EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

East Lansing, January 19, 2000

Members Present:

Paul Ellinger, Cheboygan

Tom Rashid, Detroit

Dan Flynn, Escanaba

Norm Johnson, Bangor

Eric Federico, Gibraltar

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 these minutes.)

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.

Consistent with rulings of the Attorney General and Michigan Supreme Court, schools are not bound by the decisions of the Executive Committee, but the Association may limit participation in the postseason 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. The MHSAA exercises no independent authority over schools or students during regular season.

Harper Woods & Harper Woods-Notre Dame High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - The Executive Committee approved a cooperative program in boys swimming and diving. Harper Woods High School has a pool but has not sponsored a team. Notre Dame High School has had a team with very limited participation and no pool of its own. Notre Dame will be the primary school for the program, whose combined enrollment will be 1,146, moving this program from Class B/C/D to Class A in the MHSAA tournament.

The Executive Committee granted waiver of the deadline until not later than Feb. 7, 2000.

Livonia-Ladywood & Bloomfield Hills-Academy of the Sacred Heart High Schools (Regulation I, Section 1[E]) - Request was made to waive the Aug. 15 deadline for application for a cooperative program in girls skiing during the current season. Ladywood has sponsored the sports previously but has only two skiers this year. The combined enrollment of 1,306 would not change Ladywood's Class A tournament assignment.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver, noting that the season had begun and that application materials had not been submitted and thus could not be reviewed by the Executive Committee until its next meeting, which is the day immediately preceding the MHSAA Regionals. For practical purposes, the regular season would be ended and the cooperative team would not be able to satisfy entry requirements for the MHSAA Meet.

Yale High School (Regulation I, Sections 4 & 7) - Request to waive applicable sections of the eligibility regulation was made on behalf of a 12th-grade student who has had testicular cancer and had a stomach tumor removed in the summer of 1999. He returned to school for emotional and social support but was unable to participate in athletics or complete academic requirements during the first semester of 1999-00 when his medical condition forced irregular attendance. It is anticipated his strength and attendance will improve during the second semester and that he will graduate in January 2001. Athletic Director Ken Nicholl met with the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee granted waiver of the previous semester record regulation to permit the possibility of eligibility during the second semester of the 1999-00 school year; and if the student is eligible in all other respects at the conclusion of this school year, the Executive Committee granted waiver of the maximum semesters regulation to permit eligibility during the first semester only of the 2000-01 school year.

Bay City-All Saints High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who enrolled at All Saints on Nov. 5, 1999, having previously attended Essexville-Garber High School where he did not participate in any tryouts, practices or games.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only for the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which the student may be eligible at any level insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Noting the circumstances and the appropriateness of the student attending the same school she previously attended in Michigan, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Burton-Atherton High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who began the 1998-99 school year at Davison High School and, for disciplinary reasons, finished the school year at Flint-Grace Christian Academy. He enrolled at Atherton for the start of the 1999-00 school year.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver because the regulation specifically prohibits granting waiver when discipline is involved, and there was no response to the request for additional information.

Delton Kellogg High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who began 9th grade at Delton Kellogg High School while living with his father. He moved to his mother and enrolled at Marshall High School on Oct. 29, 1999. He returned to his father and reenrolled at Delton Kellogg High School on Dec. 14, 1999. He entered several junior varsity wrestling competitions at Marshall High School.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver and directed staff to contact Marshall High School regarding the possibilities of forfeitures and also contact Delton Kellogg High School regarding the possibility of using the Educational Transfer Form for this student's future eligibility.

Edwardsburg High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who has relocated from the residence of his mother in Indiana to the residence of his father in Edwardsburg. His parents were never married but an otherwise completed Educational Transfer Form and a birth certificate identify these adults as the biological parents were provided.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver based on the documentation provided and precedent.

Fenton High 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 attended Fenton High School for 9th and 10th grades, moved with his parents to Florida for the start of 11th grade. He returned to Fenton and reenrolled at Fenton High School on Oct. 7, 1999 without relocation by his parents.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver effective with the student's 91st school day of enrollment at Fenton High School.

