dec99bull

BULLETIN

December/January 1999/2000 Volume LXXVI Number 4

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

East Lansing, Oct. 13, 1999

Members Present:

Robert Grimes, Battle Creek

Dennis Kniola, Stevensville

Tom Rashid, Detroit

Keith Eldred, Williamston

Eunice Moore, Detroit

Staff Members Present:

Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing

Jack Roberts, East Lansing (Recorder)

Executive Committee Authority and Responsibility - The Executive Committee was reminded of its authority under Article VII of the MHSAA Constitution and specifically its responsibility to consider each application for waiver of an eligibility requirement on its individual merits, determining if the regulation serves the purpose for which it was intended in each case or if the regulation works an undue hardship on any student who is the subject of a request for waiver. (These underlying criteria may not be restated for every subject of this agenda.)

The Executive Committee was reminded that it was the responsibility of each member school involved to provide sufficient factual information about the specific request for the Executive Committee to reach a decision without further investiga-tion. If information is incomplete, contradictory or otherwise unclear or has been received too late to be studied completely, the Executive Committee may deny the request for waiver or delay action. Such requests may be resubmitted to the Executive Committee with additional information at a subsequent meeting or appealed to the full Representative Council.

A determination of undue hardship is a matter addressed to the discretion of the Executive Committee within the educational philosophy and the place of voluntary extracurricular competitive athletics in the academic environment. The Executive Committee was cautioned to avoid making exceptions that could create precedent that effectively changes a rule without Representative Council action or local board of education adoption, which would exceed Executive Committee authority.

Students for whom waiver of a particular regulation is granted must be eligible in all respects under all other sections and interpretations of the regulations prior to participation.

Consistent with rulings of the Attorney General, schools are not bound by the decisions of the Executive Committee, but the Association may limit participation in the post-season tournaments it sponsors to those schools which apply rules and penalties as promulgated by the MHSAA and adopted by each member school's board of education.

Bellaire, Mancelona and Central Lake High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - The Executive Committee approved the addition of Central Lake High School to the cooperative program in skiing that has existed between Bellaire and Mancelona since 1997. Central Lake has not sponsored the sport, and the combined enrollment of 646 will keep the program in the Class B/C/D MHSAA Tournament.

Dearborn-St. Alphonsus and Detroit-Urban Lutheran High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - Request was made to waive the Oct. 15 application deadline for a cooperative program in boys and girls track and field.

The Executive Committee granted the request to waive the deadline until not later than Nov. 12, 1999.

Holton and Montague High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - Request was made to waive the Oct. 15 application deadline for a spring season cooperative program.

The Executive Committee granted the request to waive the deadline until not later than Nov. 12, 1999.

Wyandotte-Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Southgate-Aquinas High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - The Executive Committee approved cooperative programs between these schools in boys and girls track and field, girls soccer and girls softball. Both schools sponsored softball last year and Mt. Carmel will be the primary school. Aquinas sponsored track and soccer and will be the primary school for those programs. The combined enrollment will be 249. The schools already have a coop in football.

Capac High School (Regulation I, Sections 4 & 5) - Request to waive the maximum semesters portion of the eligibility regulation was made on behalf of a student whose transcript showed four semesters with grades and credits at Detroit-Denby, two semesters with grades and credits at Roseville, and two semesters with grades and credits at Capac. Concerns for school violence and family finances were cited.

The Executive Committee noted that the student had the maximum opportunity allowed all students, and denied the request for waiver.

Memphis High School (Regulation I, Sections 4, 5 & 7) - Request to waive several sections of the eligibility regulation was made on behalf of a student who attended Memphis High School in 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and at the start of the 1998-99 school year. He left without credit in November. Thus, he is ineligible under the previous semester record regulation and also because he is in his 5th first semester and his 7th and 8th semesters are not consecutive.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Sterling Heights-Utica Stevenson High School (Regulation I, Section 7[A]) - A late request to waive the previous semester record regulation was made on behalf of a student who was expelled from Almont Schools on April 20, 1998, when he was in 8th grade. He did not attend school in 1998-99. Utica Stevenson High School is placing the student in 10th grade.

Citing a lack of information regarding the circumstances and rationale for this student's placement, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Bloomfield Hills-Cranbrook High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a foreign student who will be a boarding student at Cranbrook but for whom an Educational Transfer Form has not been completed because the form has not been returned by the foreign school. The student is an 11th-grader from Poland.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Decatur High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - A late request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who in both 9th and 10th-grades spent the first semester at Decatur High School and the second semester at Paw Paw High School.

Noting there have now been four school changes and that there has been no indication why the transfers were caused by or necessary for treatment of medical conditions, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Ellsworth High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who resided in the district but attended Charlevoix-Northwest Academy in 1998-99 where he did not participate in interscholastic athletics.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year.

Farmington High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student and 10th-grade student of parents who separated in the summer of 1999. The students attended Farmington High School last school year and attended Ann Arbor-Huron High School Aug. 30 to Sept. 10, 1999, when the sale of their home in Farmington fell through. The purchase agreement for a condominium in Ann Arbor could not be completed and the students returned to Farmington High School.

Noting that the students never lived in Ann Arbor, never participated in sports at Huron High School and attended school there only briefly, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Fenton High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who resides with his uncle in Fenton. The student has relocated several times as his father has been reassigned by the US Armed Services. Most recently the student attended 10th grade in Hawaii. His father was transferred to Honduras in July 1999, and his mother remained in Hawaii where there was concern for the curriculum available and other confidential factors.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Grand Rapids-Forest Hills Northern High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who in 1998-99 attended Forest Hills Central High School as a 9th-grader and did not participate in any sports. However, he did participate in three games this season.

Noting that the student has been withheld from at least as many games as must be forfeited, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the current school year.

Noting that the student's relocation failed to meet the criteria of the exception and that no compelling need for a school change was presented, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Onsted High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a student who relocated from the residence of her parents where there was poverty and drug abuse to a residence in Onsted.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver on the basis of the limited information available.

Orchard Lake-St. Mary's Preparatory High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - A late request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who began 9th grade at St. Mary's. Because of financial issues and transportation difficulties, he transferred to Troy for the second semester of 1998-99. Because that school didn't meet his education needs, he reenrolled at St. Mary's.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Ortonville-Brandon High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility immediately at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who started the school year at Flint-Powers Catholic High School where he participated in four football games.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Plainwell High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who started the school year in Cassopolis while living with his mother and four year old sister whom he needed to care for often. He now resides in Plainwell with his aunt and uncle, with whom he had lived during the summer.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only during the first semester of the current school year pending receipt of information confirming that the student did not participate in any sports at Cassopolis.

Westland-John Glenn High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who attended Garden City-United Christian School as a 9th-grader and did not participate in any high school sports.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the current school year.

Alpena High School (Regulation II, Section 11) - A late request was made to waive the date of the earliest allowed contest for ice hockey in 1999.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Lake Leelanau-St. Mary High School (Regulation III, Section 1[C]) - Request was made to waive the enrollment regulation to permit 6th grade girls to participate in the 7th and 8th-grade program in basketball.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver for the 1999-00 school year only.

Marquette-Father Marquette Middle School (Regulation III, Section 1[C]) - Request to waive the enrollment regulation was made to permit 6th graders to participate with 7th-graders in boys basketball and with 7th and 8th-graders in boys and girls track and field during the 1999-00 school year.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver for the 1999-00 school year only.

