Football Follies

October 7, 2014

Notice reached the MHSAA office of a so-called “2014 Michigan Youth Football Classic” that invites youth league teams to “a great weekend of youth tackle football.” For $450 per team, youth football teams will bang bodies for two days – Nov. 8 and 9 – with each team guaranteed at least three games. Three!
No level of football but this – for the youngest players who have the most vulnerable skulls – allows the idiocy of three games in a weekend. Most limit competition to a maximum of one game in a week!
In my opinion, this isn’t a football classic. It’s child abuse.
I wish the foolishness would stop there, but even an organization called USA Football seems to have lost its head. Initially and mostly with funding from the NFL, USA Football was focused on teaching youth football coaches and players safe blocking and tackling techniques. Good.
But now this pseudo-national governing body for amateur football is planning events for various age groups that will extend tackle football practices and games throughout what used to be an off-season. Multiple competitions in tackle football are scheduled for high school age players in January, February and July of 2015.
At a time when professional, college, school and Pop Warner football are all reducing contact during practices in-season, USA Football wants to expand the contact experience out of season. It makes about as much sense as three games in a weekend.

Unforgettable 5ive: 2022 Football Week 1

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

August 31, 2022

Here's a look at our Week 1 "Unforgettable 5ive" from MHSAA.tv and MHSAA media partner broadcasts:

► Haslett's Nakai Amachree scored both of the Vikings' touchdowns in a 21-14 loss to DeWitt. He returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and a punt 75 yards for another score.

► West Bloomfield's Deonte Pippen Jr. scored two touchdowns including this 87 yarder in the Lakers' 47-7 win over Sterling Heights Stevenson.

► Charlevoix's Henry Herzog scored from 21 yards out in a 24-15 win over East Jordan.

► Flint Beecher's Jaylin Townsend returned a kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown during a 47-26 loss to Saginaw Nouvel. Townsend also had three touchdown catches in the game.

► In 8-player action, Morrice scored a game-winning touchdown with a minute left to defeat Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 14-8. Travis Farrow carried it six yards into the end zone for the winner.