Ready for Some Football

August 12, 2014

How seriously should we take public criticism of tackle football when that public promotes boxing or cage fighting? Or how seriously should we take public criticism of football played with helmets when that public allows motorcyclists to ride without any helmets at all?

This fickle if not hypocritical focus on football deserves to be exposed.

However, and more importantly, this does not reduce our obligation to rise above the obvious questions of fair and balanced criticism and keep pressing for a safer environment for schools’ most popular participation sport.

In Michigan this has led to new limitations on head-to-head contact in football practices that began for more than 600 high schools this week. Specifically, no team or individual may participate in more than one collision practice per day before the first game, and no more than two collision practices per week after the first game.

The new policies promote instruction in proper blocking and tackling technique. It is full speed head-to-head contact that is further reduced, not full speed shoulder contact with sleds, shields and dummies nor slow speed contact between players.

Last month, and perhaps two years too late to be helpful, the National Federation of State High School Associations hosted a high-profile, high-powered summit to discuss practice policies of the kind that we developed, debated and adopted during the past school year to be ready for this 2014 season.

Unforgettable 5ive: 2021 Football Playoff Week 3

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

November 17, 2021

Here's a look at our Playoff Week 3 "Unforgettable 5ive" from MHSAA.tv and MHSAA media partner broadcasts:

► Mason's Cason Carswell finds Dylan Badgley for the game-winning score with 10 seconds to play in a 20-17 win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.

► Jason Skoczylas blocks a Detroit Country Day game-winning field goal attempt and then returns it 50 yards for a game-winning touchdown as Chelsea defeated the Yellowjackets 27-20.

► Sterling Heights Stevenson's Jordan Ramsey returns the fumble 90 yards for a touchdown in a 27-20 win over Macomb Dakota.

► Griffin Henke scores from one yard out for Rochester Adams as it edged reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield, 14-13.

► Suttons Bay's Shawn Bramer finishes the hook-and-ladder for a 69-yard game-tying score as his team went on to defeat Rudyard 42-36 in overtime.

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