SAC Sound-off: What did you learn?

May 30, 2012

So why be part of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council? It looks great on a college application, and it's a lot of fun. But our members also picked up some important perspectives this school year.

It starts with sportsmanship

“Always promote sportsmanship. Sportsmanship doesn’t just apply to athletics. It applies to future careers and working with people in different cultures.” – Detroit Country Day senior Maria Buczkowski

“Being a good sport will take you far, and working as a team can take you even farther.” Portland St. Patrick junior Elle Lehman

“Keep my temper under control and always keep a positive attitude.” – Evan Lamb, Rogers City junior

Leadership doesn't stop at the door

“In order to be a leader on my teams, I need to be a leader all of the time – including at school, at practice and anywhere else I go. I’ve learned that no matter where I am, I represent my teams, school and the MHSAA.” – Carly Joseph, Pontiac Notre Dame prep junior

“Leadership isn’t just leading. It’s doing what’s right, even if it’s not the ‘cool’ thing to do.” – Vandercook Lake junior Thye Fischman

“Being on the SAC these past two years has really made me realize just how much of a role model a high school athlete is to a younger one. It’s pretty special to see the smiles on their faces if you just take five minutes to talk to them.” – Rudyard senior Tyler Wilson

We can learn from each other

“It helped me to branch out and become familiar with other schools that I have never even heard of before.” – Walled Lake Central junior Taylor Krumm

“I learned a lot about how other schools are run, and I made a lot of friends that I hope last for a long time. I also learned how important leadership is.” – Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central junior Abby Radomsky

Together, we can do big things

“I now realize that being a member of the SAC has taught me that I am able to be a part of something bigger than myself. For example, the ‘Battle of the Fans’ was statewide. I know that with the right drive, organization and work ethic, projects like this are feasible.” – New Buffalo senior Lena Madison

There's a right way to cheer

“Student sections can be fun, loud and not get the other team down.” – Benzie Central senior Travis Clous

“The camaraderie and friendships I made when visiting Rockford for our ‘Battle of the Fans’ competition taught me what student cheering sections are truly about.” – Bailey Truesdell, Grand Blanc senior

“The way the student section acts at games is a reflection on the character and the values that the school has.” Muskegon Catholic Central senior Alissa Jones

Grand Blanc's Fisher, Caledonia's Olsen Lead Past MHSAA Standouts at Olympics

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 15, 2024

Several past Michigan high school athletes participated during the recent Olympics in Paris – and several did so only a few years after starring for their high schools in MHSAA competition.

Among those who graduated from Michigan schools, Grand Blanc’s Grant Fisher and Caledonia’s Alena Olsen provided the most memorable finishes this month.

Fisher, a two-time Lower Peninsula Division 1 cross country champion and five-time champion at Track & Field Finals, won bronze medals in the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000-meter races.

After high school, Fisher went on to win NCAA championships at Stanford, and he still owns the all-MHSAA Finals record in the 1,600 (4:00.28), run in 2015 as a senior. His 14:52.5 in 2014 remains the sixth-fastest 5K time in MHSAA cross country championship history.

Olsen played volleyball and soccer at Caledonia, graduating in 2014, and was part of the bronze medal-winning U.S. rugby team in Paris. She began playing that sport as a freshman at Michigan, where she was a two-time All-America selection.

Also competing this month for the United States were the following (with high school graduation year in parentheses):

  • Heath Baldwin, Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (2019) – Track & Field (10th in decathlon)
  • Adam Coon, Fowlerville (2013) – Wrestling
  • Freddie Crittenden, Utica (2013) – Track & Field (sixth in 110 hurdles)
  • Aaron Cummings, Grand Haven – Rugby (also played football, wrestled and ran track at Grand Haven)
  • Andrew Evans, Portage Northern (2009) – Track & Field
  • Hobbs Kessler, Ann Arbor Skyline (2021) – Track & Field (fifth in 1,500)
  • Grace Stark, White Lake Lakeland (2019) – Track & Field (fifth in 100 hurdles)
  • Abby Tamer, Dexter (2021) – Field Hockey (also played soccer at Dexter)

Additionally, Devin Booker was a member of the gold medal-winning men’s basketball team; he played as a freshman at Grandville before moving to Mississippi. Cindy (Ofili) Sember from Ann Arbor Huron ran the 100 hurdles for Great Britain, Udodi Onwuzurike from Bloomfield Brother Rice ran the 200 meters for Nigeria, Alex Rose from Ogemaw Heights threw the discus for Samoa, and Myles Amine from Detroit Catholic Central wrestled for San Marino.