Millington High School (Regulation V, Section 3[C]) - The Nov. 14, 1998, MHSAA Football Playoff game between Chesaning and Millington High Schools was ended by the officials with 1:43 remaining in the game because of a series of personal fouls assessed to Millington, which has submitted a summary report of internal actions which have included public apologies by players, school sanctions against players, development of a school district task force to improve sportsmanship among all constituents, and increased involvement in the Program of Athletic Coaches' Education (PACE). At its January meeting, the Executive Committee requested that the school's administration and head football coach appear at a future meeting to address more specifically the student sanctions that have been imposed, the steps being implemented to improve sportsmanship among athletes, other students, fans and coaches, the district's expanded involvement in PACE, a report of the first task force meeting(s), and, since many comments were received about the inadequacy of the facility as a contributor to problems, what is being done to address those concerns.

The principal and two members of the football coaching staff met with the Executive Committee to discuss each of the designated topics. Recommendations by the Task Force to the Millington Board of Education were reviewed, as were facility concerns. Many other positive ideas were exchanged.

At its Feb. 25, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee determined as follows:

1. The action of the Board of Education with respect to the task force recommendations should be communicated to the MHSAA as soon as it occurs; and

2. Because facility deficiencies were cited by all parties, until there are significant changes that solve existing problems, if Millington should otherwise earn the privilege of hosting an MHSAA Football Playoff game, it will be required that Millington High School arrange an alternative site acceptable to the MHSAA staff.

On Aug. 11, 1999, the executive director faxed to Millington High School a request for follow-up, which was received Aug. 13.

The Executive Committee found the school's response to be inadequate and directed the executive director to receive more from the school in writing about the progress in improving its football facility, the plans to have its personnel participate in PACE, and means being used by the district to communicate and reinforce its Sportsmanship Policy, consistent with Article II, Section 3 of the MHSAA Constitution.

On Sept. 15, 1999, the school's response of Sept. 10, 1999, was reviewed by the Executive Committee, which determined it was still lacking in several respects, which the executive director was to communicate to the school's administration.

On Sept. 20, 1999, the MHSAA associate director conducted a site visit about which he reported to the Executive Committee. Subsequently, the school has agreed to host PACE for its coaches in October 2000 who do not complete the program prior to that time.

The Executive Committee determined that the school district must meet the following conditions as prerequisites to hosting a 1999 MHSAA Football Playoff game at its new facility, should it otherwise qualify to host:

1. The school district must host at least one regular-season game at the field where the following is demonstrated:

a. Fencing is completed around the entire facility.

b. Seating in the stands is divided into sections designated for visitors and sections designated for home fans.

c. Standing room areas are supervised with adequate numbers of faculty members and security officers.

2. The school district must submit in writing the details of these plans prior to the regular season game hosted at the new facility.

The Executive Committee asked the MHSAA staff to request written follow-up to the Sept. 30 incident and then to meet again with school district administrators and board members to review numerous sportsmanship concerns.

Algonac High School (Classification) - Request was made to waive the Aug. 15 deadline for Algonac High School to request to compete in Division 2 of the MHSAA Wrestling Tournaments, as it has the previous three years, rather than in Division 3 where its enrollment now places the school.

Inasmuch as the tournament format had not yet been finalized and the school was asking to remain in the same division as previous years, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Ann Arbor-Pioneer High School - At its April 22, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee reviewed the conduct by some of the Pioneer spectator section at the conclusion of the 1999 MHSAA Class A Boys Basketball Final game.

The Executive Committee directed the staff to (1) require a response from the school's administration that, among other information, will identify the administrators, staff and chaperones who were assigned to the contest and their roles during and after the game; and (2) review tournament printed materials for the possibility of adding clearer, stronger and more thorough coverage of schools' responsibilities to supervise their spectators. In addition, the Executive Committee requested that the Representative Council discuss this situation and the possibility of revising Handbook language to deal more effectively with similar situations in the future.

The school's written response was received June 3. Also provided to the Executive Committee were pages 14 and 15 of the Tournament Manager's Manual, pages 4-6 of the Final Round Qualifying Team Manual provided after the Regionals, and two additional pages for qualifying teams' chaperones.

At its June 9, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee requested that the executive director communicate its dissatisfaction with the school's response and require additional follow-up by the school. Ideas were discussed for strengthening the MHSAA's written expectations of participating schools' administration and spectators at MHSAA Basketball Tournaments.

There was no response from the school. Therefore, at its Aug. 18, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee directed the executive director to ask the school for its response prior to the Sept. 8 meeting of the Boys Basketball Tournament Committee.

The school's response was received Sept. 7. It required additional follow-up, which was requested by the executive director but not provided by the school by the Executive Committee's Sept. 15 meeting. The Executive Committee asked the executive director to obtain the information previously requested, which was received.

The Executive Committee reviewed and accepted the additional information provided by the school but instructed the executive director to communicate additional expectations of the school.

Inkster High School - At its August 1997 meeting, the Executive Committee reviewed the record of MHSAA Handbook violations by this school and determined that the 1997-98 membership of Inkster High School be held in abeyance until its superintendent, principal and athletic director met at the MHSAA office with the executive director to show cause why the school's membership should not be suspended or its membership privileges not be reduced. At its September 1997 meeting, the Executive Committee reviewed the actions of Inkster High School to eliminate the violations of Handbook policies and procedures that have plagued the school in recent years, accepted the school's membership for 1997-98, and requested the executive director provide at the Executive Committee's June 1998 meeting a review of Inkster High School's compliance record during 1997-98. At that meeting, it was reported that one violation, failure to rate any boys basketball officials during the 1997-98 season, was known to have occurred during the 1997-98 school year. At its June 10, 1998 meeting, the Executive Committee determined to continue the school's probationary status through the 1998-99 school year and requested that the executive director report to the Executive Committee in June 1999 about the school's compliance efforts during that year.

Since the executive director's last report to the Executive Committee, Inkster High School has had two violations: (1) Regulation II, Section 8(B) - failure to attend a Boys Tennis Rules Meeting or the head coach to pass the rules examination; and (2) Regulation II, Section 7(B) - failure to rate any officials in girls volleyball. In addition, the MHSAA had been contacted by the United Federation of Officials about failure by Inkster Public Schools to pay officials.

At its June 9, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee determined that Inkster High School remain on probation through the 1999-00 school year and that the executive director communicate with the school's administration about the two violations and ways to improve its procedures for payments to officials.

During the 1998-99 school year, Inkster had the following violations:

Boys Tennis - failure of head coach to attend rules meeting or pass exam.

Girls Volleyball - failure to rate any officials.

Baseball - failure to rate any officials.

Softball - failure of head coach to attend rules meeting or pass exam; failure to rate any officials.

It was requested that the executive director express the concern of the Executive Committee directly to the superintendent and board president, as well as principal and athletic director of Inkster High School, and that recommendations be prepared for the Representative Council for publicizing chronic offenders and penalizing them in ways that affect financial reimbursements, hosting opportunities, and participation opportunities for students of schools which are chronic offenders of administrative rules.

The only response was a Sept. 16 telephone call from new Athletic Director Ms. Brenda McGuire to inquire what she needed to do.

The Executive Committee requested that MHSAA staff meet with the new athletic director, other administrators and board members regarding the association's expectations for institutional control over its program.

New School - Pursuant to procedures for MHSAA membership, as established by the Representative Council March 21, 1997, MHSAA membership was approved for Ann Arbor-Central Academy, a public school academy of 45 students in grades 9-12 which will attempt to sponsor boys basketball and girls volleyball in 1999-00. The Academy is joining the MHSAA at both the high school and junior high/middle school levels.

Representative Council - The Executive Committee discussed several items of the draft agenda for the Dec. 1, 1999 Representative Council Meeting; and then examined needs that could be met by the two positions open for Council appointment Dec. 1.

Competitive Cheer - At the first meeting of the ad hoc committee on competitive cheer Oct. 6, 1999, the recommendation was made for a survey of schools to be conducted prior to the ad hoc committee's next meeting Dec. 8, 1999. A draft of the proposed survey was approved by the Executive Committee.

Ramblewood Park - The Executive Committee approved the resolution for sale of Unit 4 of Ramblewood Park Condominium.

