SAC Sound-Off: One Team, One Community
December 3, 2012
By Matt Freeman
Owosso senior
OWOSSO, Michigan (population 15,000) – To our town, the high school football program had been in a tailspin since its first playoff appearance in 2001.
A group of 24 seniors, 11 juniors and one sophomore decided to change that direction this fall.
Owosso, 3-6 in 2010 and 5-4 in 2011, had tasted success during the previous two years – especially considering our four straight 1-8 finishes from 2006-09. Although the program had not returned to the level of competitiveness set by teams of the mid-1990s, there was hope leading into this fall.
So naturally, during the spring and summer leading up to the beginning of practice, my teammates and coaches were bombarded with questions about this year’s team. It was simple; if we played the way we knew we could, then we would have a great opportunity in front of us. And as the season rolled on, I came to understand just how much our town was cheering us on.
Growing up in a rural community in a family that has lived here since the turn of the 20th century, if I don’t know someone, someone else in my family knows that person. So I was tied in some way to many of the people packing the stands and hoping for us to achieve our lofty expectations.
Splitting the first two games and winning a nail-biter against Haslett, we landed ourselves at 2-1 to start. After two losses and a win, we found ourselves at 3-3 with three games to play: against Ionia, Birmingham Groves and Eaton Rapids. We had to win all three to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 years – and we pulled it off, with three of our four biggest wins of the entire regular season.
Next up was the Sunday Selection Show and more backing from our neighbors. For the event, the whole team and lots of fans went to one of our local restaurants that had supported us throughout the season. The show came on at 6 p.m., and we were pretty sure we were going to be in Division 3; we just didn't know who our opponent would be.
Finally it came across the screen: CADILLAC. We were going to play Cadillac that Friday at 7 p.m. We were excited, but also a bit disappointed; the game was so far away. To us, this meant that we would not have a good crowd – just the die-hard parents would be willing to make the trip.
Soon, I learned just how much our team meant to the rest of our fans.
Our football team was the buzz of the school that week, but we tried to stay all business. We knew we had the opportunity to do what no football team in the history of our school had done before – actually win a playoff game. That thought alone drove us. We had the best week of practice since the beginning of the season. Everyone was sharp and focused on one common goal. But we still knew it was going to take a lot more than a couple good practices to win this game.
I stop at our local Speedway station, north of town, to get a coffee almost every day on my way to school. That Thursday, Nov. 1, was no different. Yes, it was the day before a game, but I was not about to break my routine.
I was standing in line with my large coffee waiting to pay when I heard a voice next to me. An older man, wearing old jeans and an old coat that had seen more winters than I had, looked at me and said, “Very proud of what you boys are doing.”
“Thank you,” I said, not expecting the conversation to go further.
“I've been to every home game this year, and I’ll be making the drive to Cadillac tomorrow too. Keep it up,” he then added.
I said thank you again, paid for my coffee and left. I then realized what had just happened
Suddenly, I was hit with a lot of questions. Who was this man? How did he know me? Did I know him and just forget? I then realized that I was wearing my varsity jacket, and that solved how he knew I was on the football team.
After stewing on it for a while, I came to the conclusion that no, I didn't know him, nor did he know me. But yet, he felt like he knew me, because of the jersey I was putting on every Friday at 7.
I posted about it on Facebook and told my team, but no one felt what I felt. He didn't know me from Adam. We very easily could have passed by, not knowing each other, and not caring much about it. But he didn't pass by; he stopped because I had on a blue and gold coat, and he was blue and gold in his heart.
To this day I don’t know his name, and I probably never will. But I know he was in the stands come Friday, cheering us on.
When Friday rolled around, the nerves set in. In fact, that day from 8 a.m. until the end of school was a blur. But 2 p.m. did eventually roll around, and we got on the bus and started our 2-hour, 30-minute ride north to Cadillac. We had a police and fire truck escort to the outskirts of town, which was so amazing. As we neared the city limits, our coach stood up and told us to look out the window. Lining both sides of the street were our player signs, with everyone’s names and numbers on them. A local resident had done this so we could see them as we left town. That was our first hint that this was going to be different than any game we’d played in before.
With a few stops we rolled into Cadillac at 5 p.m. Chomping at the bit to play the game, we went into the locker room and came out about 6 to see the visitor stands already half full, while our two student buses hadn't arrived. We warmed up and went in the locker room with 15 minutes until game time.
When the time came for the National Anthem, we gathered two by two and trotted our way to the field. We quickly noticed our visitor stands were over-flowing with people, with the Cadillac stands not 60 percent full at kickoff. Owosso, a town 130-plus miles away, had more people in its stands than the home team. We were all so proud of our team, our coaches and our community. It was then that we realized just what this team meant to our town.
We won that game with a dominating second half; the Trojans of Owosso finally had their first-ever playoff win. Without a doubt, the mass of fans in the stands was remarkable, as was the way the team played that night.
I've been around Owosso football ever since I can remember, and the volume and energy that night rivaled our best home games. I don’t think there is a guy on our team who will forget that night, ever. I know I won’t, and I do not think our community will either.
