Uyl Follows Roberts in MHSAA SUCCESSion
By
Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
December 7, 2018
The strength of the MHSAA decade after decade has been solid local school administration under the direction of insightful leaders at the state office in Lansing. New Executive Director Mark Uyl is prepared to build on that foundation while meeting challenges old and new as his tenure begins.
Even if he didn’t know it while it was happening, Mark Uyl spent a great deal of his life honing skills that would lead to his selection as the fifth-ever executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Growing up in the world of sports officiating, communication, conviction and the ability to enforce rules and regulations come with the territory. Those who can’t cultivate such skills quickly get out, or get found out.
A decorated and lengthy career in officiating at the high school and collegiate levels serve as testimony that Uyl indeed excelled in those areas.
Those traits, Uyl says, figure to serve him well as he trades in his 14-year-old assistant director’s chair for his seat at the helm of the Association.
“I think the biggest adjustment is that you have to have thick skin and the stomach for enforcement of regulations,” Uyl said. “As an assistant director, I worked with committees and forwarded ideas. Now, as the ultimate decision-maker, I know that some people are going to be happy and some will be upset. I understand that some of this comes with territory.
“I think my officiating background helps. At the end of the day, our members expect that we will follow our rules and enforce our rules. Everyone loves having rules until the day comes when those rules affect ‘our school,’ or ‘our community.’ That’s when the ability to stand firm by the rules determined by our membership will help guide us through the process.”
Officials also listen a lot, many times to people who aren’t happy. That, too, is a skill Uyl brings to the table, not only through his experience in stripes or behind the mask, but also from his years as an educator and assistant director with the MHSAA.
“One of the things I am most proud of since coming to the MHSAA is that I believe I served as a caring voice for officials. They are too often the last people to be defended,” Uyl said. “I think people knew they had a guy who could relate to them and was walking in those same shoes. The relationships I was able to build with many officials in our state is important, and I think that's still an incredibly important function today.”
Other satisfactions came from sports more unfamiliar to Uyl prior to his employment at the MHSAA. Again, listening proved valuable.
“Directing our cross country and wrestling tournaments for many years taught me to be a better listener. Some of the really good things we did in both those sports were improved because we listened to those in the trenches,” Uyl said. “It was a really good lesson. I was probably a better administrator in cross country and wrestling because I was less familiar with those sports and relied on committee expertise. I know baseball, and because of that maybe had too many sacred cows – so to speak – and maybe wouldn’t be as open to ideas.”
Prior to his time at the MHSAA, Uyl first taught and coached and then served as athletic director and assistant principal at Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg High School, the latter from 2001-04. Before becoming an administrator there, Uyl served as athletic director at Caledonia High School in 2000-01.
In his 20-plus years of involvement with educational athletics plenty has changed, some for better and some for worse. Ironically, Uyl cites the same catalyst for both ends of the spectrum.
“Where sports have changed for the better, there are more opportunities than there have ever been. The number of sports – not only in-season, but out-of-season – has increased. There are more options available than ever before. That is often a good thing for kids,” he said.
“But, one of the biggest threats to school sports is the non-school sports economy. More people are making more money at youth, travel and club sport levels. Teachers and coaches in school sports are there to help students learn and grow, to become better people – not just athletes. That’s not always the case outside school sports. Too often, there’s a business dynamic that comes with those sports programs. Parents are quicker to get upset because of the money they've invested; they perceive that their kids are shortchanged by coaches’ decisions or officials’ calls.”
Such experiences can put a dent in officials retention throughout the state, a trend that needs to be reversed.
Uyl knows first-hand the values of positive early experiences in officiating.
“My dad has now been a registered official for 50 years. I grew up seeing what it was like to be an official,” Uyl said. “He ran the youth football, basketball and baseball leagues, and when your dad runs the youth program, you become an emergency official. I’ve always been kind of a rules guy anyway, so I liked that aspect and I also liked the money it put in my pocket. That was my job. I never had a job in fast food, landscaping, or anything like that. It was officiating.”
Uyl officiated collegiate baseball from 1997 until last June, putting away the gear following his 11th NCAA Division I Regional assignment. Working major conference baseball across the United States already put Uyl in elite company, but the pinnacle came with his appointment to the 2014 and 2017 College World Series crews in Omaha. He served as a college football referee for 10 years with several NCAA postseason assignments, and was coordinator of officials for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He was registered with the MHSAA for at least three sports beginning in 1992 and worked the Baseball Finals in 1999.