Next Meetings - The next meetings of the Executive Committee will be Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing; and Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 8:30 a.m. in Grand Rapids. n

KAREN LEINAAR ELECTED TO REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

The membership of the MHSAA has elected Karen Leinaar, Athletic Director at Gaylord High School, to the Representative Council. In doing so, the former athletic director at Delton Kellogg High School becomes the first woman elected to a statewide position on the Council.

Eunice Moore, a director for the Detroit Public Schools who was elected in 1997 and reelected this year to represent the public schools of the City of Detroit, is the second woman elected to the Representative Council, following Christine Whitehead, who was elected to serve the Detroit Public Schools in 1972 and reelected in 1974.

Leinaar replaces Robert Grimes, who has retired from school business, most recently serving as Principal and then Superintendent at Battle Creek-Pennfield. Grimes served on the Representative Council for 16 years, 1981-85 and 1987-99.

Grimes' retirement makes Keith Eldred, Athletic Director at Williamston Middle School, the most veteran member of the Representative Council. He has served without interruption since 1983.

Dennis Kniola of Stevensville-Lakeshore has served on the Council for 15 years. Paul Ellinger has been on the Representative Council for 14 years while serving the Deerfield, Beal City, Hartford and Cheboygan school districts. Norm Johnson of Bangor has also served on the Council for 14 years.

Serving on the Council for 11 years have been Eric Federico of Trenton and Gibraltar-Carlson (1986-94 and 1996 to present), Thomas Rashid of Detroit, William Newkirk of Clare, Glen Lake and Sanford, and Dan Flynn of Escanaba.

Randy Salisbury of Britton-Macon has served on the Council for seven years (1990-91 and 1993-present).

All other Council members have served three years or fewer.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

East Lansing, Nov. 17, 1999

Members Present:

Robert Grimes, Battle Creek

Dennis Kniola, Stevensville

Tom Rashid, Detroit

Dan Flynn, Escanaba

Randy Salisbury, Britton

Staff Members Present:

Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing

Jack Roberts, East Lansing (Recorder)

A determination of undue hardship is a matter addressed to the discretion of the Executive Committee within the educational philosophy and secondary role of voluntary extracurricular competitive athletics in the academic environment. The Executive Committee was cautioned to avoid making exceptions that would create precedent that effectively changes a rule without Representative Council action or local board of education adoption, which would exceed Executive Committee authority.

Students for whom waiver of a particular regulation is granted must be eligible in all respects under all other sections and interpretations of the regulations prior to their participation.

Dearborn-St. Alphonsus and Detroit Urban Lutheran High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - The Executive Committee approved cooperative programs in boys and girls track and field which both schools sponsored last year. St. Alphonsus will be the primary school. The combined enrollment will be 312, moving two Class D programs to a single Class C program.

Montague and Holton High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - The Executive Committee approved cooperative programs in boys and girls track and field, which Holton has not offered for many years. Montague will be the primary school. The combined enrollment will be 868, which will place the program in Class B which is where Montague's program would have moved from Class C because of its own increase in enrollment.

Grosse Ile High School (Regulation I, Section 4) - A late request to waive the maximum semesters section of the eligibility regulation, and specifically Interpretation No. 27, was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who participated in a foreign exchange student program in Mexico sponsored by Rotary International Youth Exchange during 1997-98 and who received no grades or credits from Grosse Ile High School.

Noting the specific language of Interpretation No. 27 and its purpose to frustrate "redshirting," and noting also that the principal purpose for foreign exchange programs is for students to be in school, as this student was, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Dexter High School (Regulation I, Sections 4 & 5) - A late request to waive the maximum semesters regulation was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who attended 9th grade at Allen Park, 10th grade at Westland-John Glenn, and repeated 10th grade and completed 11th grade at Dexter High School, where he played hockey last year. A divorce followed by three changes of residence were cited as the reasons for deficient academic performance.

Noting that the student has received grades and credits in the maximum number of semesters allowed all students, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Fennville High School (Regulation I, Sections 4 & 5) - A late request to waive the maximum semesters regulation was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who missed school for medical conditions and failed to pass more than three courses in three of his first four semesters of high school. He is now in his ninth semester in which he has received grades and credits since first enrolling in the 9th grade.

Citing a lack of connection between the medical conditions, school absences and semesters of deficient academic performance, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Sterling Heights-Utica Stevenson High School (Regulation I, Section 7[A]) - At the Oct. 13, 1999 Executive Committee Meeting, a late request to waive the previous semester record regulation was made on behalf of a student who left Almont Schools on April 20, 1998, when he was in 8th grade. He did not attend school in 1998-99. This fall, Utica Stevenson High School, a 10-12 grade school, placed the student in 10th grade. Citing a lack of information regarding the circumstances and rationale for this student's placement, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver. The matter was resubmitted with additional information.

Because there is no previous high school semester for this student, the Executive Committee invoked the principle utilized for incoming 9th-graders who are without a previous high school semester, and granted the request for wavier.

Allegan High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - A late request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who attended Traverse City West High School until enrolling at Allegan on Nov. 8, 1999. He has moved with his father while his mother remains in Traverse City to sell their house. The student participated in JV soccer at Traverse City West.

Noting that the conditions of Section 9(B) have not been met and that the student had an option for continuing eligibility if he had chosen to stay at the same school and residence, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Brethren High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who entered Brethren as a 7th-grader in 1995, living with his mother and stepfather who reenlisted in the US Army in September of 1998. After basic training, the student's stepfather was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington; and in April of 1999, the student and his mother relocated to University Place, Washington where the student enrolled at Curtis High School. In July of 1999, the student returned to his biological father in Spring Lake, Michigan. In August, the student moved with his father and stepmother to Hawaii; and after three weeks, his stepmother returned to Michigan. A week later, the student and his father returned to Spring Lake. On Oct. 29, 1999, the student returned to Brethren and is living with his maternal grandparents. He did not participate in athletics in Washington, Hawaii or Spring Lake.

Noting that the student has returned to the original, more stable residence and original school and did not participate in interscholastic athletics during the brief period of several relocations, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Detroit-St. Martin De Porres High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who transferred to De Porres in September of 1999, having previously attended Detroit-Kettering. On Sept. 22, while in his home, the student was the object of a handgun attack by a stranger. He relocated to his aunt and uncle's home and transferred to De Porres Sept. 27.

The Executive Committee tabled this item pending receipt of additional information.

Eaton Rapids High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who, as an 8th-grader at Eaton Rapids Middle School, was expelled in October 1998 for 180 school days. He began the 1999-00 school year at Capital City Baptist where he played on the soccer team, contrary to the conditions of exception 14.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Fraser High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - A late request was made to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year for a 9th-grade student who previously attended Warren-De La Salle Collegiate High School where he did not participate in interscholastic athletics. He enrolled at Fraser Oct. 27. He agreed to withdraw from De La Salle amidst an inquiry involving a locker room theft.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Grand Haven High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request was made to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year for a 9th-grade student who lives in Fruitport and began the school year at Muskegon Catholic Central High School where he participated in athletics before transferring to Grand Haven High School on Sept. 21, 1999.

Noting that the conditions of Section 9(B) have not been met, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Grand Rapids-Kenowa Hills High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who started the 1999-00 school year at Grand Rapids-West Catholic High School and transferred at the end of its first marking period to Kenowa Hills High School on Nov. 1. She did not participate in sports at West Catholic.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Lansing-New Covenant Christian High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who in 1998-99 attended Lansing Christian High School where he tried out for and practiced with the golf team. His score never was included in his team's total of best five scores in a meet. He sought to play soccer at New Covenant Christian. At its Sept. 15, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver, noting that the specific conditions of Section 9(B) include that the student has not participated in high school in any sport for which the MHSAA conducts a post-season tournament, whether or not that student actually participated in that tournament. The matter was resubmitted with additional information as a request to permit eligibility immediately at any level.

