5 Vie for Best Cheering Section in Michigan
January 18, 2012
Five finalists -- Frankenmuth, Grand Rapids Christian, Petoskey, Reese and Rockford -- have been selected for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s inaugural “Battle of the Fans,” which will recognize the top student cheering section from among member schools and culminate in a video presentation including all five finalists during this season’s Girls and Boys Basketball Finals at Michigan State’s Breslin Center.
The contest, organized by MHSAA staff and its 16-member Student Advisory Council, will reward the cheering section that best creates the positive and festive atmosphere made possible when students show enthusiasm, togetherness and sportsmanship while rooting for their team.
Finalists were selected based on a vote by the Student Advisory Council. MHSAA staff and Student Advisory Council members will visit all five finalists for home games during the second half of this regular season, with the winner being announced Feb. 24. Video of all five sections will be played on the Breslin Center HD scoreboard during the Finals in March.
Sections were invited in December to submit a short video, via YouTube and Facebook, of their cheering sections in action. Video submissions also included explanations on how that section meets the following contest criteria: positive sportsmanship, sound volume, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group and student section leadership. A total of 19 sections submitted videos by the deadline earlier this month.
“The Student Advisory Council decided to put its primary focus this fall on a sportsmanship campaign that would engage and motivate student cheering sections throughout the state,” said Andy Frushour, MHSAA director of brand management and advisor to the Student Advisory Council. “We’re thrilled with the level of participation and look forward to the coming months as we look to crown our first ‘Battle of the Fans’ champion.”
MHSAA staff will produce videos from each stop on its tour of the finalists. Those videos will be posted to the MHSAA’s Facebook page. An online vote Feb. 20-23 will contribute in determining the winner.
Finalists will be visited for the following home boys basketball games:
Jan. 21: Frankenmuth vs. Freeland
Jan. 27: Grand Rapids Christian vs. East Grand Rapids, Reese vs. Cass City
Feb. 3: Rockford vs. Hudsonville
Feb. 17: Petoskey vs. West Branch Ogemaw Heights
To view finalists’ submissions on YouTube, click on http://ow.ly/8y9s3.
The Student Advisory Council is made up of eight seniors and eight juniors, who each serve two-year terms. The Council acts as the voice of Michigan's student-athletes; it serves as a student sounding board for the MHSAA's Representative Council, assists in planning Sportsmanship Summits, Captain's Clinics and other student leadership events; participates in a yearly focus group about the state of high schools sports for Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and assists with medal ceremonies at MHSAA championship events.
Photo courtesy Laingsburg student cheering section.
Rare Occasions
February 28, 2017
On the rare occasions when a high school athletic event in Michigan is interrupted or ended prematurely because of a breakdown in proper sportsmanship, I remind myself that there were hundreds of other high school athletic contests that same day that were conducted with good sportsmanship and without problems. It is because bad incidents are so very rare that they make news.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association doesn't assign officials to administer any regular-season contests; but we do receive reports from officials, school administrators and many others when problems occur, some offering opinions that go viral with incomplete information and snap judgments.
In a recent case, three veteran and respected officials were assigned to a league crossover game between two talented basketball teams. The atmosphere was poisoned by a public address announcer who was subsequently removed from that role by the school district after he not only performed those duties in an inflammatory and biased way, but also pursued and provoked one of the officials who had halted the game after an object was hurled from the crowd. That official worsened the situation when he pushed this individual; and the subsequent behavior of host team members and spectators was deplorable and dangerous.
The official is not the villain here, but an individual human being who has enjoyed the avocation of sports officiating for many years with good success and support. I'm sure he wishes he could take back the split second of his fear or anger that has been shown on video worldwide.
The host school has not been blind to several things it could do, in addition to appointing a different PA announcer, to improve the atmosphere of its athletic events; and it has already demonstrated its intent to provide a better experience for all involved in the future. It is contributing to the many thousands of athletic contests that build character in school sports for every one contest that lets us down.