Student Leadership Plays Vital Role
By
Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
September 26, 2014
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
Fred Smith had a plan. Josh Money had no idea what it was, only that he was to report to the Buchanan High School athletic director’s office in the morning.
In the fall of 2012, Smith was observing a student section of somewhere between a dozen and 20 kids during a volleyball game. At times the line between rooting for his school was crossed into the area of rooting against the opponents; nothing unruly, but not the behavior Smith would prefer to see in his gym.
“I asked one of the students, Josh Money, to come see me the next day,” Smith recalls. “I said, ‘You’re not in trouble. I just want to meet with you about something.’”
Smith prepped for the meeting by queuing up the MHSAA Battle of the Fans video from the previous winter, in which Frankenmuth prevailed in a contest to reward the state’s most innovative and entertaining student rooting section, that above all else did so with the highest degree of sportsmanship on display.
“I asked Josh, ‘Why can’t we do this?’” Smith recalled.
The meeting supplied the impetus for a full-court press to turn around the culture at the small school in southwestern Michigan. By the time the 2013 Battle of the Fans contest was underway just a few short months later, Money was one of the leaders of the section that would become the competition’s next winner.
“I was fortunate. You know the old saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink?’ Well, I led them to the water, and they drank,” Smith said.
The Buchanan story is just one of many in which solid student leadership can assist not only an athletic program, but also boost the morale of a school and its community.
The first stop on trek to the oasis was to one of the MHSAA’s Sportsmanship Summits, this one in Kalamazoo, where eight students gleaned valuable insight to creating positive, enthusiastic settings at their athletic events.
Instrumental in guiding the students was student council advisor and social studies teacher Stacey Carlin, along with fellow staff members Rachel Carlson, Jessica Cornelius and Lisa Holok.
“It takes a dedicated staff to get behind the effort,” Smith said, pointing out that principal Sharon Steinke allowed the student council to hold school-wide “prep rallies” to allow “The Herd’s” leaders to practice routines and give classmates instructions.
“We have good student leaders and a good teaching staff involved to lead the way, and now it’s become a culture; it’s a culture change,” Smith said. “We have sections for the middle schools and elementary schools at the games, and we are proud to include these kids because that’s where we leave our legacy. We include all grade levels.”
At the root of school sports lies the most precious commodity: students. Involving them in decision-making processes and thrusting them into supervised leadership roles can strengthen the health of the overall program.
In recent years, the MHSAA has put increased emphasis on the promotion of such peer-to-peer educational gatherings.
“Throughout its history, the MHSAA has done a tremendous job working directly with coaches, administrators and officials to make school sports a valuable part of the high school student experience,” said Andy Frushour, director of brand management, who also coordinates student programs for the Association. “While students have always benefitted from those efforts, there were few initiatives involving student-athletes directly.”
That has changed over the last decade.
While the MHSAA Scholar-Athlete program just last year enjoyed its 25th anniversary, and the Women In Sports Leadership Conference has long led the nation in its realm, the MHSAA has introduced several student-based programs recently with the expectation that each will be just as successful as those endeavors.
Eight years ago, the MHSAA formed a 16-member Student Advisory Council, which meets several times annually with MHSAA staff, and serves as a student sounding board for the MHSAA’s Representative Council.
The group also assists in the planning of MHSAA Sportsmanship Summits (held regionally every other year) and Captains Clinics which take place annually in six to 12 locations in Michigan.
“All of these student-training programs, delivered directly to students, make up the overall MHSAA student leadership program,” Frushour said. “To have the voices of our students heard is invaluable in the development of targeted plans for the growth and preservation of school sports. Having students deliver our message to their classmates only helps to strengthen our product.”
Pete Ryan, athletic director for Saginaw Township Community Schools, is involved with two Captains Clinics for the Saginaw Valley Association each year, and understands the importance of student-led messages.
“Peer leadership works well when it is leadership and guidance, and not simply telling others how they have to do it,” Ryan said. “Setting the example is a priority, and exemplifying behaviors that correspond to leadership plays a role.”
The Captains Clinics are geared to accommodate 100-150 students per session, and the benefits can be felt conference-wide.
“Our main goal is to learn and understand that all team members can affect the focus of ‘team’ in many different ways. We ask our students who have attended the Captains Clinics to take back one or two things and re-teach their teammates,” said Jim Conway, Mount Pleasant High School athletic director and an active leader in the annual series.