Because New Covenant Christian is 15 miles closer to the student's residence than the previous school's relocation, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Merrill High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a student who became 18 years old on Nov. 22, 1998. When he relocated from the residence of one uncle to the residence of another uncle, who both live within the district of Merrill Community Schools, he transferred from Community Baptist to Merrill High School. Noting that the student's relocation failed to meet the criteria of the exception and that no compelling need for a school change was presented, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver at its Oct. 13, 1999 meeting. The matter was resubmitted with a letter from the student.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Midland-Bullock Creek High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Requests to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year were made on behalf of two 10th-grade students who attended Sanford-Meridian High School as 9th-graders in 1998-99 where they did not participate in any interscholastic athletics.

The Executive Committee granted the requests for waiver.

Midland-H. H. Dow High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who attended Midland High School for 3Þ days at the start of this school year until her application to attend Dow High School, made in June, was accepted. She enrolled at Dow High School Aug. 30. She participated in no tryouts or practices at Midland High School.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Midland-H. H. Dow High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who moved from the Bullock Creek school district with her mother, who is separating from the student's father. The student did not participate in interscholastic sports at Bullock Creek. She enrolled Nov. 2, 1999 at Dow High School.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Muskegon Catholic Central High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student of a Catholic family who moved from out of state to Fruitport in 1998 and attended Fruitport High School as a 9th-grader in 1998-99 and played three sports. At its Aug. 18, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver. The matter was resubmitted with additional materials.

Finding no compelling reason for the transfer, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Remus-Chippewa Hills High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who relocated from her parents in Eaton Rapids to the residence of her aunt in Remus and enrolled at Chippewa Hills High School to become removed from unfavorable peer influences.

Finding no compelling reason for the transfer, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Swartz Creek High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a foreign exchange student from Germany through Youth for Understanding. The student was placed with a host family in Flushing but attends Swartz Creek because the host father is a teacher and girls basketball coach at Swartz Creek and his host brother is a senior at Swartz Creek.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Taylor-Baptist Park School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment was made on behalf of an 11th-grader who enrolled at Baptist Park School in October. The student had attended Baptist Park until 7th grade, transferring to Plymouth Schools when her parents relocated to Canton. She has remained active in the church affiliated with Baptist Park School.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Westland-John Glenn High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who attended Buffalo (NY) Traditional School in 1998-99 while living with his mother and stepfather. Conflict with his stepfather has caused the student to relocate to his cousins' home in the John Glenn attendance area of the Wayne-Westland School District.

Noting that an allegation of domestic conflicts is not a compelling reason for a school transfer, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Westland-Lutheran High School Westland (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who enrolled at Lutheran High School Westland on Sept. 27, 1999, having previously attended North Farmington High School where she did not participate in interscholastic athletics.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

White Lake-Lakeland High School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request was made to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment for a 10th-grade student who enrolled at Lakeland High School on Oct. 7, 1999. The student had been a 9th-grader at Lakeland in 1998-99 until she relocated to her father's residence and enrolled Feb. 1, 1999 at Lapeer West High School where she was a member of the soccer team but no Educational Transfer Form had been completed.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver and requested additional follow-up with Lapeer West High School.

White Lake-Lakeland High School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment at Lakeland High School was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who lives in the Lakeland High School district and who attended Bloomfield Hills-Marian High School as a 9th-grader in 1998-99. She enrolled Oct. 8, 1999 at Lakeland.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Ypsilanti High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the first semester of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who attended Ypsilanti West Middle School in 1998-99, enrolled this fall at Ann Arbor-Pioneer High School where he did not participate in athletics, and enrolled after two months at Ypsilanti High School.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Bloomfield Hills-Andover High School (Regulation II, Sections 6 & 11) - Request was made to waive regulations which limit the length of the season, the number of contests and the length of travel so that the boys soccer team could participate in Cuba Dec. 4-11, 1999. The athletic director, coach and a parent presented information and rationale.

Noting that the trip would be in conflict with several limitations which member schools have agreed to control the scope of athletics within an educational setting, and that affording a waiver in this case would be inconsistent with actions taken in response to requests for more modest modifications and would make it difficult to deny waiver in the future when requests are made to waive one or more of the limitations at issue in this case, the Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Hillsdale Academy (Regulation III, Section 1[C]) - Request was made to allow 6th graders to participate with and against 7th and 8th-graders in boys basketball. The high school enrollment is 29.

The Executive Committee granted the request for the 1999-00 school year only.

Okemos-Chippewa and Kinawa Middle Schools (Regulation III, Section 1[D]) - The Executive Committee approved cooperative programs in wrestling, cross country and track and field for boys and girls, which have operated combined teams for several seasons. Chippewa is the primary school for cross country and track and field. Kinawa is the primary school for wrestling.

Dryden High School (Regulation V, Section 3[C]) - An Oct 1, 1999 varsity football game at Armada High School was ended by officials with 6:05 remaining in the third quarter because of sportsmanship problems the officials attributed to Dryden High School, whose principal submitted a written report of the school's follow-up, which included meetings with ejected players, meetings with coaches and sportsmanship drills for the team.

The Executive Committee accepted the school's follow-up except with respect to coaches, requesting that more information be provided by the school.

Flint-Beecher High School (Regulation V, Section 3) - A Sept. 30, 1999 junior varsity football game was ended prematurely because of unsportsmanlike conduct by Beecher players, as well as officials' concern for players' safety. At its Oct. 13, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee asked the MHSAA staff to request written follow-up to the Sept. 30 incident and then to meet again with school district administrators and board members to review numerous sportsmanship concerns.

Subsequently, the president of the board of education of the Beecher Community School District requested a summary of MHSAA concerns for Beecher High School sportsmanship and rules compliance.

On Oct. 20, 1999, Beecher's athletic director provided a letter reporting that the junior varsity football season was terminated and the two coaches dismissed.

Then in late October 1999, there was a fan disturbance at a girls varsity basketball game; and when officials sought administrative assistance, it was learned that the fan was Beecher's new principal. This brought renewal of threats by officials to refuse to take games involving Beecher High School in at least some sports.

Staff is attempting to arrange a meeting with the board president and school administration and hopes to provide a report at the Executive Committee's next meeting.

Since that report to the Executive Committee, Inkster High School had two violations: (1) Regulation II, Section 8(B) - failure to attend a Boys Tennis Rules Meeting or the head coach to pass the rules examination; and (2) Regulation II, Section 7(B) - failure to rate any officials in girls volleyball. In addition, the MHSAA had been contacted by the United Federation of Officials about failure by Inkster Public Schools to pay officials.

During the 1998-99 school year, Inkster had the following violations:

Boys Tennis - failure of head coach to attend rules meeting or pass exam.

Girls Volleyball - failure to rate any officials.

Baseball - failure to rate any officials.

Softball - failure of head coach to attend rules meeting or pass exam; failure to rate any officials.

At the Aug. 18, 1999, meeting of the Executive Committee, it was requested that the executive director express the concern of the Executive Committee directly to the superintendent and board president, as well as principal and athletic director of Inkster High School, and that recommendations be prepared for the Representative Council for publicizing chronic offenders and penalizing them in ways that affect financial reimbursements, hosting opportunities, and participation opportunities for students of schools which are chronic offenders of administrative rules. The only response was a September 16 telephone call from new Athletic Director Ms. Brenda McGuire to inquire what she needed to do. Therefore, at its Oct. 13, 1999 meeting, the Executive Committee requested that MHSAA staff meet with the new athletic director, other administrators and board members regarding the association's expectations for institutional control over its program. Subsequently, Ms. McGuire has resigned as athletic director.