Uyl graduated from Caledonia High School in 1992 and from Calvin College in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in history and physical education. He later received a master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University. At Calvin, Uyl was a four-year starter on the baseball team, earning all-conference honors twice and serving as team captain.
Following college, there was little doubt as to his career path.
“In high school, I was just very, very fortunate to have a handful of people who made a huge impact on me as role models. Those people were teachers and coaches,” Uyl said. “I thought, ‘These are pretty impressive people, and hopefully there will be a day when I can give others the same kind of great experiences I had.’ Those coaches and teachers at Caledonia were great motivators.”
His passion for education and athletics made it difficult to imagine ever wanting to make a change professionally, until the opportunity at the MHSAA presented itself. Again, it was officiating that helped tilt the scales.
“At that time it was probably the hardest decision I have had to make in my life because I enjoyed teaching and coaching so much, but saw this opportunity in 2004 as the chance of a lifetime,” Uyl recalled. “Being able to help train and support 10,000 officials statewide was too good of an opportunity. If I didn't like officiating so much, I'd likely have stayed in the school system.”
As a sport director, Uyl has sought to create the best experiences for Michigan high school teams, including with the move of the MHSAA Baseball and Softball Finals to Michigan State University in 2014.
“The foundation built here by Jack Roberts over the last 32 years is the strongest in the country, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead our staff in building on that foundation,” Uyl said. “There will be many ways we’ll continue to protect the same values of educational athletics, while also looking for new ways and new opportunities to best serve the students and our member schools in Michigan.”
As assistant director, Uyl was instrumental as the MHSAA became the first state high school athletic association to offer concussion care insurance, which provides gap coverage to assist in covering costs for athletes who are injured while participating in MHSAA-sponsored sports.
As the new school year is underway with more immediate targets such as the changing transfer rule for 2019-20 and football playoffs and scheduling, Uyl and the MHSAA staff will also keep the well-being of student-athletes in their scope.
“Shortly after beginning my new role here, I met with some folks in the medical community, and it was interesting to hear that mental health among adolescents has become a huge priority,” Uyl said. “I had a doctor tell me that where he used to spend most of his days treating injuries and illnesses, now it’s just as much – or more – depression, anxiety and other mental health issues among school-age children that he is seeing. This certainly is an area that we have to keep at the forefront; how can we assist or provide programs to heighten awareness?
“We always assume that kids who play sports are the most healthy because they are busy and engaged and have it together, but now we are hearing that there are real mental topics that we need to discuss.”
Another long-range and continuing point of emphasis focuses on participation and multi-sport participation.
“While we have decisions to make regarding football playoffs and scheduling, the conversation needs to turn to participation numbers in that sport,” Uyl said. “We are losing freshman teams, JV teams, and at the youth level the numbers are down, too. Communities that used to have three and four teams now have one. If we don’t get our arms around participation, then all the playoff and scheduling stuff won’t matter in a few years.”
Participation is a hot topic for more than just the traditional sports like football. The MHSAA will continue to focus efforts toward multi-sport participation to combat specialization trends, and also bolster its presence at the junior high/middle school level, where students get their first taste of school-based athletics.
And even with 18 sports available to MHSAA member schools, Uyl promises to evaluate changing interests of students, which could lead to expanded opportunities.
“We will look with an objective eye to determine whether what we've traditionally offered continues to fit, and also look at expansion,” Uyl said. “The one that gets eyes rolling to anyone over 35 is e-sports, but to 20-somethings that could be the next big thing. We will also continue to be an inclusive organization, working closely with organizations such as Special Olympics. Our goal and purpose needs to involve all kids as their interests change with the times.”
Uyl is the fifth full-time executive in the MHSAA’s 94-year history, following Charles E. Forsythe (1931-42, 1945-68), Allen W. Bush (1968-78), Vern L. Norris (1978-86) and Roberts (1986-2018).
Uyl resides in DeWitt with his wife Marcy, an accomplished educator who has served as a high school varsity basketball coach since 1994. They have three children: Jackson (17), Grant (15) and Madison (11).
