Student-Centered Sports
November 1, 2013
We boldly, unapologetically and repeatedly state that interscholastic athletics are different than sports programs on any other level by any other sponsor – different because these programs are school-sponsored and, to an extent like no other, student-centered. But what does that really mean?
The easier to describe – school-sponsored – means that interscholastic athletics are conducted by schools themselves. They are administered under the auspices of boards of education, with responsibilities delegated to administrators, and then to coaches, who are closely supervised by those administrators under the broad policies and procedures approved by their local boards of education.
The more difficult to describe – student-centered – means that our orientation starts with students. We think first about how many we can include, not how many we exclude. We adopt rules not to be elite but to enhance the experience for students, knowing that the higher the standards we establish for eligibility and conduct, the greater the benefit to the students, their schools and the surrounding community.
In a student-centered program, thought is given not only to the students who want exceptions to rules, but also to the other students who would be displaced if those exceptions were made.
In a student-centered program, we consider the whole child and all the children.
Partners in Promotion
March 28, 2017
The Michigan High School Athletic Association and State Champs Sports Network are joining forces during the coming school year to define what school sports are, defend what they stand for, and distribute that message on a collective platform across the state every weekend, 12 months a year.
Beginning this fall, State Champs Metro Detroit-based high school football show “Extra Point” will move to Fox Sports Detroit on Saturday mornings and become the “MHSAA Extra Point.” Throughout the entire football season, this 30-minute show will feature a variety of statewide football highlights utilizing the expansive bank of State Champs Sports Network camera crews. This will also give a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to have specially selected highlights reaching as many as 3.5 million homes. But only those MHSAA member schools participating in the School Broadcast Program will have that exclusive opportunity.
The longest running all-sports high school sports show in state history, “State Champs High School Sports Show” on Fox Sports Detroit, airs Sunday morning, nearly 40 times a year. Now, every episode will feature the MHSAA Minute – talking everything in the life of the association from coaches education to health and safety, officiating, breaking news and more.
We’ll also have special programming where we dig into the MHSAA vaults to bring old games, coaches and players back to life on State Champs Legends. We’ll also tackle important topics and issues in school sports, with the first special coming this August when “Concussions and the Modern Athlete” will focus on head injury and its impact in high school sports.
Every football Friday night, “State Champs Scoreboard” radio show airs on the number one ranked 97.1 – The Ticket in Detroit. Now, in partnership with the expansive MHSAA Network, affiliate stations across the state will jump on board to simulcast. During the winter we’ll take it all online for a Friday night statewide basketball show on Facebook live.
Finally, plans are in the works to further grow the next generation of sports media and production professionals. Working in conjunction with PlayOn Sports, a State Champs Sports Network crew will work hand in hand with high school students, conducting live demonstrations of the MHSAA School Broadcast Program by live streaming an event from their school.
In an era where high school sports coverage is at its lowest point in state history, a new team will continue to spotlight the life lessons school sports teach our children. This partnership between the State Champs Network and the MHSAA will do more than ever to champion that message.