A meeting at the MHSAA office to provide assurance of adequate oversight of its program is scheduled for Nov. 23, 1999 with members of Inkster's administration and Board of Education; and the Executive Committee will receive a report at its next meeting.

New Schools - Pursuant to procedures for MHSAA membership as established by the Representative Council March 21, 1997, MHSAA membership was approved for:

a. Big Rapids-Crossroads Charter Academy, a public school academy with 29 students in the 9th grade of a K-9 school which will attempt to add another grade level in each of the next three years. The school intends to sponsor basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and track and field for boys and basketball, cross country, golf, volleyball, and track and field for girls but will not enter MHSAA tournaments in 1999-00. Membership will be at both the high school and junior high/middle school levels.

b. Grand Rapids-Academy of Health and Science, a public school academy with 42 students in grades 9 and 10 which will attempt to sponsor boys teams in cross country, basketball and soccer and girls teams in basketball, volleyball and soccer but is unlikely to enter MHSAA tournaments in 1999-00. Membership will be at both the high school and junior high/middle school levels.

c. Holland-Black River Public School, a public school academy with 190 students in grades 9-12 which will attempt to sponsor soccer, basketball, baseball, cross country, track and field, and tennis for boys and basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, track and field, cross country and tennis for girls. Membership will be at both the high school and junior high/middle school levels, although it will be reiterated to the school that 6th graders may not participate with or against 7th and 8th-graders.

Next Meeting - The next meeting of the Executive Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999, at 8:30 a.m. in Grand Rapids. n

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

HOW WE CHOOSE WHAT WE DO

It is not infrequent that suggestions are made that the Michigan High School Athletic Association do something it is not doing, the something being a project that conforms to the special interest of the one making the suggestion. That person will usually be incredulous when we respond that the topic of the project is beyond the authority of the MHSAA or beyond the capacity of the MHSAA's resources. The criticism is at least implied that if the MHSAA really cared about kids, it would do this thing that is important to the critic.

How does the MHSAA decide what it will do?

That an initiative would be good for kids is the over-arching concern, but that leaves us with a lot more possibilities than can be attempted much less accomplished with any degree of satisfaction and success by any organization, much less one operating with a staff and budget that is smaller than 99 percent of its member schools.

Therefore, the MHSAA must reduce the field of worthwhile projects. The first criterion is to determine if the subject matter is a school district-wide concern or is sport-specific. If the former &SHY; like sexual harassment sensitivity training &SHY; then it is school districts' responsibility to provide the service for all their faculty, including athletic personnel. If the subject matter is sport-specific &SHY; like weight control in wrestling &SHY; then the MHSAA should consider the possibility that it is the organization uniquely positioned to assist by providing leadership and support services to its membership in this narrow area of athletic-related concern.

The second criterion is to determine if there are any other agencies, institutions or organizations better positioned or more capable to provide the service. For example, the American Red Cross is already in place with programs and personnel to provide first aid, CPR and sports safety training to athletic personnel throughout Michigan. So even though it is sports-related, it would create wasteful duplication for the MHSAA to start doing what the American Red Cross is fully capable of, prepared to do and already doing.

The third criterion for determining what the MHSAA will do is to ascertain what its member schools want the association to help with. Schools have asked for assistance in establishing a minimum rule for the eligibility of transfer students - so the MHSAA has promulgated such a standard. But school districts have not asked for assistance in establishing rules regarding tobacco and alcohol use &SHY; so no MHSAA minimum standard exists.

The MHSAA provides services in the sports sub-set of issues with which schools must deal, and only after the MHSAA membership identifies the need and the MHSAA leadership prioritizes all of the identified needs and provides the resources necessary to address the needs of highest priority. The result is that the MHSAA registers officials and trains the trainers of local officials associations; provides basic training in sport-specific subject matter in its Program of Athletic Education (PACE); conducts sports rules meetings for both officials and coaches; conducts Athletic Director In-Service programs on athletic policies and procedures; provides publications and programs in sportsmanship; and conducts postseason tournaments in the sports most commonly sponsored by member schools.

The MHSAA will choose what else to do by the three criteria presented here. The MHSAA is an organization that cares about young people but recognizes its limitations, both legal and practical. The MHSAA has neither the legal authority nor the resources to be involved in protecting young people at all times and in all places. In the area of sports, within the limits of the season and the boundaries of the field of play, the MHSAA has a role of helping to provide an athletic program that is sportsmanlike, healthy and consistent with the educational mission of schools. n

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP TAKES A BACK SEAT IN U.S. VICTORIES

Recent back-to-back "World Championships" &SHY; first in a Women's World Cup soccer championship game shootout, then in an unprecedented come-from-behind Ryder Cup golf victory &SHY; should have all red-blooded sports enthusiasts reveling in red, white and blue joy.

But to some, the victories don't feel as good as they should. They were not our best shining moments in terms of sportsmanship.

During the dramatic conclusion to the World Cup, the US goalkeeper violated the rule that limits the goalkeeper to moving laterally, not forward, until the ball is kicked. The US goalkeeper took two strides forward before the Chinese player kicked the ball. No call.

And worse, no apology. Even worse, it turns out the action was intentional, even rehearsed on the first penalty kick. The goalkeeper's response to the Los Angeles Times, "It is only cheating if you get caught."

Los Angeles Times sports editor Bill Dwyre, in Referee Magazine's October 1999 issue, has written: "It was especially interesting how, in our rush to embrace the US Team and the slam-dunk, politically correct media opportunity, there was (and has been) no discussion whatsoever as to the significance of putting all our sports morals and ethics squarely in the laps of referees."

To make matters worse, another World Cup team member used blatant profanity in a post-match TV interview. Writing in the NCAA News, University of Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley stated, "It is a shame that the greatest moment in the history of US women's team sports has, in my opinion, been dampened by the actions of one athlete."

And then there was this Ryder Cup match where spectators turned one of the few remaining sports with any civility into a partisan debacle where nasty words and gestures were directed at players and the families of players.

And in keeping with the disgusting display of sportsmanship by spectators, the nearly victorious US Team stormed around and onto a putting green where a European waited to attempt a putt that could have reversed US fortunes.

Many in the media have noted that outrage from Europe &SHY; where violence, destruction and death have often occurred at sporting events &SHY; is disingenuous. But that dodges the issue: our behavior was terrible &SHY; by some spectators throughout the three-day event and by our spectacular players at its conclusion.

It is a difficult chore we face in school sports to expect that players, coaches and spectators at our events will participate and observe with respect and decorum when they see the best of our athletes present the worst of our sportsmanship and so few people are outraged about it.

It is another hurdle for us to overcome in educational athletics. n

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

BEING A GOOD SPORT

by John Alan Cohan

Reprinted from Wrestling USA

Sports, an age-old, respectable pursuit &SHY; has emerged in the media and in education as a front runner, a model of what it takes to build character. In any sport, "being a good sport" means acting in a way that meets certain high ethical standards.

Sports require you to develop an amazing array of character traits. As an athlete you have to become sensitive to something beyond the stated rules of the sport &SHY; you have to learn the unwritten rules of what athletes expect from one another. Briefly told, it's what we call the ethics of good sportsmanship, or of "being a good sport." For instance, in any athletic training or competition you'll learn things such as patience, courage, self-discipline, coordination, controlling emotions, being attentive in the face of tense or tedious moments &SHY; and these are all the stuff that goes into being a good sport. In addition, as we all know, playing in your favorite sport is one of life's great pleasures. And it's a source of valuable self-esteem, particularly when you work hard to develop athletic prowess.

Sports is a testing ground for many traits that go into being a good person. Here are the traits that make up being a good sport.