“Mark was the obvious choice to become the next executive director of the MHSAA,” said Roberts, who passed the torch after 32 years, and whose name now adorns the Association’s headquarters on Ramblewood Drive in East Lansing. “Mark has the proper student-focused perspective of educational athletics, excellent person-to-person communications skills and a deep practical understanding of what is happening day to day in school sports here and nationally.”
As they say in officiating, it was a good call.
Leading State's Schools a Labor of Love
The names – Norris, Bush, Forsythe – at one time synonymous with school sports in Michigan, are sometimes today more connected to MHSAA awards or meeting rooms at the home office in East Lansing.
But before the Norris Award recognized excellence in officiating, or the Bush Award lauded contributions to the MHSAA, or the Forsythe Award heralded excellence in athletics, these were the men who captained the MHSAA ship ahead of recently retired Jack Roberts.
Charles Forsythe was the MHSAA’s first executive director, guiding the Association from 1931-68. He was followed by Allen Bush, who took the reins from 1968-78 after serving under Forsythe as an assistant director from 1960-63 and as associate director from 1963-68. Vern Norris succeeded Bush in 1978 and would direct the MHSAA until 1986. From there it would be Roberts, whose 32-year term was second in length only to Forsythe’s span. During Roberts’ final days in August, he enjoyed a ceremony during which the current MHSAA building was named for him.
The four former executive directors had in common the traits of leadership, vision and passion, and always placed the good of scholastic sports at the forefront when weighing proposals and decisions.
The MHSAA was founded in 1924, when a different Forsythe, L.L., began an 18-year term as president of its Representative Council. In 1931, Charles Forsythe became the MHSAA’s first full-time executive director, a post he would occupy for 37 years.
A native of Milan and graduate of University of Michigan, Charles Forsythe was the athletic director at Lansing Central High School from 1923 until 1929 when he became the assistant director of athletics with the MHSAA. Two years later, he became the first executive director, guiding the Association until 1968 for all but a 37-month tour during World War II as a Navy Commander.
Forsythe was one of the first and finest authors on the topic of interscholastic athletics, and his “Administration of high school athletics” was used by administrators around the globe at that time.
In 1951, he received the Honor Award for the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and in 1965 Eastern Michigan University presented him with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
Forsythe died in December 1968, months after his August retirement from the MHSAA.
Bush served under Forsythe from 1960 until he began his 10-year term as executive director in 1968. Bush oversaw some of the most significant developments in MHSAA history, chiefly the addition of girls sports – MHSAA tournaments existed for nine girls sports when he retired – plus the addition of football playoffs in 1975, and MHSAA tournaments in baseball, ice hockey and skiing.
Bush was a graduate of Kalamazoo University and later earned multiple bachelor’s degrees from Western Michigan University and a master’s in school administration from University of Michigan. He was captain of the football team at WMU and received its Most Valuable Player and Athletic-Scholarship awards as a senior, and later was named Man of the Year in 1975 by WMU’s Alumni W Club.
Bush also studied at Princeton University and the University of Arizona and served six years of active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. He was discharged with a rank of first lieutenant.
Bush died in 2013 at age 90.
Norris served under both Forsythe and Bush, beginning his work at the MHSAA in 1963. He would succeed Bush at the top in 1978.
Norris brought to the MHSAA a wealth of experience having coached at Traverse City, Rockford and Hillsdale high schools. He served as Assistant Director of Placement at Western Michigan University for the five years prior to joining the MHSAA staff, and during that time Norris built a reputation as a highly-regarded game official in the Kalamazoo area – and worked as a referee during the 1963 MHSAA Class A Boys Basketball Final.
Norris served on a number of national rules-making bodies during his 23-year tenure with the MHSAA, and as president of the Executive Board of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) during the 1983-84 school year. But he was best known for his work with Michigan’s coaches and especially officials.
Norris remained a frequent visitor to the MHSAA office prior to his death last February.
Roberts took the controls in 1986 at age 37, then the youngest leader of a high school athletic association, and would leave last August as the longest-serving active director in the nation after 32 years.
Under Roberts’ leadership, overall participation in high school athletics in Michigan increased 10 percent, and the MHSAA added more than 200 schools in increasing its membership by more than 15 percent at the high school and junior high/middle school levels combined. Most recently, in 2016, 6th-graders were allowed to compete for member schools for the first time as a push was made to increase junior high/middle school membership and serve the state’s students at an earlier age.