“Peer learning is wonderful when taught using positive measures. Set examples, be early, respect all teammates, take care of yourself off the field. Also, there is strength in numbers. Student-to-student clearly out-numbers coach-to-student ratio.”
Ryan has noticed a change in environment during contests with some traditional rivals, adding that social media can play a productive role today.
“The Captains Clinics have helped break down barriers between rival schools because there is name and face recognition now,” he says. “We have tried to use social media in a positive manner to invite schools for a tailgate or to create a friendly competition. It can become a negative tool when taunting comes into play. The Captains Clinics provide a great forum to educate our leaders about using social media in a constructive manner.”
“Constructive” is the key word. Properly supervised, social media can be a big help in getting positive messages out.
“Continued education toward social media is at the forefront of what we need to be discussing,” Conway said. “As the high school climate grows, students must understand how powerful social media has become. Captains Clinics teach that no reaction is the only reaction.”
The SAC is using technology to roll out an online Captains Course in the coming months, modifying the printed publication Captains 101 which was published by members of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Councils.
Under the guidance of Frushour, with current SAC members Connor Thomas (Marlette) and Caycee Turczyn (Lapeer) leading the charge, the new format will prove a valuable resource for captains statewide.
As one would expect, having been selected following a thorough process which includes recommendations, minimum GPAs, and a Q & A form, SAC members are enthusiastic, and they revel in their opportunity to make a difference through communication with MHSAA staff and participation in the summits and clinics.
One of the many benefits is bringing students from diverse backgrounds and large and small communities together.
“I love sports and anything to do with sports,” said Jonathan Perry, SAC member from McBain Northern Michigan Christian. “I hopefully will make my career in sports, for example as an athletic director, and I thought this would be a great learning step. I also wanted to experience high school sports from a different perspective, because I only have a small-school perspective. It’s fun learning about all different school sizes, areas and sports that other SAC members participate in.”
Eliza Beird is also from a small school, Holland Black River. For her, the SAC appointment provided more than the opportunity to play a sport.
“I wanted to do something more with sports besides just participating,” she said. “I was motivated to apply for the SAC because I knew that it would give me an opportunity to expand the role that sports played in my life. Not only would I learn more about the rules and regulations of high school sports, but I would also get the chance to share other’s ideas and visions about high school athletics – along with my own – with the entire state.”
The ability to share ideas with local groups and spread them statewide is one of the foundations on which school sports is built, particularly in Michigan. The MHSAA preaches local leadership and local competition. When the proper messages and behaviors are cultivated in towns, cities and communities around the state, then statewide missions can be achieved.
Today’s students are impacting the culture more than ever simply because communication lines are more open than ever. More two-way streets are in place to provide opportunities for student input, with Captains Clinics and Sportsmanship Summits chief among those avenues.
“Training is priority one,” says Ryan. “We need more time to teach them the value in leadership and then we need more opportunities to do it. The Captains Clinics are great resources for training. There is a need for these clinics, and I would like to see more available.”
Student role models can be pivotal not only on athletic teams, but in classrooms and hallways.
“I’ve found that being a teenager in high school is tough. It’s every girl’s dream to be in the ‘popular group,’ and when you’re not, it makes those four years even harder,” says SAC member Emily Starck of Remus Chippewa Hills. “When it comes to being a leader, it isn’t necessarily about having the title of captain on your team, being president of student council or the latest trendsetter. It’s more about leading by example, and obeying the simple concept of treating others the way you want to be treated, whether that is helping an opponent up on the court or making a conscious effort to smile and say hello to everyone you see in the halls.”
It’s that type of behavior and those types of students which make the job as a high school administrator, teacher and coach so rewarding. Not to mention, it can make the job easier.
“Student leadership benefits the coaches because they can rely on those students to assist with team issues,” said Ryan. “It helps from an administrative standpoint because you know those leaders are buying into the program and will encourage others to do the same. I’ve also seen students set the tone by speaking at parent meetings. They can have a real impact on explaining expectations of the team and school to parents.”
Ah, the parent component. School sports are quite different in nature and purpose from community-based programs, which range from all-star travel teams to recreation leagues run by groups of parents. In most cases, winning and playing time supersede all other goals.
Educational, interscholastic athletics differ. Allowing students to help carry the mission only makes sense. MHSAA Sportsmanship Summits offer a major delivery vehicle.
In the instance relayed from Buchanan at the outset of this article, the Summits can make all the difference. SAC members are heavily involved and interested in the potential of this fall’s sportsmanship efforts.