1. First, you have to develop basic skills of the game.

The physical demands in every sport involve a delicate coordination of mind and body There are different yardsticks in every sport for speed, strength, endurance, coordination, stamina, and even style. The physical prowess involved in golf is different than that required for hockey. As an athlete, you want to excel in whatever the game demands. You're committed to using your skills for one purpose &SHY; for the sake of winning. In addition to the physical demands, you'll learn to be daring, to hope, to develop quickness of mind, and the ability to size up your opponent. These are all traits we can use throughout life.

2. Next, you have to practice, and that means discipline.

You have to get into a practice mode when you get into a sport. Sports have to be practiced just as the piano has to be practiced. Practice means repetition. Practicing of technique often can be fun, but in any case it's crucial to success. The idea behind practice is that eventually the skill you are aiming at comes under hand. Once you achieve a skill it becomes like a habit, second nature, and the difficulty disappears. When practicing, each of us has a different challenge, whether it's working on your endurance, your coordination, your speed, or your concentration--and it's great when you start to master each part.

3. Playing by the rules (not cheating) goes without saying.

It's much more fun to win than to lose, and people are sometimes tempted to bend the rules in order to win. That's why sports have judges or referees. It's a fact of life that there are winners and losers. Losing is an inevitable part of living. Playing by the rules means that someone will lose the game, or someone will bungle a particular move &SHY; and being the loser is humbling. But it's also good because it helps strengthen character. And playing by the rules means that the winner wins with honor, and that it was a good game. By "good game" I mean that the players were equally matched, it was competitively challenging, it was fairly played, and the best players won.

4. At the bottom, being a good sport requires courage.

The hallmark of a good sport is someone with courage. Courage comes into play, for instance, by displaying more of nobility and less of shame if you are defeated. It takes courage to be humble and proud in defeat. But by doing so you pre-serve your self-respect and show that you know that winning is important, but it's not all-important. Being a good sport means recognizing that character is more important than who won. Courage also comes into play in how you handle getting hurt. Few activities help build courage the way sports do.

5. Dealing with emotions &SHY; such as anger.

It's a skill to be able to control your emotions in difficult circumstances. Anger is the most common emotion that can get you into trouble in any sport. Few activities help build the proper control of our passions the way sports do.

6. Winning gives a boost to your self-esteem, which is valuable and pleasurable.

Winning heightens your personal confidence, and the oomph you get from win-fling does great things to promote a healthy self-esteem. When you win, you are an object of admiration and esteem from others. Winning also means that you have achieved a certain excellence in your skill.

You might have further ideas of your own, which could be added to expand this list. The interesting thing about sports is that it's hard to fathom any other area of life which can boast of so many character-building features!

Remember that playing in sports isn't work except, of course, for those who make money doing it. It's supposed to invigorate you and give you a break from the hum-drum of the everyday.

However, some people are too intense in their competition, and that isn't fun for them or their partners.

You may have a variety of reasons for playing your sport. For some, it's a simple therapy, a healthful exercise, and for others it's an outlet for aggression. For everyone, though, it's a vehicle for character building and a source of occasional personal triumphs. Regardless of motive, each participant in the sport will gain in excellence in one way or another. That's why the modern Olympics founder, Baron de Coubertin, said this about the Olympic Games:

"The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part; as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." n

About the Author: John Alan Cohan is a lawyer and author of an upcoming book about morals and ethics, 20 Questions And Answers About A Good Life. The above freelance article is adapted from a chapter in that book.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

HIGH SCHOOL EXPOSURE OUT OF CONTROL

I went to one of those mega bookstores the other day to find a couple of preseason football magazines and right there in the middle of all those college and NFL forecasts was a magazine touting the upcoming high school football season. I nearly fainted. Increasingly, publications are picking preseason All-American high school teams. More high school games are being televised. ESPN and ABC cover the Little League sectionals and World Series a little too well for my taste.

Not long ago, Fox Sports Net declared its intention to begin a national top-50 ranking this fall and then stage and broadcast a national championship game by December 2000.

The world does not need a made-for-TV national high school football championship. It's a bad idea that has absolutely no redeeming value. Don't get me wrong, I love high school sports; I played varsity baseball and tennis. It can't be overstated how valuable those experiences were. When it appeared last winter that there wouldn't be a high school championship basketball game in the District, I got fairly indignant in this space. But that's about participation even more than competition.

But what's happening now, with newsletters, magazines and a national newspaper, USA Today, covering high school football with preseason rankings and all-star teams and a major network talking about staging a championship game, is not about boys and girls competing. Publications and telecasts are about adults. And any time you get adults too involved in kids' games, there's going to be big trouble, particularly when it involves money.

An increase in participation is welcome. An increase in exposure is frightening.

A long time ago, I started wishing every high school football team in America could go 3-7, or every high school basketball team 12-18. that would stop parents from acting like fools in the stands and at home, and perhaps prevent them from calling the newspaper every week to insist their kid is the next Michael Jordan. It would almost certainly slow the parade of groupies, AAU coaches, leeches posing as relatives, and other hangers-on who manage to charm their way into the lives of the all-state quarterback/shooting guard/midfielder/pitcher. And it would tell more and more kids, "You're not really that good, or your team wouldn't be 3-7. You're not invincible, you're not the next John Elway. Now go do your math homework."

Yesterday, I talked to Fritz McGinness, the associate director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the concern in his voice was unmistakable. McGinness' organization is against Fox Sports Net's proposed high school football playoff. He has devoted his professional life to the administration, of high school sports, yet when asked about the deifying of high school jocks and sports, he said, "I don't know where it's headed." I could envision him shaking his head from side to side. "Our No. 1 concern is the infringement on academic time. And okay, even if we say it would be fun to have a national tournament, how feasible is it? Quite frankly, any rankings at the high school level would be geared toward particular areas and teams who've had a certain level of success in the past. Also, how could you confine something like this to one sport? How could you say no to boys and girls basketball, or girls volleyball, for example? It becomes an insurmountable issue at the high school level."

Even if it could be done, it shouldn't be done. Anything that tends to make gods of these teenagers is something that should be avoided at all costs. If you're the MVP of a nationally televised football playoff game at 15, where's the incentive to spend a little extra time on that English Lit paper? You'd have some little brute grabbing a FOX microphone to announce, "I'm going to Disney World" before challenging Brett Favre for the starting job in Green Bay.

Where does it go from there? "We're looking live at the Middle School Championship best-of-five series, and down on the sideline standing with 12-year-old John Dough is our sideline reporter."

I don't have to ask "When is enough?" because I know we passed that point a long time ago. I used to be relatively upset at my parents&SHY;both of whom worked full-time jobs&SHY;because they rarely attended any of my baseball games or tennis matches in hindsight, I'm glad. Never once, as obsessed as I was with sports, did I think my baseball game was the most important thing going on in my household. Would there have been that perspective if cameras and a blazer-wearing anchor had been showing up for the games?

Inflated sense of self leads all too often to a sense of entitlement, and high school jocks can feel pretty self-important anyway, without the help of network TV and sycophants who feel the need to know factoids about some 15-year-old left tackle from Deadwood, Texas. This knowledge gets you what, exactly? You mean getting your name (and perhaps picture) in the local newspaper, and playing in the district playoffs, aren't enough anymore?

It all comes back to adults trying to make a buck, and the misguided emphasis on competition over participation. McGinness, who said he worries that the pressure an high school kids to compete is "climbing" said, "When you talk about national rankings and a tournament for high school kids, you risk defeating the purpose of what high school programs are supposed to be all about." n

FOX Sports Net Plans High School Bowl Game

FOX Sports Net (FSN) announced in late October that it was dropping for now its controversial plans to conduct a national high school championship football game in late December, 2000. However, on Nov. 15, FSN issued a release that an invitational high school football bowl game was being proposed as "a redesigned version of ... a national high school football championship game."

If all that is changed is the name of the event, member schools of most state high school associations will not play because of limitations on travel distance, numbers of games and length of season. Said Michigan High School Athletic Association Executive Director John E. Roberts, "An invitational bowl game that exceeds these limitations and interferes with winter sports seasons will not be welcomed most places and will do little to promote high school sports generally or football particularly in this state or elsewhere."