But the most significant and arguably lasting work influenced by Roberts came on topics not related to specific sports or competition. The MHSAA has led nationally in concussion care with its first programming in 2000 and return-to-play protocols enacted in 2010, and with concussion pilot testing, mandated reporting and insurance for those who suffer head injuries rolled out in 2015.
He is a 1970 graduate of Dartmouth College and previously served as an assistant director for the National Federation from 1973-80. He came to the MHSAA in 1986 from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
PHOTOS: (Top) MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl speaks during an in-service for new athletic directors this fall. (Middle) Jack Roberts stood this summer in front of the building that now bears his name. (Below) Al Bush, Charles Forsythe and Vern Norris.
2023 Scholar-Athlete Award Recipients Announced in Class A
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 21, 2023
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected 14 student-athletes from Class A member schools to receive scholarships through the MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 34th year of sponsoring the award, will give $2,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees who can come from any classification.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
The 32 scholarship recipients will be recognized March 25 during the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing.
The Class A Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are Jane Barnett, Royal Oak; Ella Blank, Birmingham Groves; Nora Chamas, Dearborn; Caroline Colt, Milford; Abby Frushour, DeWitt; Naomi Sowa, East Lansing; Keira Tolmie, Clarkston; James Baer, Holland; Brendan Downey, Grosse Pointe South; Ryan Lee, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern; Shubhan Nagarkar, Midland Dow; Shane Pitcher, Saline; Isaac Postema, Grand Haven; and Ian Robertson, Traverse City West.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class A Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
(NOTE: If an athlete intended to play and was part of a spring sports team in 2020, that sport is counted among the athlete’s total although the season was canceled due to COVID-19.)
Jane Barnett, Royal Oak
Ran four seasons of varsity cross country and will compete in her fourth of track & field this spring. Also participating in Special Olympics Michigan Unified basketball. Helped cross country team to MHSAA Finals three times and earned all-league honors in track. Contributed to academic all-state team honor. Served or will serve as captain of both varsities. Serving as senior class secretary, second year as representative officer to district’s Parent Student Teacher Association and third year as officer for Model United Nations; also has served on student council all four years of high school. Playing fourth year in symphony orchestra, and was principal cellist. Participating in second year of National Honor Society, and designed and taught lessons weekly to second-grade student as a Study Buddy program mentor. Will attend University of Michigan and study public health sciences.
Essay Quote: “As a coach’s daughter, I have had a lifetime of appreciating the joys and the heartaches of the sport. Supporting others has taught me to be a better runner and person. Sportsmanship is not only a way to keep the peace; it's the foundation upon which the transformative nature of sports can take place.”
Ella Blank, Birmingham Groves
Played three seasons of varsity golf, playing second of varsity basketball and will play fourth of varsity softball this spring; also played junior varsity volleyball as a freshman. Earned all-league in softball and was part of academic all-state teams in golf and softball. Served as captain of varsity golf and softball teams and junior varsity basketball team. Named National Merit Commended Scholar. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and third of National Math Honor Society. Serving as president of math club and co-president of Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Playing fourth year in marching and jazz bands and symphony, and second as section leader. Founded and directs Sandlot Summer Camp and has umpired youth softball all four years of high school. Serving as The Hidden Opponent student-athletes mental health program campus captain, and has served as volunteer religious school teacher and camp counselor also throughout her high school career. Will attend University of Michigan and study physics.
Essay Quote: “Being a good sport goes beyond cordiality and shaking hands after a match. Good sportsmanship creates trust, and trust creates respect. ... Actions on the field have effects on opinions off of it.”
Nora Chamas, Dearborn
Ran two seasons of varsity cross country and will play her fourth of varsity tennis this spring. Helped tennis team to league championship as a junior and served as captain in that sport and as alternate captain for cross country. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and serving as chapter president, and also serving fourth year on student council. Serving second year on superintendent’s student advisory council and participating in fourth year of key club, serving as treasurer. Playing fourth year in orchestra and as first chair violinist. Participating in second year of social justice club and as social media manager, and serving as president of Discover Islam Club and DHS Pad Project having also founded the latter. Serving as treasurer of future medical professions club and representative in Arabic club, and in second year of tutoring elementary students. Earned multiple awards for work in voter registration. Is undecided where she will attend college and is still considering her future course of study.