“My goals for the Sportsmanship Summits this year is to get all of the students in my session to open up and talk about what is good, and bad, sportsmanship,” said Thomas. “Also, I hope to gain personal knowledge, as well as having the other students gain knowledge, that we can bring to our own schools.”
Each Summit has approximately 250 participants who are led through a series of breakout sessions designed to get students talking about sportsmanship in their communities, as well as coming up with solutions to curb bad sportsmanship at school. One of the breakouts is developed and delivered by SAC members. A final session focuses on creating a school sportsmanship action plan.
“I hope we get kids to think more about sportsmanship at the Summits,” Perry said. “Get them thinking more about sportsmanship and letting them figure some of it out on their own, and cause them to talk about it with others. If a person at a Summit talks to five other people who were not at the Summit, we still affect six people. We can have a huge impact on people’s perspective of sportsmanship.”
It’s that “pay it forward” method that bodes well for future grades across the state in general, and perhaps even within the SAC more specifically.
“I hope that other student-athletes are inspired,” added Beird. “I hope we can help motivate them to go and make a change in their school. I also think it would be pretty cool if someone wanted to apply for the SAC after attending one of the Summits.”
The MHSAA is proud of its recent boom in student programming, and plans for the future include greater student content in the highly successful Coaches Advancement Program, and possibly a statewide Captains Summer Camp, potentially drawing 200-300 students to one of Michigan’s picturesque lakeside settings.
Of course, a little outside assistance is always welcome, especially when the helping hand has the same goals in mind. Enter the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS). The group helps to facilitate the MHSAA Captains Clinics, and SAC members also participate in a yearly focus group about the state of high schools sports for the ISYS.
ISYS staff member Scott Westfall works diligently with Frushour at the MHSAA in creating a comprehensive program for captains.
“Adults often say and do the right things, thus, their leadership is often viewed as obligatory behavior,” Wesftall said. “However, student-led leadership is much more influential. This power is rooted in the peer-to peer relationships and mutual empathy. Student-athletes are often very close in age, so that leadership is often held with higher validity because the student leader is most likely experiencing many of the same adversities and temptations as the peers on his or her team.”
That’s not just clinician-speak. Several SAC members are living those situations each day and relate similar scenarios.
“In the hallway and on the field, students will see and be directly influenced by peers around them. Other students may be more likely to copy the actions of those in student leadership,” said Beird. “Because these actions are not being suggested by an authoritative figure, students are less likely to resist these ways and more likely to repeat them. Their peers are leading the way.”
“Whether its student council or pep club, working with other leaders teaches one to step out of their comfort zone in order to get tasks accomplished,” said Turczyn. “For example, the SAC has taught me to voice my opinions while also taking into consideration the opinions of others, whether we are in agreement or not.”
There are also instances when a school’s best leaders are roaming the grounds and nobody– not even themselves – realize the potential within them. Such was the case for Karen Leinaar, when lightning struck at two different schools.
Leinaar, current Bear Lake and former Benzie Central athletic director, recalls the stories of Travis Clous (Benzie, 2012) and Emileigh Ferguson (Bear Lake, 2014), a pair of typical high school students who emerged as unexpected leaders through their experiences with the SAC.
“Travis was a kid who you thought was kind of a cut-up or class clown type; there was always that smile on his face,” Leinaar recalled. “But, you could tell there was more to him. He organized a cross country function, and from there would ask questions about my job, about the Representative Council and what it did. He applied for a spot on the SAC, and it completely changed him. He began to understand that your voice can be heard if you back it up with rationale. That young man discovered that he was someone people would listen to.
“Emileigh was a decent student and good athlete,” Leinaar said. “She was taller and bigger than most of her classmates, always in front of the line, but unfortunately sometimes for girls, that’s enough. She was a follower, and didn’t always follow the right people. After serving on the SAC, she was able to make good decisions, she was accountable and had a voice. She tried to show people the right way to do things, and if they didn’t, she stayed the course. She was no longer a follower.”
The two are now enrolled at Hope College, walking testimonials that dedicated student programs provide useful skill sets for those putting on a cap and gown each spring.
Maybe someday they’ll join Andria Baker, a charter SAC member from Constantine in 2007, who teaches and coaches in the St. Joseph school system after a year in Alma where she coached volleyball, basketball and track & field.
“On the SAC, I was able to connect with other students who shared similar beliefs with me, and also those who challenged my way of thinking. Being challenged and having to defend what you feel is important and was a tremendous skill to learn,” Baker said.
College-bound former SAC member Coby Ryan also feels well equipped for the next stage of his life.