Roberts acknowledged that FSN's Detroit affiliate has been a good partner with the MHSAA, producing live telecasts of football and boys and girls basketball since 1998. "FOX Sports Net Detroit understands that the heart and soul of interscholastic athletics is local, culminating at the state championship level," said Roberts. "Everything else is superfluous at best, and perhaps even harmful."

REVIEWING THE REGULATIONS

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY, MAINTAINING STANDARDS

Those who work in educational athletics believe school sports are good for young people. Thus, they encourage participation by as many youths as possible.

They also believe school sports are beneficial to schools because they require students to meet certain standards of eligibility and of conduct and thus, demand oversight by the sponsoring school.

Indeed, much of the value of school sports derives from the requirements of the program set forth by the school. Undoubtedly, there would be less value to educational athletics - and fewer benefits to all -- without such standards for participation.

Today, however, the educational athletics community is faced with a riddle: How to extend school sports opportunities to more young people, while simultaneously retaining the critically important policies and procedures for such programs?

Scores of school administrators, coaches and board of education members, as well as the parents they serve, sent a message to the Michigan Legislature last spring that:

* School sports are for the students of the schools that sponsor the team.

* Eligibility is earned by students meeting the standards prescribed by the school &SHY; not by parents paying taxes.

* Sponsoring schools have the right &SHY; moreover, the responsibility &SHY; to assure every student in its sports program is enrolled in an appropriate curriculum, making progress toward graduation and satisfying the standards of conduct for the sport and citizenship in the school.

As a result of this clear, forceful message, those portions of the Executive Budget Bill that would have emasculated the essential principles of school sports were stricken by the House Appropriations Committee and kept out by the state Senate. Similarly, House Bill 4204 &SHY; which includes provisions harmful to the integrity of educational athletics &SHY; remains in the House Education Committee. State lawmakers have shown wisdom and foresight in taking more time to consider these measures.

Another result of last spring's debate was that the MHSAA Representative Council last May gave itself a two-part challenge. First, it is to promote greater awareness and use of options that currently exist for interscholastic athletic participation by students who are less than full-time students of a school sponsoring an athletic program. Second, it is to explore additional options for MHSAA members to extend sporting opportunities to such students.

The MHSAA employed an unprecedented process to meet this challenge. In August, the MHSAA Executive Committee appointed three separate task forces that conducted regional meetings open to the public. The three task forces subsequently submitted independent reports to the MHSAA executive director, who in turn presented the major themes of the reports at seven Update Meetings throughout Michigan this fall and to the Representative Council on Dec. 1.

The common themes of the task forces' reports included:

* Agreement that the MHSAA does not need to do anything more to create, prescribe and promote additional opportunities for those students.

* Belief that the MHSAA can do more to alert its member schools (and perhaps others) to the many diverse options already available to such students.

* Affirmation that traditional schools &SHY; both public and private institutions with comprehensive curricular and extracurricular activities &SHY; will make their sporting options more available to youths in their community as charter schools, small private schools and home schools become more comprehensive in how they record and report the attendance, academic performance and citizenship of their students.

That is the bottom line of the task forces' work and may be the bottom line for this complex issue. To be sure, the MHSAA has proven it has flexible policies for non-traditional students and schools. Now, it seems, is the time for such institutions to demonstrate accountability in their educational processes so that traditional schools can confidently enter into cooperative agreements and shared-time arrangements with them for the benefit of their students.

It's also imperative that school administrators familiarize themselves with existing options for non-traditional students who want to play on traditional school-sponsored sports teams.

For example, traditional schools must be specific in advance about what they need from home school operators as verification of their operations, including that they employed a compatible curriculum, initiated comprehensive testing, and assigned their students grades that were earned.

Granted, some home school operators report some of this information to the State Department of Education. But they are not required to supply any information to the traditional schools where they want their children to play sports. It is essential, however, that they meet this seemingly perfunctory obligation.

Just as Michael Ferris, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, has been quoted saying, "Just one message to Washington policy-makers: Leave us alone.", we ask well-intended state legislators to let educational athletic professionals determine school sports policy.

If parents wish to educate their children at home, let them do it. Likewise, if traditional schools desire to limit participation in their extracurricular activities to students enrolled in their halls of learning, they, too, should have that right.

That's especially true, considering that traditional schools are not limiting sports participation on the basis of a label, but rather on the basis of standards of eligibility applied to all students, regardless of their educational setting.

Simply put, it's time for all involved in this prickly topic to play fair. n

NOTE: Schools voluntarily join the MHSAA and, to that end, it is necessary that each school district sign each year a Membership Resolution adopting the rules and regulations of the MHSAA as their own and agreeing to primary enforcement of those rules. While a school district is not bound by the decisions rendered by the MHSAA regarding rule violations, the MHSAA may condition eligibility for its tournaments on compliance with its rules and its determinations concerning rules violations and the penalties to be imposed for violations of the rules. See Attorney General Opinions No. 4795 (1977) and No. 6352 (1986).

Many school districts have additional rules that may also apply to the subject matter of this column.

FROM THE MIAAA

THE MIAAA AND THE MHSAA: AN EXEMPLARY PARTNERSHIP

by Dave Price, CAA, Rockford High School, Chair, MIAAA Exemplary Athletic Program Committee

Through a joint initiative during the 1999-2000 school year, the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) will be presenting to the state!s high school athletic programs our MIAAA/MHSAA Exemplary Athletic Program Awards. Applying for the program's recognition is done on a strictly voluntary basis by those schools wishing to go through the assessment and application process and the on site visit.

The exemplary award program's purposes shall be fourfold:

1. To identify and give public recognition to Michigan's outstanding athletic programs.

2. To provide a framework that encourages high school athletic administrators throughout the state to voluntarily engage in a self-assessment and comparison of their current program to a set of established exemplary criteria.

Our criteria; developed through surveys and input at both the state and national level; are listed below. This list, of course, is not an all inclusive one and will be subject to change.

Exemplary athletic programs will have in place, exhibit or demonstrate the following:

a.Written/Printed Student-athlete handbook

b. Written/Printed Coaches handbook

C. Sportsmanship policy (league & school) and rating system

d. Accurate records of student participation rates (45 % or above)

e. Seasonal parent meetings

f. Booster club

1 . Written guidelines and/or constitution

2. Board adopted fund raising procedures

g. Technology support

h. Staff evaluation process

i. Procedure for and inclusion of warning forms

j. Athletic administrator - CAA

k. Community service program

l. Coaches mentoring program

m. Process for community involvement

n. Policies on:

1. Gender Equity-Title IX compliance

2. Hiring and retention

3. Harassment and Hazing

4. Risk management

5. Student Insurance

6. Addition of new programs or levels of existing programs

o. Written and board adopted mission statement

p. Procedures for professional development of staff

q. Involvement in development of youth programs

r. Indicators of student-athlete academic achievement

s. Athletic administrator service to:

1 . State association

2. National association

t. Coaching staff demographics:

1. Certified (ACEP or PACE)

2. CPR, First Aid

3. Non-staff vs. staff

4. Members of coaches associations

u. Facilities and game management checklists

3. To facilitate communication and a sharing of best practices throughout our state; and

4. To encourage continued improvement in our state's high school athletic programs.

The MIAAA/MHSAA Exemplary Athletic Program model is truly a grass roots model; developed by practicing athletic administrators to give recognition to our deserving athletic programs on a statewide basis.

WAAA exemplary programs model excellence and equity. They an provide for what is best in educationally sound high school athletics. There is a strong, district-wide commitment to athletic excellence for all of the school's student-athletes. The athletic program's success in advancing the emotional, social, moral and physical growth of all of its participants is a basic foundation of the recognition criteria. In awarding exemplary status to our state!s athletic programs, the MIAAA/MHSAA looks to recognize schools where sustained successes in teaching the values of high school athletics are evident.