Grand Haven High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who began the school year at Hudsonville High School and enrolled at Grand Haven Nov. 23, 1999, because the family had been unable to sell its house in Grand Haven and had given up trying to move to Hudsonville, where the student played soccer last fall.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Grand Rapids-Forest Hills Central High School (Regulation I, Section 9[C]) - Request was made to waive the transfer regulation on behalf of a student who has attended Forest Hills Northern High School and will transfer to Forest Hills Central High School at the start of the second semester. The schools have a cooperative program in ice hockey in which this student participates.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver for ice hockey only during the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which he may be eligible for any sport insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Hudsonville-Freedom Baptist High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who attended Freedom Baptist Schools through 8th grade. She was a student at Hudsonville High School until reenrolling at Freedom Baptist on Oct. 11, 1999. She did not participate in practices or competitions in any sport at Hudsonville High School.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only for the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which the student may be eligible at any level insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Ithaca High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who enrolled at Ithaca High School Dec. 10, 1999 after he moved from his mother's residence, where he attended Marion High School, to his father's residence. The parents were never married but an Educational Transfer Form is otherwise completed and accompanied by a birth certificate that identifies these two people as the parents of the student.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver based on the documentation provided and precedent.

Lake Leelanau-St. Mary High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the remainder of the 1999-00 school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled Oct. 15 after previously attending Traverse City-St. Francis High School where he did not participate in sports.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only for the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which the student may be eligible at any level insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Lake Orion High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who transferred from Brother Rice to Lake Orion High School on Nov. 4, 1999. He ran cross country at Brother Rice and would swim at Lake Orion. The student attended Lake Orion Middle School, enrolled for 9th grade at Brother Rice for academic reasons, and is returning to Lake Orion for financial and transportation reasons.

The Executive Committee denied the request for waiver.

Midland-Bullock Creek High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request to waive the transfer regulation was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student who has relocated from the residence of his mother in Canton to the residence of his father in Midland, but not in the Bullock Creek School District where the father lived until recently remarrying and relocating to his wife's house and where he still teaches and his daughter still attends school. Superintendent Thomas Gilstad and Principal Charles Schwedler met with the Executive Committee.

Noting that attendance at Bullock Creek would conform both to the history and current circumstances of the family, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Otisville-Lakeville High School (Regulation I, Section 9[D]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility after 90 school days of enrollment at Lakeville High School was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled at Lakeville on Nov. 17, 1999, having previously attended North Branch-Wesleyan Academy. The student and his family have resided continuously within the Lakeville School District and the student's older siblings have graduated from Lakeville High School. The reasons given for the transfer are unavailability of certain classes and Internet access and philosophical differences over changes in rules and policies at North Branch-Wesleyan Academy.

Pontiac-Northern High School (Regulation I, Section 9) - Request was made to waive the transfer regulation on behalf of a student who has relocated from the residence of his mother in the Detroit-Pershing attendance area to the residence of his father in the Northern attendance area. The parents were never married. An Educational Transfer Form was provided but the student's birth certificate did not identify the father.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver pending completion of the Educational Transfer Form and provision of independent documentation that will identify that the student is living with his biological father.

Waterford Mott High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the remainder of this school year was made on behalf of a 10th-grade student who enrolled at Waterford Mott High School on Nov. 12, 1999, having previously attended Waterford-Our Lady of the Lakes where he did not participate in any MHSAA tournament sport.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only for the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which the student may be eligible at any level insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Whitehall High School (Regulation I, Section 9[B]) - Request to waive the transfer regulation to permit eligibility only at the sub-varsity level during the remainder of this school year was made on behalf of a 9th-grade student who moved into the district from Alaska after Oct. 1, 1999, to live with his grandmother. His mother died last summer. He did not participate in school sports previously.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver at the sub-varsity level only for the remainder of the 1999-00 school year, after which the student may be eligible at any level insofar as the transfer regulation is concerned.