“Student leadership in high school prepared me quite well for the next chapter in my life,” Ryan said. “It taught me how to communicate with my peers, and it was vital for me to be able to handle the responsibilities given to me in high school. Learning how to act in pressure situations and think on my feet has helped me in the present.”
In Baker’s case, she finds herself in a familiar setting now as an adult, but her role changes ever so slightly as she attempts to pass on the values that launched her career to current students.
“Leadership is something that never stops. As a student-athlete in high school and college, I shared my leadership through my passion of sports and competition,” Baker explains. “However, I was a unique leader playing-wise because I wasn’t always on the court; I wasn't the best player on the team, but I understood the importance of being a team player and every teammate is valuable and important.
“Transitioning that to my life as a professional has been different because I am now showing the athletes and students I work with how to be the next generation of leaders. I have to not only lead by example, but train them how to behave and act on and off the court. I have had many conversations with athletes about not being afraid of the leadership role. Although it is a big role, it will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
Leadership can also be contagious. The key is harnessing what’s intrinsically good in people and finding a way to bring it to the surface.
Smith mentioned the cultural change at Buchanan, where staff and students have built on the Battle of the Fans momentum.
“Our cheering sections weren’t always the model, and at times had a reputation as not the most sportsmanlike,” Smith said. “But the Battle of the Fans experience has carried over to other areas of sportsmanship and behavior.”
Last year, Buchanan was named one of the five nicest schools in America by Mean Stinks, for its anti-bullying efforts and “ganging up for good.” Part of the honor included a pizza party, courtesy of the sponsors for the Mean Stinks campaign.
“You ever see 300 pizzas brought in from local pizza place?” Smith asked. “It’s quite a sight.”
So, too, are the images of hundreds of students gathered at Sportsmanship Summits, Captains Clinics, and cheering sections on a nightly basis. The MHSAA invites you to come out and have a look.
PHOTOS: (Top) Honorees are recognized with their Farm Bureau/MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Awards in March at the Breslin Center. (Middle) Attendees posefor a souvenir photo at a recent Women in Sports Leadership conference. (Below) Members of the 2014-15 Student Advisory Council participate in a leadership exercise this summer.
Leadership Opportunities Abound for 2014-15
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD APPLICATIONS
In 2014-15 we celebrate the 26th anniversary of the Farm Bureau Insurance sponsored MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. In 2014-15, 32 $1,000 scholarships will again be awarded from a pool of the best and brightest high school seniors. Eligibility requirements and applications can be found at MHSAA.com on the “Students” page. Applications are due to the MHSAA on Dec. 5.
SPORTSMANSHIP SUMMITS
This fall the MHSAA’s series of Sportsmanship Summits returns with four regional clinics spread across the state. These day-long summits will cover sportsmanship topics from a variety of perspectives, including from the viewpoints of athletes, coaches, officials and administrators. Most importantly, though, the summits will focus on sportsmanship in student cheering sections. School groups will review what makes great student sections tick, and then develop plans on how to make its own student section more loud, organized, positive and fun. This year’s Summits are as follows: Gaylord, Nov. 3; Saginaw, Nov. 5; Grand Rapids, Nov. 10; Warren, Nov. 12.
BATTLE OF THE FANS
The fourth annual MHSAA Battle of the Fans competition will take place again during the winter season. The contest, organized by the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, seeks to find the loudest, most organized, most fun and most positive student cheering section in the state. Students should begin filming their student sections this fall in preparation for the video deadline in early January. Beaverton High School is the defending champion, while Buchanan won in 2012-13 and Frankenmuth in 2011-12. More details are available at http://www.mhsaa.com/BOTF.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP GRANTS
The MHSAA has earmarked $20,000 to help students become better leaders. This fund originated from a gift to the MHSAA from student leadership training leader, the former W.B.A. Ruster Foundation. Scholarships are available to students to attend existing student leadership camps, and schools can receive grant money to create student leadership programs in their communities. Funding is available NOW. There is no deadline – applications are accepted, and money is distributed, year-round. Visit the “Students” page at MHSAA.com.