Essay Quote: “To me, sportsmanship is the act of believing in others. … If we want to cultivate a flourishing population of students, we must first believe in one another. Only then will we find thoughtful pupils and passionate futurists.”
Caroline Colt, Milford
Played three seasons of varsity golf and will play fourth of varsity tennis this spring; also created team and is participating in second year of Unified basketball. Qualified for MHSAA Golf Finals as individual as a junior and was part of academic all-state team, and also earned academic all-league in both sports. Served multiple seasons as golf varsity captain and will serve as tennis co-captain this spring. Participating in second years of National Honor Society, DECA and as part of student docent scholarship program with the Milford Historical Society. Serving as vice president of NHS chapter, assistant editor of school newspaper, ambassador for The Letter Project and treasurer of stock market club; also has served as assistant tennis coach for local parks & recreation department. Earned multiple DECA district championships. Is undecided where she will attend college, but plans to pursue studies in medicine and humanities.
Essay Quote: “As a golfer, tennis player, and all-around athlete, I have been told my entire life to follow the rules, play fair, and have fun. Yet, when faced with difficult choices, I often see my competitors lack honor and integrity. I believe that true sportsmanship is rare, yet is the most crucial characteristic of being a great athlete.”
Abby Frushour, DeWitt
Competed four seasons on varsity swimming & diving team and will play her fourth season of tennis this spring. Helped swim & dive team to three league championships and earned all-zone honorable mention and all-league academic honors. Served as that team’s co-captain two seasons. Named a finalist for National Merit Scholarship and earned AP Scholar honor as a junior. Serving as class council president in fourth year as officer. Represented student body at district’s strategic planning retreat. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and first as part of school’s chamber choir. Participating in third year as part of youth camp teen service team. Is undecided where she will attend college, but intends to study political science.
Essay Quote: “We all know the rules for a socially acceptable handshake: right hand, firm grip, eye contact. However, you’ll find that these rules do not apply at the end of the 500-yard freestyle. After charging into the wall, with a pounding heart and burning arms and numb legs and not a single ounce of energy left, it’s difficult to care if you look stupid while congratulating your opponents. … But here’s the truth: It doesn’t matter how strange the interaction may look. So long as you make a genuine effort to recognize and respect the achievements of your opponent, you are practicing good sportsmanship.”
Naomi Sowa, East Lansing
Played three seasons of varsity volleyball and will play her fourth of varsity softball this spring. Earned all-area and all-league in both sports, all-region in volleyball, and also all-league academic honors in both. Served as captain of both varsity teams. Carrying 4.0 GPA and earned AP Scholar Award posting highest-possible score on two exams. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and as chapter historian. Playing fourth year in school’s wind ensemble, as first chair clarinet as a senior, and previously earned festival award and performed at Michigan Music Conference. Is undecided where she will attend college, but intends to study computational mathematics or data science.
Essay Quote: “True sportsmanship lies in respecting others, and you cannot call yourself a conductor of sportsmanship without looking inward and reflecting on the actions you take and decisions you make. … Whether we accept it or not, the person we are on the playing surface is the same person we are in our everyday lives. Sportsmanship can be sought out in all things, in all places, and in all people. The empathetic capability goes beyond the playing surface, transcends the world of sports, and prepares athletes to journey through the world with a purpose, cultivating a duty to make the world a better place.”
Keira Tolmie, Clarkston
Playing fourth season of varsity basketball and will play fourth of varsity softball this spring. Made all-state first team in softball and all-league and county in basketball, helping the latter to three District championships entering this winter. Selected as captain of both varsity teams multiple seasons. Carries 4.2 GPA and is participating in second year of National Honor Society. Serving second year on MHSAA Student Advisory Council and participating in third year in school’s leadership program. Served through high school as youth sports camp counselor and this year as elementary school mentor for refugee student. Will attend Central Michigan University and study on a pre-medical track as she pursues a career as a radiologist.
Essay Quote: “The only way I will be successful in life is to put others first and to earn the respect of those around me. Even in competition, it is possible to be respectful, show kindness, empathy and compassion all while working as hard as possible with a winning spirit. Complaining to officials, faking injuries and displaying anger after a loss does not show any respect as an athlete for the sport that you’ve worked so hard to excel at, and is counter-intuitive to why we compete.”