Clawson High School (Regulation II, Section 11) - Request to waive Handbook Interpretation No. 191 was made for the sport of wrestling so Clawson's four wrestlers may practice with Royal Oak-Kimball's wrestling team.

Noting the uniqueness of wrestling, which requires practice opponents of matched size, and the precedent of allowing teams to practice together after Individual Districts, the Executive Committee granted the request for waiver to the extent that the schools may practice together two days per week through Feb. 16, 2000.

Battle Creek-Pennfield High School (Regulation II, Section 15) - Request was made to waive the Dec. 31, 1999 mailing deadline for the submission of Parental Permission Forms for wrestlers to compete at weight classes lower than would be prescribed by the skinfold test. In this case, the forms were signed on a timely basis by the parents but not submitted before the deadline by the school. Pennfield has five wrestlers in this status. One of those wrestlers, his parents and Athletic Director Larry Boyer met with the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee was concerned that this particular student stated he had begun his weight loss at between 140 and 145 pounds in May, had an alpha weight of 128.25 on Nov. 12, and had hoped to wrestle at 119 pounds until the weight monitoring program established his lowest weight at 125.3 pounds and required him to wrestle at the 130 pound class. In this case, the weight monitoring program was serving the purpose of deterring extreme weight loss at a time when adolescents should be experiencing growth and weight gain.

The Executive Committee noted that the weight monitoring program is based on the premise that there is a lowest healthy weight class for all wrestlers and that it may be imprudent to allow exceptions by mutual agreement of the parents and schools. It was requested that the Representative Council consider elimination of this feature of the weight monitoring program; but if this feature is retained, the deadline for parental permission forms should be moved to a date which does not occur during school vacations.

The Executive Committee noted that it was aware the mailing deadline problem occurred at 10 schools involving 18 wrestlers, out of a total of 425 schools and 10,000 wrestlers; and only one case was being appealed. The petitioners and the Executive Committee agreed that if an exception were made, such would have to occur for all students for whom the form was signed on a timely basis by the parent but submitted late by the school, and that there would have to be an effort to notify all those schools which did not submit forms because they knew the mailing date had passed.

The Executive Committee determined that strict adherence to the deadline was appropriate for health reasons in the case before it and in view of the impracticality of changing policy in mid-season for similarly situated schools and students, many of whom are not at this time identified to the MHSAA office. Request for waiver was denied.

Hartland High School (Regulation II, Section 15) - Request was made on behalf of an 11th-grade student to compete in Division 2 of the 2000 Girls Gymnastics Tournament which will be conducted in two divisions: Division 1 for gymnasts who at any time competed in a non-school event at USGF Level 9 or above or who have competed in USGF Optionals (Level 7 Optional or Level 8) since Jan. 1, 1998; and Division 2 for all other gymnasts. This student competed April 5, 1998 in Level 8. She competed briefly in Division 1 last season but because of several injuries and rheumatoid arthritis had not entered any competitions this season at the time this request was made.

The Executive Committee granted the request for waiver.

Mesick and Buckley Junior High Schools (Regulation III, Section 1) - The Executive Committee approved a cooperative program in boys and girls track and field between these schools. Mesick will be the primary school.

Painesdale-Jeffers and Atlantic Mine-E. B. Holman Junior High Schools (Regulation III, Section 1) - The Executive Committee approved a cooperative program in boys basketball between these member schools, with Jeffers being the primary school.

Republic-Michigamme Schools (Regulation III, Section 1[C]) - Request was made to permit involvement of 6th graders with 7th and 8th graders in track and field during the 1999-00 school year. (High school enrollment is 76.)

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

Watervliet-Grace Christian School (Regulation III, Section 1[C]) - Request was made to allow 6th graders to participate with and against 7th and 8th graders in girls volleyball. (High school enrollment is 82.)

