Pair of Michigan School Sports' Best Receive National Accolades
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 4, 2021
A pair of longtime and significant contributors to school athletics in Michigan have been recognized nationally as the best in their respective fields by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
Battle Creek St. Philip volleyball coach Vicky Groat was named national Coach of the Year in her sport, while recently-retired administrator Fred Smith was named national Athletic Director of the Year by the NHSACA.
Both were nominated for the national recognition by the Michigan High School Coaches Association. They received their awards at last week’s NHSACA Annual Conference in Lincoln, Neb.
Groat last season led St. Philip to the Division 4 championship, the program’s 11th Finals title with her as head coach. She ranks sixth in MHSAA history with 1,177 coaching wins (1,177-275-93) over 22 seasons. She also serves as principal and athletic director at her school.
Smith served 38 years total as a teacher, coach and administrator with stops at St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic, Comstock, Buchanan and Benton Harbor before retiring in 2017. He received a Citation from the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2019 for his various contributions not only in Michigan but nationally, especially in athletic director education and development.
Both Groat and Smith, coincidentally, are graduates of Battle Creek St. Philip. Both also have served on the MHSAA Representative Council, including Smith four years as vice president.
Additionally, Temperance Bedford volleyball coach Jodi Manore and longtime Warren De La Salle Collegiate lacrosse coach and athletic director Mike Jolly were inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame. Manore is the winningest coach in MHSAA volleyball history and all-time nationally as well with a record of 2,128-369-59 at Bedford from 1980-83 and again from 1990-2020. Jolly led the Pilots lacrosse program to a 215-105 record and also coached football, basketball and baseball.
Performance of the Week: Shelby's Navea Gauthier
November 15, 2022
Navea Gauthier ♦ Shelby
Sophomore ♦ Volleyball
The 6-foot-2 outside hitter has put up headline-grabbing kill totals all season – but saved her best for her team’s biggest playoff matches. Gauthier posted what was a season-high 40 kills in a three-set Regional Semifinal win over Kent City to start last week, and she bested that with 47 more kills in Thursday’s four-set Regional Final win over Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian. The 47 kills are tied for fourth-most in a match statewide since the beginning of rally scoring in 2004-05.
Gauthier – who made the Division 3 all-state first team last year as a freshman – already is eligible for the MHSAA record book 11 times for single-match kills over her first two seasons. Additionally, her 930 kills this fall are tied for sixth on the single-season list and her 1,524 over two seasons make the career kills list, while her 132 aces this season qualify for the record book as well. Shelby was ranked No. 9 in the final regular-season Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association poll and brought a 35-8-3 record into Tuesday’s Quarterfinals.
@mhsaasports 🏐POW: Navea Gauthier #performanceoftheweek #volleyball #regionalchamps #quarterfinals #kills #goodluck #shelby #tigers #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok #mistudentaid #fyp @Navea Gauthier ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
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2022-23 Honorees
Nov. 10: Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27: Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20: Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13: Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6: Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Top photo by Enduring Memories Photography.)