SAC Sounding Off in 2012-13

September 26, 2012

We get it. We were the students once upon a time as well -- and sometimes, or maybe most of them, you'd much rather hear from one of your peers than another teacher or administrator telling you what's what.

After all, high school athletes are the ones on the fields of competition, the ultimate doers of high school sports. And we've got an impressive group of them representing you this school year -- our 16 members of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council.

Each Tuesday, we'll present a viewpoint from one of our eight seniors or juniors that we hope rings true with many of you. And we encourage our readers, especially students, to comment constructively and add to the conversation.

We'll kick things off next week with Madeleine Martindale, a junior from Lake Orion and one of our first-year council members. To learn more about the Student Advisory Council and this year's members, click for the SAC page on MHSAA.com.

MHSAA Names new SAC members

May 1, 2012

Eight student-athletes who will be juniors at their schools during the 2012-13 academic year have been selected to serve a two-year term on the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Student Advisory Council.

The Student Advisory Council is a 16-member group which provides feedback on issues impacting educational athletics from a student’s perspective, and also is involved in the operation of Association championship events and other programming. Members of the Student Advisory Council serve for two years, beginning as juniors. Eight new members are selected annually to serve on the SAC, with nominations made by MHSAA member schools. The incoming juniors will join the group of eight seniors-to-be appointed a year ago.

Selected to begin serving on the Student Advisory Council in 2012-13 are: Ryan Fischer, Grandville; Emileigh Ferguson, Bear Lake; Kristen Law, Bloomfield Hills Andover; Madeleine Martindale, Lake Orion; Kiersten Mead, Saginaw Swan Valley; Zachary Nine, Pinconning; Coby Ryan, Manistique; and Hayden Smith, Hamilton.

The first Student Advisory Council was formed for the 2006-07 school year. Members have represented 48 schools from 29 leagues plus independent schools that do not play in a league. Combined, the new appointees have participated in 14 MHSAA sports, and all eight will be the first SAC members from their respective schools.

The Student Advisory Council meets six times each school year, and once more for a 24-hour leadership camp. In addition to assisting in the promotion of the educational value of interscholastic athletics, the council discusses issues dealing with the 4 S’s of educational athletics: scholarship, sportsmanship, safety (including health and nutrition) and the sensible scope of athletic programs. There also is a fifth S discussed by the group -- student leadership.

This school year, the Council created and also judged the inaugural “Battle of the Fans” contest as a way to promote positive sportsmanship.

The new additions to the SAC will join the Class of 2013 members who were selected a year ago: Abigail Radomsky, Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central;  Matthew Freeman, Owosso; Carly Joseph, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep; Ellesse Lehman, Portland St. Patrick;  Kyle Short, Rockford; Evan Lamb, Rogers City; Thye Fischman, Vandercook Lake; and Taylor Krumm, Walled Lake Central.