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

Regulation V, Section 3(C) - A pre-district game between Lincoln Park and Dearborn Heights-Crestwood High Schools in the MHSAA Boys Soccer Tournament on Oct. 26, 1999 was terminated by officials with 21 minutes remaining because of an on-field fight which resulted in four players of each team being selected for ejections. The reports of each school were provided.

The Executive Committee accepted the reports and actions of the schools. No further action was required at this time.

Taylor-Kennedy High School (Classification) - Request was made to waive the Oct. 15, 1999 deadline for requesting the school (enrollment 1,312) to move from Division 2 to Division 1 (enrollment 1,437 and above) in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Tournament in 2000, which is the division in which Taylor-Truman (1,646) participates.

The Executive Committee granted the request. For boys tennis the school will participate in Division 1 in 2000 and 2001 and thereafter unless it notifies the MHSAA by Oct. 15, 2001 that it wishes to return to a lower division that its enrollment would allow.

New School - Consistent with the requirements of the MHSAA Constitution and pursuant to procedures for MHSAA membership established by the Representative Council on March 21, 1997, MHSAA membership was approved for Boyne City-Concord Academy, a public school academy with 48 students in grades 9 through 12 which will also allow the 21 students in 8th grade to participate pursuant to Regulation I, Section 1(D). It anticipates sponsoring boys and girls cross country, track and skiing, boys golf, girls tennis, baseball and softball. Because its Membership Resolution was received after the fourth Friday after Labor Day, it is ineligible for MHSAA postseason tournaments until the 2000-01 school year.

Trophy & Medal Committee - The Executive Committee approved Trophy and Medal Committee appointments for the April 11, 2000 meeting.

Authorized Signatures - The Executive Committee approved a resolution for authorized signatures for various financial operations of the MHSAA.

Finance Committee - The Executive Committee reviewed the draft agenda for the Feb. 16 meeting of the Finance Committee.

Representative Council - The Executive Committee reviewed the draft agenda for the March 24 meeting of the Representative Council, suggesting several items be deferred to the May meeting.

National Update - The executive director updated the Executive Committee on the National Federation authenticating mark program and regarding tensions occurring with the National Association of Secondary School Principals over the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel, which the MHSAA and Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals support, and a National Federation national student leadership conference, which the MHSAA and MASSP do not support.

Next Meetings - The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing (with the Finance Committee Meeting to follow). Thereafter, the Executive Committee will meet Thursday, March 23, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing (Representative Council Meeting March 24); Wednesday, April 19, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing (with the Finance Committee Meeting to follow); Saturday, May 6, at 6:15 p.m. in Gaylord (Representative Council Meeting May 7-9); and Wednesday, June 14, at 9 a.m. in East Lansing. n

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UPPER PENINSULA ATHLETIC COMMITTEE MEETING

Escanaba, January 15, 1999

Russ Bailey, Ewen-Trout Creek

Don Edens, Kingsford

Dan Flynn, Escanaba

Dick Koski, Negaunee

Dee Jay Paquette, Munising

Joe Reddinger, North Dickinson

Staff Member Present:

Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing (Recorder)

BOYS BASKETBALL

The committee assigned officials for the 2000 MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament. John Soumis of Chassell was chosen to officiate a Final game while Joe Reddinger of Kingsford was selected for the Semifinals. Rod Guizzetti of Munising and Phil DeGabriele of Marquette will officiate at Quarterfinal sites.

The schedule for the regional tournament at NMU:

D - 6 p.m.

D - 8 p.m.

(single session)

Friday, March 17

C - 6 p.m.

C - 8 p.m.

(single session)

Saturday, March 18

D - 12 noon

C - 3 p.m.

(separate sessions)

Joe Reddinger will present the trophy in Class D while Dick Koski will present the Class C trophy.

TRACK & FIELD

Officials selected for the 2000 Finals at Kingsford are Ken Myllyla & John Meyer, Referees and Walter Lakari & Vern Nelson - Starters

Track & Field regional sites were assigned to: Menominee and Marquette in Class A-B; Rudyard, Houghton and Negaunee in Class C; and Pickford, Rapid River, Ontonagon, and North Dickinson County in Class D.