James Baer, Holland
Competing in fourth varsity season on swimming & diving team and played second season of varsity tennis in the fall. Will compete in second varsity season of track & field this spring and also played junior varsity soccer as a freshman and sophomore. Earned all-state in swimming as a three-time Finals qualifier entering this season, and reached Finals flight quarterfinals in tennis. Serving as captain of swim & dive team and was captain of tennis team in the fall. Participating in second years of National Honor Society, serving on the executive board, and student senate. Participating in second year of chess club, as team captain, and also second year of quiz bowl. Selected for school’s top show choir in first year, as a senior, and was lead in school musical as a junior. Is undecided where he will attend college, but intends to study economics.
Essay Quote: “Ultimately, high school sports are outlets for student athletes to gain mental fortitude while learning valuable cooperative and leadership abilities. I am a naturally competitive person who is driven by goals; however, upon entering high school I quickly realized that I stood to gain more through building relationships with teammates and competitors than through setting records or winning matches.”
Brendan Downey, Grosse Pointe South
Ran four seasons of varsity cross country and will compete in fourth of track & field this spring; also played junior varsity basketball as a freshman. Qualified for MHSAA Finals in track the last two seasons and placed 16th in Lower Peninsula Division 1 in 1,600 meters. Earned all-league and all-county in cross country while ranking among school’s fastest all-time in that sport. Served as captain of cross country team and will serve as track & field captain this spring. Named National Merit Commended Scholar as a senior and AP Scholar with Distinction as a junior. Participating in second year of National Honor Society, serving as secretary, second year of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and first of Spanish Honor Society. Serving second year as copy editor and staff judge for school’s art and literary magazine, and has had poetry published. Participating in third year of school’s Interact Club and second in peer-to-peer program assisting students with autism. Will attend University of Michigan and major in public policy.
Essay Quote: “Sports are not just about the championship trophy or all-state status. Sports are a blueprint for life: they teach student-athletes to be respectful, to practice empathy, to be generous, and sometimes, to put another’s success before one’s own.”
Ryan Lee, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern
Played four seasons of varsity tennis, earning three all-state honors including making the first team twice, and helped team to two Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals championships while also earning one individual flight Finals title. Served as captain multiple seasons. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and participated in DECA throughout high school, earning state championship in 2022 and serving as club president. Participating in second year with Van Andel Institute Student Journal Club, as chapter president. Founded and serves as president of Racquets for Rapids, which refurbishes used racquets for redistribution to community organizations. Conducted carbon tax research through International Socioeconomic Laboratory, with findings approved for publication in Journal of Student Research. Is undecided where he will attend college, but intends to study economics and mathematics.
Essay Quote: “In a peculiar way, sports are a microcosm of life. We win, and we lose. We form the strongest of bonds and the greatest of rivalries. We learn the value of discipline and resilience, and we compete fiercely with others to reach victory. Through all this turmoil, it is sometimes a challenge to maintain sportsmanship, integrity, and compassion. Through tennis, more so than any other activity, I have had opportunities to develop these qualities such that they have become more important than the outcome.”
Shubhan Nagarkar, Midland Dow
Played four years of tennis, helping team to Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals championship this past fall and reaching flight final and semifinals during last two seasons. Earned all-state honorable mention and ranks in MHSAA record book for multiple doubles categories. Named National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, and AP Scholar with Distinction twice. Qualified for national competitions as part of American Computer Science League and Math League, and earned MathCon national honorable mention. Serving as Michigan State University St. Andrews Research intern, and participated in robotics and math club all four years. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and third on A.H. Nickless Innovation Competition team. Playing fourth year in symphonic band and symphony orchestra, as clarinet section leader, and earned “1” state ratings for solo and ensemble clarinet, and piano from Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association. Is undecided where he will attend college, but intends to study biomedical engineering.
Essay Quote: “More than learning every detail about tennis in that first year of varsity, I absorbed the complex dynamics of sportsmanship and saw the ubiquity of it outside of sports. Whether it is displaying respect and gratitude to an opponent following a heart-wrenching loss in the state finals or restraining your pride and supporting others after a key win, you will never regret your actions.”