CAPTAINS CLINICS
The purpose of the MHSAA Captains Clinic series is to give basic leadership training to both current and future team captains. The training session is only four-and-a-half hours long, so there’s no way these students can learn everything they need to become effective team leaders. Instead, we use this time as an opportunity to give the students the basics of being a team captain – we answer the question, “I was named a team captain, now what am I supposed to do?” We walk through the role of a team captain, we discuss common team problems, and we finish the day by making a “To Do” guide for all of each school’s team captains. Several clinics will take place in the coming year, and the MHSAA would love to come to your league. If you can get your entire league on board, guarantee 100-150 participants, and suggest a good location (preferably a school on a professional development day), the MHSAA will do the rest. The Association will coordinate the registration process, negotiate with facilities if necessary, provide the curriculum and supplies, work with the caterers and bring facilitators to the clinic. Contact Andy Frushour to learn more about the Captains clinic program – [email protected].
Scholars and Athletes 2016: Class A
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 15, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected 14 student-athletes from Class A member schools to receive scholarships through the Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 27th year of sponsoring the award, will give $1,000 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.
Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball Final game March 26 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. Commemorative medallions will be given to the finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.
The Class A Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Drew Blakely, Richland Gull Lake; Kobe Burse, Muskegon Mona Shores; Riley Costen, Hudsonville; Zaven Dadian, Birmingham Seaholm; Kayla Dobies, Macomb Dakota; Kelsey Emmanuel, Lowell; Lars Hornburg, Traverse City Central; Marie Lachance, East Grand Rapids; Anna Laffrey, East Grand Rapids; Allia Marie McDowell, Farmington Hills Mercy; Jason Ren, Canton; Easton Schultz, East Grand Rapids; Genevieve Soltesz, Mattawan; and Mallak Taleb, Dearborn Heights Crestwood.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class A Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
Kayla Dobies, Macomb Dakota
Ran four seasons of varsity cross country, will run her fourth of varsity track and field and played varsity basketball as a sophomore. Owns school records in high jump, as part of 3,200 and 1,600-meter relays, and also for fastest cross country 5K. Served as cross country team’s captain three years and made the MHSAA Finals twice. Qualified for the last three MHSAA Track & Field Finals, placing twice. Earned academic all-state in cross country twice and track and field three times. Serves as treasurer in her second year of National Honor Society, is in her third year as a Joyce Ivy Foundation fellow and member of the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honors society. Also has participated in Science Olympiad and First Robotics. Mentors middle school track athletes and created and directs a youth summer track and field camp. Will attend Princeton University and study neuroscience with aspirations of becoming a neurosurgeon.
Essay Quote: “For most athletes, sportsmanship is high-fiving your opponents at the end of a game. Constantly repeating, ‘good game,’ just to be polite. … Sportsmanship means much more than a pat on the back, more than a ‘good game.’ Sportsmanship is showing love for the people who face the same hardships as you, regardless of what team they play for.”
Kelsey Emmanuel, Lowell
Played two years of varsity volleyball, will run her third of varsity track and field this spring, ran two seasons of varsity cross country and played two seasons of subvarsity basketball. Served as volleyball captain in the fall and junior varsity basketball captain as a sophomore, and earned sportsmanship awards in two sports. Participating in third year of Lowell Youth Advisory Council, this year as treasurer, and is secretary in her second year of student council. Also is in her second year of National Honor Society and fourth of Lady Arrows Varsity Club, and was part of a State Farm “Celebrate my Drive” safe driving campaign in 2013 that placed among the top 50 nationally. Participated in her school’s musical and Christmas play as a junior. Will attend New York University and study international relations.
Essay Quote: “A person who is able to take away a lesson from a loss is a teammate who shows dedication to lead others toward improvement and reaching their goals. When someone notices good camaraderie amongst teammates, there is no question that there is an athlete encouraging and positively leading them behind the scenes. Sportsmanship is like an identical twin to leadership. When an athlete represents sportsmanship on the field, she is also representing herself as a role model and leader in her community and school.”
Marie Lachance, East Grand Rapids
Swam four seasons on varsity, helping East Grand Rapids to MHSAA team titles in 2013 and 2014; will compete in her second season as a varsity pole vaulter this spring. Earned all-state honorable mention in swimming as a sophomore and junior and made the MHSAA Finals in track and field as a junior. Served or will serve as captain of both teams as a senior. Also coached We the People constitutional debate team that was first in state and eighth nationally. Serves as co-president of National Honor Society chapter and has held leadership positions as part of a number of school groups. Earned AP Scholar Award, Harvard Book Award and is a Joyce Ivy Foundation fellow. Founded and organized a TEDx event at her school and participated in both the Brown University Leadership Institute and Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute. Volunteers with Orchard Hills Swim Team youth program, East Grand Rapids recreation department and Grand Rapids’ Comprehension Therapy Center. Will attend Brown University and study business with a concentration in entrepreneurship and organizations.
