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It’s Not Where, But How

April 28, 2017

As happens from time to time, but too often, the urgent has crowded out the important for the Michigan High School Athletic Association this spring. For example ...

  • A flooded soccer field at Michigan State University has forced relocation of the MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals in June.

  • The extravagant demise of The Palace of Auburn Hills following the relocation of the Detroit Pistons to the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is forcing relocation of the 2018 MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals.

  • Lack of availability at MSU‘s Breslin Student Events Center on the dates of the three-day MHSAA Girls Basketball Semifinals and Finals in 2018 and boys championships in 2019 is forcing changes for those tournaments.

When, after countless hours of study and discussion, these and other venue changes are announced, they generate many media reports and considerable constituent comment – in fact, much more attention than two years ago when the MHSAA announced three actions that were unprecedented nationally to promote participant health and safety: mandated concussion reporting, free concussion care gap insurance, and two sideline concussion detection pilot programs.

Where MHSAA championships are staged is not inconsequential, but it is infinitely less important than how interscholastic athletic programs are conducted during practices and contests at the local level all season long.

When we are consumed with where we play, we divert valuable time and energy away from necessary attention to what we should be doing and how we should be doing it.

New Legacies

September 30, 2015

For nearly two dozen years, the MHSAA has conducted its “Legacy” program through which high school students are welcomed into high school sports officiating and mentored by approved MHSAA officials. This has given these students a jump start in officiating and in life. For example ...

  • Zach Kemp and Aaron Wieber, both honored as legacy officials in 1992, are now NCAA officials in football and basketball, respectively.
  • Brent Sorg, 1993, is now the soccer coach at Williamston High School and a former MLS soccer official.
  • Dan Carmichael, also 1993, has worked MHSAA Finals in both basketball and football.
  • Bill Parker, 1994, has umpired both Minor League baseball and MHSAA Baseball Finals.
  • Carmen Kennedy, also 1994, is principal at St. Clair Shores South Lake High School and serves on the MHSAA Representative Council.
  • Matt McDermott, 1995, has officiated MHSAA Finals in both football and basketball, and has been a longtime NCAA basketball official.
  • Ryan Negoshian, also 1995, has officiated MHSAA Softball Finals.
  • Jeremy Valentine, 1998, has worked the MHSAA Football Finals and an NCAA Division II National Championship game.
  • Jon Studley, 1999, is now athletic director at Caro High School.
  • Nathan Taylor, 2000, has worked MHSAA Finals in both football and basketball.
  • Sara Tisdale, also 2000, worked MHSAA Finals in volleyball and she’s now a college lacrosse coach.

That’s just a dozen examples from the Legacy program’s first decade, making a difference in Michigan schools and sports. Adding to the pleasure of living in Michigan and loving school sports.