Matt Freeman, Owosso senior
- Sports: Football and basketball.
- Non-sports activities: Hunting and fishing.
- Favorite class: Mythology
- Up next: Freeman is considering multiple college football scholarship offers. He intends to study business.
- Shining moment: Freeman was a significant contributor this season as Owosso made the football playoffs for the second time ever and won its first playoff game in school history. The Trojans beat Cadillac 27-14.
- Pump-up jams: Anything classic rock; bands like Journey, Boston and Van Halen.
- Must-see TV: "MythBusters," "Pawn Stars," and ESPN "SportsCenter."
- Favorite films: "The Italian Job," "Remember the Titans," and "S.W.A.T."
PHOTO: Owosso senior Matt Freeman begins emerging from his defensive stance during his team's playoff win over Cadillac this season. Freeman, a two-way lineman, was recently named Division 3 all-state by the Detroit Free Press and earned Division 3-4 all-state honorable mention from The Associated Press. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Answers from the Athletes
By
Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
May 22, 2014
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
MHSAA Student Advisory Council members were asked their opinions on several of the current issues facing the MHSAA Junior High/Middle School Committee and the MHSAA JH/MS Task Force. Students also shared experiences from their junior high/middle school days and from participation with non-school teams. Following is a sampling of responses:
Length of Contests and Seasons
Based on your junior high/middle school experiences, would you favor an increase in the number of contests/events that a junior high/middle school is allowed to play? Would you favor longer game times?
Kiersten Mead, Saginaw Swan Valley: “I personally don't believe that longer seasons are necessary. In middle school, student athletes are just starting to learn how to balance sports and school, so I think that the season time is already pretty reasonable.
“I do, however, believe that longer games would be really beneficial to all ages. It would allow more students to play and participate.”
Jonathan Perry, McBain Northern Michigan Christian: “When I was playing, I wish my season would have been longer, but it is at a reasonable length. It would be harder on parents having a middle school player and a high school player, but it would get you more ready for a high school-length schedule.
“The games are at a reasonable length also. The one benefit of having more games and longer games is that more kids get to play who otherwise might not if they had a shorter game or season.”
Connor Thomas, Marlette: “As a player, I would be totally in favor. If I were an adult, I would say no because of the traveling. As for the lengths of games, again, I’d favor it as a player. But with schools that have A and B teams for both grades, that could be a late night.”
Kristen Law, Bloomfield Hills Andover: “I really enjoyed playing in middle school, and I would have loved to be able to play more. Increasing the length of games might depend on the sport. For tennis, from what I remember, the matches were a shortened version of what we play in high school, and I thought they were appropriate given the level of the majority of the players that were competing.”
Zack Nine, Pinconning: “Based on my middle school sports experience, I would favor an increase in the number of contests and a longer game time. These changes would give athletes who do not get much playing time a chance to gain more experience. I also believe that more games and a longer game length would keep our youth in better shape and better prepare them for high school athletics through an easier transition.”
Mandy Paull, Cheboygan: “I think that middle school sports should be allowed to play more games, but I do not think that the length of games should be increased.”
Coby Ryan Manistique: “I would favor an increase in the number of contests. The seasons are quite short and go by too quickly, in my opinion.
“I would also favor longer game times. With this, more kids will get the opportunity to play, and it will also make the travel and the time invested more worthwhile.”
6th-Grade Participation
Is it time to also include 6th-graders at junior high/middle schools under MHSAA guidelines? Consider enrollments, sports and participation with 7th- and 8th-graders.
Eliza Beird, Holland Black River: “I would favor the addition of 6th-graders in all sports. This would allow for the possibility of two teams in some sports and it gets the kids playing with people they might be playing with for the rest of their high school careers.
“It is definitely easier to put 6th-graders with 7th- and 8th-graders at a smaller school because one grade usually won’t out-number another grade. In a big school, a bunch of 8th-graders will try out for the team because more go to a school. In larger schools, 6th-graders would have a chance to make only a 6th-grade team.
Hayden Smith, Hamilton: “I think it’s time for 6th-graders to be included, but not in all sports; just the non-contact ones. The various sizes of schools would make it easier for some to compete and harder for others, but it shouldn’t matter overall. All schools’ 6th-graders should be able to play. I think that would be a great experience for them.”
Mandy Paull, Cheboygan: “I think that 6th-grade students should be able to play middle school sports. Sports are a good way to initiate incoming elementary students to the middle school as well as provide a fun, constructive activity that they can participate in with their friends, and a way to make new ones as well.
“The 6th-grade athletes should only be mixed with the 7th and 8th grade in cross country and track, and have their own teams for sports like volleyball and basketball, just as the 7th- and 8th- graders do. Only non-contact sports should mix all grades.”
Connor Thomas, Marlette: “Coming from a smaller community, I think the MHSAA should include 6th-graders in only the schools that need them, such as small Class D schools. They should be allowed to play with 7th- and 8th-graders as long as the schools need them, and aren't bringing them up to have a ‘dream team.’ Enrollment has to be a factor; the schools should be struggling for numbers in order to have a 6th-grader on a team.”