Essay Quote: “I am a swift swimmer. I am a fierce pole vaulter. But above all, I am an incredible teammate. Although there are no medals or podium for this feat, throughout my 11 years of being a competitive swimmer, I have learned that displaying sportsmanship is the true reward of competitive athletics.”
Anna Laffrey, East Grand Rapids
Ran four seasons of varsity cross country and will run third of varsity track and field this spring; also played junior varsity lacrosse. Qualified for the MHSAA Finals her final three seasons in cross country and the last two in track. Earned all-state on a 3,200-meter relay Finals champion in 2015 and helped the cross country team to a Finals runner-up finish in the fall. Captained the cross country team and will captain the track and field team this spring. Served as opinion editor and then editor-in-chief of student newspaper, winning multiple awards from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, and was public relations head for school’s TEDx event committee. Coached We the People constitutional debate team that was first in state and eighth nationally. Served multiple leadership roles for school’s Leadership & Youth Development group. Selected as only member of graduating class to her school district’s foundation board. Is undecided where she will attend college but intends to study journalism.
Essay Quote: “I realized that the team from down the street had made me a stronger person. (It) had taught me to face defeat with optimism and combat failure with hard work. More importantly, however, it had taught me integrity. … Great rivalries aren’t made from trash talk and aggression. Rather, they’re fostered from mutual respect and shared passion: epitomizing the characteristics of sportsmanship.”
Allia Marie McDowell, Farmington Hills Mercy
Will play her third full season of varsity soccer this spring and played three seasons on the school’s varsity field hockey team; also played subvarsity basketball as a freshman. Helped her soccer team to Regional Finals in 2013 and 2014 and earned all-area honors last spring. Served as varsity soccer captain and also captain of soccer and field hockey junior varsities. Served as editor-in-chief of school newspaper that received the highest honor by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, and also won individual awards. Selected for National Honor Society and is a member of the Mercy Junior Classical League and a number of additional school clubs. Has volunteered throughout high school for Our Lady of Victory events, Detroit Red Wings games and camps and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital/The Farm at St. Joe’s projects, taking leadership roles with all three organizations. Is undecided where she will attend college but will study journalism and business.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship gets a lot of lip service by players. They talk about being good sports, and then sometimes they aren’t. They talk about poor attitude of other teams, but sometimes don’t encourage their own teammates on the field. … But high school athletes are scholar-athletes. That means athletics are meant to be an extension of learning. And sportsmanship is something that is taught.”
Genevieve Soltesz, Mattawan
Ran four seasons of varsity cross country and will play her fourth of varsity softball this spring; also played subvarsity basketball as a freshman. Played key roles on softball teams that won an MHSAA championship in 2013 and made the Semifinals in 2015, earning all-state in that sport as a junior and all-division honors in cross country. Served as captain of both varsity teams. Ranks first academically in her school’s graduating class and scored a perfect score on her ACT college entrance exam. Earned AP Scholar with Distinction and was named National Merit Award semifinalist. Participating in National Honor Society for third year and is president of Mattawan High School History Club. Volunteers with local food drive and elementary school Battle of the Books, and has served as a youth softball instructor and high school peer tutor. Will attend Columbia University in New York and study operations research and financial engineering.
Essay Quote: “As vital as sportsmanship is, it is not innate; it must be learned over time. Unfortunately, in the midst of competition, athletes sometimes abandon this skill in favor of anger or selfishness. It is the ability to resist this urge that shows true sportsmanship. … By participating in high school sports, athletes are able to witness and practice sportsmanship in ways that their peers are not.”
Mallak Taleb, Dearborn Heights Crestwood
Ran two seasons of varsity cross country as a freshman and sophomore, also played varsity basketball as a sophomore, and will play her fourth season of varsity soccer this spring. Has served as captain of soccer team since sophomore season and also was basketball captain that year. Helped soccer team to back-to-back league championships and qualified for Regional competition in cross country as a freshman. Participating in fourth year of student congress and as president, and serves on the board of directors for her school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter. Also participates in National Honor Society, Link Crew and was co-founder of Books for a Benefit program to assist needy schools; also launched multiple fundraisers to assist needy and refugees. Earned various academic achievement and service and leadership awards, and was selected for the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program and nominated for the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad team. Has not chosen where she’ll attend college, but will study biomedical engineering.
