#SocialStudies V 2.1

September 13, 2012

By Andi Osters
Second Half social media guru

Welcome back, video mongers! A new school year has begun, and with it #SocialStudies 2.0.

Ready for your weekly dose of clips to peep? I hope so. 

A quick refresher on #SocialStudies – I give you a selection of video clips I spotted in my never-ending quest to find the end of the Internet (which I’m convinced involves a cat video of some sort). These videos will typically highlight the amazing, dazzling, funny or weird side of sports – some high school, some college, some pro… and some which defy categorization.

And sometimes, we’ll simply show you a clip that is interesting and/or unique enough to be worth sharing.

We welcome your submissions and ideas for this weekly feature, so feel free to email us a link or raw footage. Seriously: we love videos. That said, let’s get to the meat & potatoes.

1. Give him a hand (he needs only one)

Here’s a high school football player from South Carolina who apparently was born with mattress springs attached to his legs instead of feet.  The slo-mo replay of this interception (courtesy of PlayOn! Sports) is simply jaw-dropping.


2. Oh, Buddy ...

If Blake Griffin was at a gymnasium and I also happened to be in that very same gymnasium, I would absolutely tell my dignity to have a seat and allow that monster NBA dunk-master slam one over my head.  I’d probably react to the experience just like this guy did, too.


3. Swing, swing a song

And now, for something completely un-sporty. Well, almost. There’s definitely activity happening in this brief short about an art installation in Montreal. I’m always fascinated by the intersection of musical creation and physical motion. Enjoy this giant human-powered instrument.


4. Summer School

And file this last one under In-Case-You-Missed-It-Over-The-Summer – here’s a recap of our Student Advisory Council’s 2nd Annual camp retreat to Mystic Lake in June.  The 16-member council enjoyed time on the high ropes course, team building activities, bonfires and strategizing an action plan for the 2012-13 school year. 


That's enough for this school year's first lesson. See something over the weekend that caught your eye? Snag something at a pep assembly that we should see? Upload it to YouTube and send it on over.

You might just see it on Second Half’s #SocialStudies.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @MHSAA.

#SocialStudies v5.0

March 1, 2012

It’s officially March – and that means that tournament season is about to seriously go off. 

Drama, buzzer-beaters, trophies, tears and memories that last far beyond this magnificent month will all come into play.  #SocialStudies will be ready and waiting for it all.

Remember to whip out that smartphone and film! You could catch something like this …

1.Did he call 'glass?'

Gary Harris, a senior from Hamilton Southeastern High School (Ind.), is a name that many in our state will know in a year or so – he’s signed to play hoops at Michigan State. While that’s all fine and good, the reason we mention him today is this stunning shot he drained during Indiana’s sectional playoffs. Harris finished the game with 33 points, but his most impressive three came with 4.6 seconds remaining.

The quick version:

This clip really gives you the feel – what a crowd, what a stage, what a shot.


2. Quick work, big win

Hey -- we know him! Student Advisory Council member Kevin Beazley and his Detroit Catholic Central wrestling team took home the Division 1 team title this past weekend – with Beazley grappling for a total of 1 minute and 42 seconds in his three matches. Watch one of his pins here: 20 seconds of work.


3. Bet you haven't seen this before

Sometimes, you find a video of 859 people playing human dominoes… with mattresses.  Who knew this would set a Guinness Record?


Consider those just a few appetizers for the month to come.

Remember, if you see something high school sports-related online that the rest of us must see, or if you videoed something yourself, upload it to Youtube and send it on over. 

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @MHSAA.