.0%) No 657 (83.0%)

Presently, for an otherwise ineligible transfer student, the MHSAA Executive Committee is authorized by Regulation I, Section 9(B) to consider eligibility only at the subvarsity level for a transferring 9th or 10th grader who has never before participated in an interscholastic scrimmage or contest in any sport while enrolled in 9th or 10th grade. Some schools will not have subvarsity programs in some sports. Therefore, I favor revising Section 9(B) to also allow the Executive Committee to consider varsity eligibility for 9th and 10th grade transfer students with no previous interscholastic participation if their new school is . . .

13. Class D Yes 459 (61.5%) No 287 (38.5%)
14. Class C or D Yes 403 (53.3%) No 353 (46.7%)

15. I favor a rule that would not allow eligibility in any sport for one full semester to a student who is returning to live with his/her parents if that student had been participating in a non-school sports program in any sport while living away (e.g., on a travel ice hockey team or at a golf, tennis, swimming, skiing or soccer academy).
Yes 290 (38.1%) No 472 (61.9%)

16. I favor a rule that would not allow eligibility in a particular sport for one full semester to a student who is returning to live with his/her parents if that student had been participating in a non-school program in that sport while living away (e.g., ineligible for high school golf for one semester if played non-school golf while living away).
Yes 332 (43.4%) No 433 (56.6%)

17. I favor seeding teams on the first level of MHSAA tournaments in team sports (e.g., District Basketball, Regional Ice Hockey), utilizing athletic directors/coaches who participate in the "draw meetings" for seeding purposes.
Yes 353 (46.3%) No 409 (53.7%)

Our school athletic department utilizes the following Internet company(ies) for reporting schedules and scores, keeping statistics, etc.:
18. iHigh.com Yes 18 (2.7%)
19. Highwired.com Yes 32 (4.9%)
20. Statmaster.com Yes 118 (17.8%)
21. Schoolsports.com Yes 35 (5.4%)
22. Varsityonline.com Yes 32 (4.9%)

Respondents By Title 72 Superintendents (8.3%) 206 Principals (23.7%) 503 Athletic Directors (57.7%) 20 Coaches (2.3%) 20 Board Members (2.3%) 50 Other (5.7%)

Respondents By Classification  277 Class A (31.8%) 258 Class B (29.6%) 186 Class C (21.4%) 124 Class D (14.2%) 26 Junior High/Middle (3.0%)

TOTAL SURVEYS RECEIVED = 871

Long-time MHSAA employee Jerry Cvengros will retire from the Association in December 2001.
Cvengros has served as Associate Director of the MHSAA since 1988, coordinating a variety of activities and programs during his tenure. The Ironwood native has coordinated the football playoffs and ice hockey tournament, directed in-service educational programs for athletic directors and coaches, and served as a liaison with statewide principals, athletic directors and coaches associations. He has also been inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Active on the national scene, he was a 1999 National Citation recipient from the National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association, of which he was a former member.
In addition to his role at the MHSAA, Cvengros was well known statewide as a teacher, coach and administrator at Escanaba High School, where he served from 1958 to 1988.
A 1951 graduate of Ironwood High School, Cvengros joined the staff at Escanaba after receiving his bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. He was a teacher of English, history and physical education at Escanaba, and also coached football, track and field and basketball. He became became athletic director in 1970, and added the duties of activities director in 1975. In 1983, he became principal at Escanaba until joining the MHSAA staff in 1988.
On the gridiron, Cvengros was Upper Peninsula Coach of the Year in 1968, 1972, 1973 and 1979; and was the Michigan Coach of the Year in 1979 and 1981. His 1979 and 1981 Eskymo teams advanced to the MHSAA Football Playoff Finals, with the 1981 squad becoming the only Class A team from the Upper Peninsula to ever claim a championship. A head coach for 23 seasons, his record was 161-41-3 (.793).
While at Escanaba, Cvengros was elected to serve on the Representative Council of the MHSAA from 1983 to 1988, representing Upper Peninsula Class A-B schools. During his tenure on the Representative Council, he also served as its president from 1986-88.

Get rid of your typewriters! Save postage expense and time! Fill out the MHSAA Finals Program Information Kits electronically by downloading the forms from our web site, or using the file included on the MHSAA CD-ROM that was sent to athletic directors in the fall.
Beginning in the fall, schools were no longer provided with hard copy of the Finals Program Information Kits. The forms must be downloaded from the web or accessed via the CD-ROM.

Here's how it works...

PROGRAM KITS
1. Go to the MHSAA Web Site -- www.mhsaa.com -- click on Sports and select the sport for which you need a program kit. You can save the program kit to your hard drive. You may download the kit as a word processing document (Word 97 or greater). Winter Sports forms are on the web now, while all forms are on the CD-ROM in the Program Information Kits folder.
2. Download and complete the Word file, saving it to your hard drive.
3. E-mail the form back to us as an attached file to [email protected]. Be sure to name the file in a recognizable manner, i.e. “saginaw.doc”, so we know what school is being sent.
Electronic files save time in production, yield greater accuracy, are easier for the school to edit, and much of the information can be cut-and-pasted from sport-to-sport and year-to-year.

PHOTOS
Photos can always be sent via regular mail, but by submitting photos via e-mail, schools save on expense while eliminating the chance of the picture being lost/damaged in the mail or arriving too late for publication.
Scan your team photograph, following these guidelines:
1. The format must be TIFF or JPEG; save the photo as a black & white (grayscale) at 200 dpi – nothing lower in resolution (while a 72 DPI photo may look good on screen, it will appear extremely blurry when printed; size the photo at 3 x 5 or 4x6 inches-nothing larger.
2. All photos used in MHSAA publications are horizontal; do not submit vertical photos.
2. Send the photo file to: [email protected]

Whenever submitting Also be sure that you include the name and telephone number(s) for the individuals who sent the information in case there is a question or problem. The MHSAA will confirm receipt of these materials with a return e-mail.
If you have any questions, contact MHSAA Publications Coordinator Rob Kaminski or Communications Director John Johnson at 517/332-5046.