Essay Quote: “The value of sportsmanship … includes the sacrifices you make for your teammates and the examples you serve to those who look up to you. For me, sportsmanship is an act – a decision to encourage, inspire, motivate and respect others and opponents.
Drew Blakely, Richland Gull Lake
Played three seasons of varsity baseball and will play his fourth this spring. Earned all-state honors his first three seasons including making the Dream Team, which includes the best regardless of division, in 2015. Served as team captain last season. Participating in National Honor Society for the second year and also his second year in the school’s PAL program to mentor and tutor middle school students; served on the school’s Captain’s Council as a junior. Earned a 4.1 grade-point average and became the only freshman in school history to score a 5 on the AP U.S. History exam. Volunteers as part of the baseball program, his church and with middle school students with disabilities and also with Relay for Life. Chosen to speak at local church and Rotary Club. Will attend the University of Virginia and study kinesiology.
Essay Quote: “I have learned that when you encourage your teammates and show dignity to your opponents, your performance tends to improve as well. Many players look up to me because of my talent, but I think it is more important they look up to me for my character on and off the field. … I want to leave a legacy for my sportsmanship and have my talent be nothing more than an additional bonus.”
Kobe Burse, Muskegon Mona Shores
Played three seasons of varsity football, four of varsity basketball and will participate in his third of varsity track and field this spring. Earned all-league honors in football and basketball and all-state honorable mention as well in basketball; captained both teams including the basketball team his final two seasons. Helped football team to three playoff appearances and an appearance in the 2014 Division 2 Final, and qualified for the MHSAA Finals for track and field as a junior. Has participated with Kids Food Basket and as a reader to his district’s elementary school students the last four years and also as a peer tutor as a senior. Also participates with his church youth group and serves as instructor for junior basketball and youth football programs. Will attend Miami University in Ohio and study psychology.
Essay Quote: “Participation in sports – or any group, for that matter – teaches a number of lessons. Whether it is time management, hard work, or perseverance, student-athletes – upon walking across that graduation stage – seem to take away more from their time in athletics than they give. … More than anything else, my participation in educational athletics has taught me how to be a sportsmanlike teammate – an emphatic partner, encouraging leader and selfless individual to lean upon throughout all phases of competition.”
Riley Costen, Hudsonville
Played two seasons of varsity tennis and two of varsity basketball and also played subvarsity baseball and football. Earned all-league honors in tennis as a junior after winning a flight championship and helped his basketball team to a District title in 2015. Served as captain for both varsity teams and also his freshman football team. Earned AP Scholar with Honor award and is a member of his school’s Eagle Gold Renaissance academic program; ranks third in graduating class academically with a 4.231 grade-point average. Participating on student council for fourth year and with National Honor Society for second, and also is a Links mentor and member of his church youth group. Selected twice for interview team for new teacher hires. Serves as community education coach and has umpired baseball and softball games; also initiated and planned a community-wide fundraiser that raised more than $20,000 for a young boy with cancer. Is undecided where he will attend college and what field of study he will pursue.
Essay Quote: “I believe if athletes realize the true honor it is to be called a student-athlete, the participants themselves and whole programs will become more successful. When I say ‘successful,’ I’m not talking about the win/loss record. Rather, I’m talking about displays of good character, mutual respect between teammates, opponents and officials; honesty, integrity and discipline; or simply, the core values of sportsmanship.”
Zaven Dadian, Birmingham Seaholm
Played four seasons of varsity tennis and will play his third of varsity golf this spring; also played subvarsity basketball as a freshman. Earned all-state honors in tennis and won three individual Regional championships while helping his team to four Regional team titles; served as captain of the tennis team two seasons. Earned golf team’s Sportsmanship Award. Playing in fourth year of band and as principle chair for concert and symphony, receiving Division I ratings for solo and ensemble for piano; also has served two years as marching band section leader. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and iMatter for Kids, and has been a member all four years of the Armenian Christian Youth Organization of America. Participates in various service projects through his church and received an ACYOA service award. Will attend University of Michigan and study business.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship is not always about winning the match, but how you conduct yourself both in times of victory and defeat. I play each match knowing that whatever the outcome may be, I will hold my composure and be the first man at the net to shake hands. When people think of me, they may not remember whether I won the big match, but that I was honorable.”