Along with the comparison to the established criteria; the quality of each program will also be judged by comparing the standards of excellence to the school's goals (vision statement) and the processes that have been put into place to meet those goals. To what extent is the athletic program serving its various constituents (athletes, staff, parents and patrons)? An exemplary school's athletic program continually strives to meet and exceed the needs of all student-athletes.

Exemplary athletic programs offer growth opportunities for athletes that meet or exceed the highest standards of the MIAAA, MHSAA, leagues or conferences and, in some cases, their own local school boards.

The beginnings of the exemplary award program began in 1996; when a group of athletic administrators first approached the MIAAA board of directors with the exemplary program concept. The MIAAA board and officers were both in favor of establishing an advisory committee; which laid much of the foundation for our present MIAAA/MHSAA Exemplary Athletic Program assessment document.

Reports were made by this blue ribbon committee to the membership in the summer of 1997 and 1998 and also at the annual winter conference in 1998 and 1999. The MIAAA board of directors gave it's wholehearted support to the concept of recognizing and awarding our outstanding programs on a statewide basis by adopting the exemplary program model at it's 1999 spring meeting.

With that charge, a proposal was brought forth by the MIAAA Exemplary Athletic Program advisory committee to the MIAAA board in the summer of 1999 to pilot such a program during the 1999-2000 school year.

With the very generous support of the MHSAA, the MIAAA will be able to begin disseminating program brochures to our state's high schools in the fall of 1999. At the present time, we have over twenty-eight schools who have been sent the assessment and application document.

The MIAAA Exemplary Program advisory committee realizes that the process can be an involved and time consuming one but we also feel that it can be a most rewarding one. We do encourage those of you who feel your program could benefit from this process to please request materials.

We would also like to recognize the original members of the MIAAA Exemplary Program ad hoc committee (without their efforts this program would certainly not have been possible):

Melanie Miller, Lansing Sexton; Tim Dode, Holly; Jim Feldkamp, Troy; Terry Evanish, Gladwin; Karen Leinaar, Gaylord; Scott Kemple, Kalamazoo Central; John Shepich, Hart; Jim Schaffer, Kent City; Dave Price, Rockford and Chuck Nurek, Avondale.n

HEALTH & SAFETY

HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS

by D.D. Conkwright Jr., MD, Virginia Beach, Va., Reprinted from Wrestling USA

Heat related illnesses span the spectrum from minor heat illness to heat stroke; which is a medical emergency that results from the complete loss of thermoregulatory control Heat stroke is ranked third behind head and neck trauma and cardiac disorders as a cause of death in U.S. high school athletes and may actually contribute to some of the cardiac deaths by producing irregular heart beats. Heat production results from absorption of heat from sources external to the body (sunshine and environmental temperature) and from internal heat producing processes (muscle movement). The body's thermoregulatory system is responsible for allowing the body to heat and cool itself as necessary. This system can be overwhelmed during periods of heat stress if the sum of the environmental heat load and the metabolic heat production exceeds the body's capacity for heat dissipation or that capacity is somehow impaired. A variety of medical conditions, medications, or drugs of abuse can profoundly affect an individuals risk for heat related illness.

Physiologic response to heat stress

The body is able to dissipate heat through convection, evaporation, and radiation. At ambient temperature, most heat is lost as radiation to the external environment, however this method is ineffective if the ambient temperature is increased to above body temperature (97.5 to 99.5 degree F). The body also dissipates heat by

convection, which is the transfer of heat to moving air, but this process too is impaired if the ambient temperature is above body temperature. In this circumstance, the body is only able to dissipate heat through sweating. However if the relative humidity of the environment is over 75%, the rate of evaporation decreases drastically and, sweating becomes an ineffective way to dissipate heat. Thus on severely hot and humid days the body's means to dissipate excess heat are greatly impaired, making individuals more susceptible to heat related illness.

Specific Heat Related Illnesses

In minor heat illness the body's thermoregulatory processes remain intact and supportive care and cooling are usually the only treatment needed.

Heat cramps are painful muscle contractions, usually of the thighs, calf's, and shoulders that follow exertion of skeletal muscles. They are associated with normal vital signs and occur more commonly in fit, acclimatized individuals. Treatment is to stretch and rest in a cool environment and an oral sodium containing solution. If chronic, this condition must be differentiated from rhabdomyolysis by CPK assay and urinalysis.

Heat edema is a self-limited swelling of the hands and feet which occurs on initial exposure to a hot environment. Resolution usually occurs after several hours in a cooler environment.

Heat tetany is carpopedal spasm secondary to hyperthermia induced hyper

ventilation. It is precipitated by rapid changes in pH and body temperature and is usually relieved by rest, stretching, and massage of affected muscle groups in a cooler environment.

Heat syncope occurs because of postural hypotension in unacclimatized individuals, and is usually the result of shunting of blood to peripheral tissues to aid in heat exchange. Treatment involves placing the patient supine, rehydrating if necessary, and avoiding prolonged or rapid standing in the heat.

Prickly heat consists of a maculopapular erythematous rash most commonly seen on clothed areas of the body. It occurs when maceration and infection block the sweat gland pores. Treatment involves exposing the rash to cool, dry air several times a day.

Heat exhaustion occurs when a person experiences excessive sweating in a hot humid environment, causing volume depletion. Fluids and electrolytes are lost and not adequately replaced. Symptoms include profuse sweating, malaise, headache, nausea, vomiting, vertigo, chills, generalized weakness, tachycardia, and hypotension. Major neurologic impairment is absent. Oral rehydration of approximately one liter per hour for several hours is preferred in coherent patients without nausea or vomiting. If IV rehydration is needed, dextrose in half-normal saline is commonly used. If recovery is not progressing, the patient may need additional cooling interventions.

Heat stroke occurs when the body's thermoregulatory mechanism fails resulting in an uncontrolled rise in core body temperature. This can be due to excess heat production by the body, failure of head dissipation, extreme environmental heat, or rarely hypothalamic malfunction. Heat stroke is characterized by core body temperature of at least 104.9 degree F and acute mental status changes. It can be divided into exertional heat stroke and classic heat stroke. Exertional heat stroke occurs sporadically in the younger healthier population after or during strenuous exercise or work. It is associated with sweating, DIC, acute renal failure, lactic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis, and severe hyperuricema. Classic heat stroke occurs in the elderly population with predisposing medical conditions. In general sweating is absent, and DIC and acute renal failure are rare. In both cases neurologic exam may reveal irritability, confusion, and ataxia; although coma is the most common presentation. As mortality may be as high as 10%, heat stroke represents a medical emergency. Rapid cooling is the critical factor in improving prognosis and delay in cooling translates directly with increased morbidity and mortality. Evaporative methods of cooling are probably the most useful and consist of removing all unnecessary clothing, spraying the patient with water or wrapping them in wet towels or sheets, and increasing air flow over the patient. These methods still allow easy access to the patient in the event that cardio-puhnonary resuscitation or EKG monitoring becomes necessary. Immersion methods restrict this access to the patient and may result in peripheral vasoconstriction and decreased heat loss. They may also be difficult to arrange and cooling should not be delayed. Fluids should also be administered as dextrose in half normal saline. Electrolyte replacement, bicarbinate replacement if ph<7.2, and attention to the airway with high flow oxygen should also be considered.

Prevention of Heat -Related Illness

The keys to prevention of heat related illness lie in environment assessment, proper acclimatization, and adequate hydration. The vast majority of heat related problems are a direct result of the environmental conditions to which the person is exposed. Accurate assessment of the environmental conditions including ambient temperature and humidity are essential for risk evaluation. The actual risk of heat injury r