Zack Nine, Pinconning: “I believe that 6th- graders should not be held accountable to MHSAA regulations. My opinion largely stems from the fact that not every school includes 6th grade as part of its middle school. I know mine does not. It would be difficult to regulate the participation of 6th-graders in some schools (because they're considered middle schoolers) while other schools cannot let their 6th-grade elementary students compete.”
Jonathan Perry, McBain Northern Michigan Christian: “I think all sports should be included if 6th-graders were allowed to play. I think it’s more helpful to small schools, but wouldn’t limit it based on enrollment. I go to a small school; last year my school did not have enough kids for a 7th-grade team.”
Kiersten Mead, Saginaw Swan Valley: “I understand the monetary considerations schools may have with 6th-grade teams through the MHSAA, but I do believe that the MHSAA should start setting guidelines for the schools which see it as feasible. Middle schools don't have to go through the MHSAA, but I believe that by including 6th-graders, it may generate a positive reaction from member schools.
“I feel like as long as the coaches don't see a major physical disadvantage to it, then it would be okay for 6th-graders to participate with the 7th and 8th grade in all sports. Non-contact sports would most definitely be alright, because in high school, you compete against all ages anyways.
Coby Ryan Manistique: “I believe that it is time for 6th-graders to get the chance to participate in athletics, regardless of school size. By choice, a child should always be given the opportunity to be active, stay out of trouble, learn about teamwork and leadership, and build a foundation for fundamentals that will be used for the rest of their athletic careers. Many schools do not have locally run programs, and the MHSAA running it would give thousands more kids a chance to play.”
Kristen Law, Bloomfield Hills Andover: “When I was in 6th grade, I was competing against 7th- and 8th-graders (on community teams), and I probably would have been upset if I couldn't compete against them. Sixth-grade participation should definitely be allowed in non-contact sports, but I don't know too much about contact sports and the risk of injury to 6th-graders if it were to be allowed.
“I don't think the size of the school should determine whether or not 6th-graders can compete against 7th- and 8th-graders.”
Community and Club Sports
If you played community sports during your JH/MS years, how did the experience compare with school sports? If you could have played MHSAA-based sports in 6th grade, would you have done so?
Emileigh Ferguson, Bear Lake: “I played little league softball prior to middle school, until 5th grade. I prefer MHSAA sports over other kinds because they are more serious and organized. My school has basketball for 5th and 6th grade so we don’t play with middle school.”
Eliza Beird, Holland Black River: “I played soccer and basketball from Kindergarten through 6th grade and still play club sports. My outside-of-school sports tended to be a bit better.
“If there were MHSAA sports in 6th grade, I would have definitely played basketball. I already played with a bunch of girls from school so playing for my school would not have been much different. Plus it’s fun to play for my school. I probably would not have played soccer because the club team I was on at the time was quite a bit better than the school team.”
Hayden Smith, Hamilton: “In my experience (community sports) was somewhat similar, but still different. School sports weren't coached by parents anymore; the best players got to start. Also, it was different in that a lot of kids stopped playing; only the ones who really liked it kept playing. However, it was similar because there were always people (parents and kids) complaining about playing time. It was similar in that there was always a strong community at your back.
“If I could have played school sports earlier, I would have done so because of the aspect of representing my community and school. I think I still would have done the travel baseball stuff, but that is always in the summer.”
Mandy Paull, Cheboygan: “I played girls little league softball from 3rd to 5th grade, and house hockey from 1st grade to 9th. In middle school the sports were more serious and I enjoyed them much more. As a team we would dress up for our games, and we got to travel on a bus to away games. There was a much stronger bond and all the players were more serious. The teams were also better in middle school due to tryouts.
“I definitely would have played middle school sports in 6th grade as opposed to community teams.”
Jonathan Perry, McBain Northern Michigan Christian: “I did not notice a huge difference between community sports and school sports. The big difference in community sports is that you get a wide range of kids, not just the kids in your school. I like playing the school sports better because I knew that the kids I was playing with were who I would play high school sports with.
“I would have played school sports in 6th-grade or earlier if the option was there. A lot of community sports I played on (were) all about winning. The school team sports provide learning sessions for both sports and life. It's an extension of the classroom. I saw that more with school sports than community sports.”
Kiersten Mead, Saginaw Swan Valley: “I did not play anything prior to middle school, but in 6th grade I was a part of an AAU volleyball team since my school did not offer a 6th-grade team. I also bowled in leagues at a few different bowling alleys.
“I definitely would have played with my school versus community. We really didn't have a solid AAU program in our area so the school team was much more organized. I found that the volleyball teams through my school were much more beneficial to me. We practiced on a regular basis, and it was nice to play with girls that I was already friends with. We were able to grow more as a team and gain a greater sense of unity. I believe that my school team made me a better athlete as well.”
Kristen Law, Bloomfield Hills Andover: “I enjoyed being able to play sports with my friends in middle school, but I also liked the competitiveness of the community- based sports I participated in. The middle school sports atmosphere didn't feel as competitive.
“When I was in 6th grade, I played tennis on the middle school team, but it was not affiliated with the MHSAA.”