This Week in High School Sports: 11/11/16

November 11, 2016

The latest edition of "This Week In High School Sports" features Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart’s repeat championship in girls cross country, passes out two Game Balls, discusses uncatchable passes in Be The Referee and finishes with an MHSAA Perspective on the Big Ten’s move to Friday night football games.  

The 5-minute program, powered by MI Student Aid, leads off each week with feature stories from around the state from the MHSAA’s Second Half or network affiliates. "Be The Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating, comes in the middle of the show; and is followed by a closing MHSAA "Perspective."

Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here

Past editions
Nov. 4:
Upper Peninsula 8-player football showdown, how high school sports in Michigan have it pretty good compared with other states - Listen
Oct. 28: Montrose School Broadcast Program athletes, Football Playoff excitement - Listen
Oct. 21: 
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett boys tennis, Football Playoffs selection breakdown - Listen
Oct. 14: Sturgis girls golf, latest from "You've Got to be Kidding Me" file - Listen
Oct. 7:
Grand Ledge boys soccer, recent NFHS Hall of Fame selection Ken Beardslee of Vermontville - Listen
Sept. 30:
Grand Rapids South Christian boys soccer, Michigan teams supporting many worthy causes - Listen
Sept. 23:
Newberry football, downsides of national coverage of high school sports - Listen
Sept. 16: MHSAA study of concussions in high school sports during the 2015-16 school year - Listen
Sept. 9: Benton Harbor football, football rules differences between high school and college/pro levels - Listen 
Sept. 2: 
Fenton boys cross country, debuts of new football stadiums - Listen
Aug. 29:
 Haslett no-contact football practices, multi-sport participation and sportsmanship - Listen

Getting Smart but Acting Foolishly

April 25, 2019

By Karissa Niehoff, NFHS Executive Director
and Mark Uyl, MHSAA Executive Director

We communicate on smart phones, drive smart cars, make purchases using smart cards and even drink smart water. But, really, how smart are we?

Between college admission and internet privacy scandals, sexual misconduct investigations, stolen trade secrets and the growing concern about how we communicate and connect with each other, technology seems to be outpacing our capacity to understand the most responsible way to use it.  

In other words, how are tomorrow’s leaders being prepared to make decisions that provide the perspective, balance and strength of character that today’s advanced world needs?   

The answer is by participating in high school sports like the ones offered by the high schools in Michigan. 

Most researchers agree that leaders are made, not born, through relationships with others. Human interaction and life experiences enable young men and women to develop leadership characteristics such as trust, mutual respect, integrity and accountability. These are the same values that are learned as a result of playing on a high school sports team. 

And while club sports often have only a singular focus (the participant’s athletic abilities), research documents that high school sports programs have an unparalleled positive effect on the physical, academic and emotional growth of teens, including a more mature level of character development.

In other words, high school sports have a more profound role to play in society today than you may realize.

The high school sports and activity programs in Michigan—including music, speech, theatre and debate—typically account for only about 1 to 3 percent of a school’s overall budget, making them one of the wisest investments your community makes. You can help by attending as many games and events as possible, donating to the booster club and volunteering to work in the concession stand.  

Most of all, encourage your children to participate in as many sports and activities as they can. Because when they do, they will be joining a new generation of leaders who are both technologically smart and ethically responsible.

And that’s exactly the kind of leadership our hyper-intelligent world needs.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is one of 51 members of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).