Lars Hornburg, Traverse City Central
Played two seasons of varsity soccer and competed four seasons on varsity ski team; also participated in varsity track and field as a sophomore. Earned a Regional championship and finished MHSAA Finals runner-up individually in skiing and helped his soccer team to a District title. Earned all-league honors in both sports and all-state in skiing and also served as captain of both soccer and ski teams. Named Junior Olympian three times by U.S. Ski Association Rocky/Central division. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and fourth in school’s select choir, for which he is a section leader; earned top scores at state choral festival. Earned AP Scholar award has participated three years in his district’s Sci-Ma-Tech advanced science/math/technology program, earning a second place at a regional science symposium. Also is participating for third year in G.1.F.T. student-run community charity. Will attend Harvard University and intends to study environmental science.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship is about respect for others as individuals in the face of competition, recognizing not only our opponents’ but also our teammates’ unique personal challenges and strengths. Just as we shape each other and hone each other on the field, true sportsmen look to build each other up on and off the field.”
Jason Ren, Canton
Played four seasons of varsity soccer and helped his team to an MHSAA championship in 2014 and runner-up finish in 2015. Earned all-state honorable mention in addition to all-league and other honors and received scholar-athlete honors three seasons. Served as co-captain as a senior in the fall. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and currently as president, and is also in his second year as co-captain of the school’s Math Olympiad team. Earned AP Scholar and Scholar with Distinction awards and is a National Merit Award semifinalist. Also earned certificate of distinction from American Mathematics Competition and honorable mention from the Michigan Math Prize Competition as a two-time finalist. Provides ACT/SAT instruction and also contributes in his community as a member of Key Club and as a volunteer soccer referee for Special Olympics and youth soccer coach. Is undecided where he will attend college but will study computer science and business.
Essay Quote: “The camaraderie developed among teammates and the life lessons taught by educational athletics outweigh winning or losing by a long shot. Ultimately, educational athletics give us a unique opportunity to grow as people – developing, understanding and exhibiting sportsmanship are the best ways to take full advantage of that opportunity.”
Easton Schultz, East Grand Rapids
Ran three seasons of varsity cross country and will run third of varsity track and field; also played subvarsity basketball and football. Helped cross country team to best two MHSAA Finals finishes in school history. Earned all-league honorable mention as a junior and academic all-state three years. Served or will serve as captain of both cross country and track and field varsity teams. Participating in fourth year of student council and is a member of National Honor Society. Earned AP Scholar with Distinction; also honored by the Native American Financial Officers Association and received the Tribal Economic Development National Leader Award. Works as a paid intern for his tribe, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and hosted a youth camp to teach tribal history and cultural arts and crafts. Raised $5,000 for the American Cancer Society over five years as captain of Relay for Life team. Will attend Harvard University and study economics with a dual study of finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.
Essay Quote: “Through encouragement from a rival and my assistance paid in return, my seemingly dreary senior season became an enjoyable learning experience. Before my injury, I had downplayed the importance of sportsmanship, but I now recognize its vital role in the character development of young adults and hope that other high school athletes will be as positively affected by sportsmanship as I was.”
Other Class A girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Clare Brush, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Catherine Markley, Birmingham Seaholm; Lauren McLeod, Birmingham Seaholm; Cameron Peek, Caledonia; Jaime Freas, Dearborn Edsel Ford; Sarah Hartshorn, Dearborn Edsel Ford; Mackenzie Cole, East Grand Rapids; Brianna Costigan, Fenton; Ally Stapleton, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central; Catherine Stapleton, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central; Meredith Howe, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern; Erin Armbruster, Grosse Pointe North; Lindsey Rudden, Marquette; Olivia Arends, Mt. Pleasant; Mary Catherine McLaughlin, Northville; Ellen Wegener, Rochester; and Jennifer Eaton, St. Johns.
Other Class A boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Jack Eisentrout, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Nathan Lazor, Birmingham Groves; Brendan Oosse, East Grand Rapids; Jared Char, Farmington Hills Harrison; Charles R. Perkins Jr., Farmington Hills Harrison; Santino J. Guerra, Flint Kearsley; Garrett Farney, Grandville; Noah Andrew Weigle, Grandville; Jeremy Tervo, Hartland; Eric Mettetal, Howell; Daniel Karel, Hudsonville; Traver Parlato, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix; Kevin Hansen, Lake Orion; Alexander Oquist, Livonia Stevenson; Benjamin G. Cole, Marquette; Joseph Weber, Marquette; Kyle Jones, Swartz Creek.
The Class C and D scholarship award recipients were announced Feb. 2, and the Class B honorees were announced Feb. 9. All can be found on the MHSAA Website by clicking the “Scholar-Athlete” link at the bottom of the page under “Students.”
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 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 1.4 million spectators each year.