Shane Pitcher, Saline
Ran two years of varsity cross country and will compete in third of varsity track & field this spring. Earned all-region in cross country and all-league in track, and will finish senior year having served as captain of both teams. Participating in second years of National Honor Society – earning silver service honor – and student council. Participated in Boy Scouts throughout high school, attaining Eagle Scout plus earning two Eagle Palms, and was selected to BSA’s Order of the Arrow. Participating in third year including second on executive council for Connecting Club, and wrote $10,000 grant for a disability-inclusive space. Participated with Students About Staying Healthy chapter all four years including as treasurer as a senior, and three years in Generation Global program. Will attend Hope College and study social studies secondary education, with a minor in exercise science.
Essay Quote: “I understand that sports are emotional especially in the wake of a poor performance, but to be a sore loser after that says something about that person. It says to your opponent that you aren’t able to compose yourself and aren’t able to respond to hard situations. Responding with grace is always a more rewarding approach. Taking an inevitable loss with grace is a huge part of sportsmanship.”
Isaac Postema, Grand Haven
Played four seasons of varsity tennis, including at No. 1 singles his final three years. Won league championship and reached MHSAA Finals as a senior and earned all-state honorable mention for second time, and also senior all-state academic award. Served as team captain. Earned National Merit Scholarship Commendation as a junior and made academic honors list at Muskegon Community College during two years of early college program. Participating in second year of National Honor Society. Playing third year in orchestra and second as part of honors orchestra, as first chair cello, and earned “1” state rating from Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and invitation to Michigan Music Conference. Playing third year in school’s GOTAK Fiddle Club and as rhythm leader as a senior. Is undecided where he will attend college.
Essay Quote: “Winning meant nothing if it was accompanied by taunting and celebrations, and losing was incredibly honorable if it was taken with humility and poise. Poor sportsmanship not only reflects badly on the individual but can also influence how people may feel about the sport, degrading it as a whole. Good sportsmanship reflects positively on the player and the sport, allowing everyone to enjoy it.”
Ian Robertson, Traverse City West
Playing third season of varsity basketball, played two of varsity soccer and will play his third of varsity baseball this spring. Earned all-state honorable mention and league Player of the Year recognition in soccer and all-league and all-District in baseball. Helped those two teams to District championships and served as captain of all three varsity teams. Participating in fourth year of student senate, as student governor after also having served as recording secretary, and third year of National Honor Society. Has helped raise more than $20,000 for charity through student government work and contributed more than 85 hours of community service. Served as youth basketball coach throughout high school. Served as section leader of school’s “Bleacher Creatures” student section that won the 2021-22 MHSAA Battle of the Fans. Will attend Tufts University in Massachusetts and study on a pre-medical track.
Essay Quote: “At the end of the day, while winning and competing are some of the forefront goals of competitors, equally important is the experience and educational aspect that high school sports have to offer.”
Other Class A girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Colleen Blackwood, Linden; Sophia Borowski, Grosse Pointe North; Abigail Cumings, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central; Kathleen Doneth, Mason; Ana Dunfee, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix; Amyla Eberhart, South Lyon East; Ella Eitniear, Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills; Miryam El-Saghir, Dearborn Edsel Ford; Sophia Hekkema, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer; Daria Igonin, Belleville; Kate Mazur, South Lyon East; Leah Merriam, Milford; Wendy Miedema, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix; Adrienne Staib, Fenton; Ella Thomas, Brownstown Woodhaven; Eva Whiteman, Holland; and Rachel Williamson, East Grand Rapids.
Other Class A boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Connor Anderson, Cadillac; Abhinav Attaluri, Northville; Jack Bakus, Midland Dow; Treyton William Carr, Hudsonville; Isaac David Clark, Caledonia; Samuel Gibson, Plainwell; Braylen Himmelein, Davison; Henry Jackson, Bloomfield Hills; Nathan Katic, Fenton; Brayden Ryan LaCroix, Grandville; James Patterson Jr., Lake Orion; James Rocco, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix; Danny Safadi, Midland Dow; Harsimmer Sohi, Portage Central; Gavyn Stout, Muskegon Mona Shores; Trevor Wallar, Zeeland West; and David Whitaker, Northville.
The Class C/D scholarship award recipients were announced Feb. 7, and the Class B honorees were announced Feb. 14.
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.