VOLLEYBALL

The UP Committee selected volleyball officials for the first time. 2000 will be the first year for UP participation in the statewide tournament.

ICE HOCKEY

The committee reviewed sites for the 2000 tournament and discussed procedures for assignment of officials at regional tournaments.

OTHER ISSUES

The committee reviewed a request from Big Bay de Noc High School to be reassigned in boys and girls basketball to an eastern Upper Peninsula district tournament. The matter was deferred to next fall's meeting.

Reclassification - The committee reviewed the issue of reclassification as it applies to UP MHSAA final tournaments and reaffirmed current MHSAA Handbook policy that UP schools would determine by their vote whether or not to participate in a statewide tournament or to sponsor a separate tournament for UP schools only. Currently, seven sports have UP state tournaments separate from the Lower Peninsula MHSAA tournament.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

*Tennis (boys & girls), Reclassify into two nearly equal divisions, Currently 14 schools sponsor tennis.

*Cross country, track & golf: The committee unanimously approved a recommendation that would divide each of these sports into three divisions according to the following formula: Divide Classes A, B, C schools into two equal divisions and keep all Class D schools together as a single division 3. There would be 10-12 schools in both divisions 1 & 2, and 20-26 schools in division 3. If there is an uneven number of schools in Classes A-B-C, the greater number would be in Division 2.

Future Meeting - The committee will meet on Friday, April 7, in Escanaba in conjunction with the UP Athletic Directors semiannual meeting.

The agenda will include site selection of 2000 girls basketball tournament sites and further discussion of reclassification as it applies to implementation of changes in next year's tournament.

The UP Principals Association is currently conducting a survey of UP schools to determine whether a majority of schools favor a change in the current cross country format to allow UP participation in the statewide tournament. n

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WHY SCHOOL SPORTS ARE WORTH SAVING

Excerpts from MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts' keynote address Jan. 27, 2000, for the "Crisis in School Sport" colloquium sponsored by the Center for Sport Policy Studies at the University of Toronto.

My view of what schools are for and what is important in education has been shaped by my experiences as a participant in high school athletics, as a high school teacher and coach, as an administrator of educational athletics at the national and state levels, and as a parent of two students who were involved in school sports.

These experiences convince me that the following two points are valid and valuable:

(2) For secondary school students, the critical need in their education is for motivation: not so much for the nuts and bolts of any particular subject, but for the hunger to learn and the motivation to pay the price to succeed. Students who have this motivation succeed then and in later life. Doing all we can to motivate students to stay in school, to like school and to do well in school should be our primary objective in secondary school education.

And that ­ motivating kids ­ is the role of interscholastic athletics, which should be considered just a non-expendable in our secondary schools as reading curriculum is in our elementary schools.

No, running and jumping and kicking and throwing and catching are not as important as reading, writing and arithmetic in secondary schools. However, the motivation these activities generate for students to stay in school and to like school and to do well in school in reading, writing and arithmetic is every bit as important. It is crucial, and non-expendable, no matter how limited we think funds may be.

* Participants in school activities generally have higher grade point averages, lower dropout rates, better daily attendance and fewer discipline problems than do non-participating students.

* Participants in school athletics generally have higher grade point averages and lower rates of tobacco and alcohol use in their seasons of competition than out.

* Students who participate in two sports generally have higher grade point averages than those who participate in one; those who participate in three sports generally have higher grade point averages than those who participate in two.

* Participants in school activities feel better about schools and about education.

In a word, participants in school activities are motivated to stay in school, like school and do well in school. The programs that do these things for our students should not be cut; they should not be threatened.

Data just made available recently by a Canadian researcher connects participation in school sports to continued participation in sports in adulthood and higher income.

Here's a sampling of statements based on other studies:

Two researchers at East Carolina University published research in the bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals in May of 1996 and concluded with this statement: "Achieving success in our society requires much more than academic success, so schools must provide for more than just the academic development of adolescents."

Professor Randy Testa at Dartmouth College stated in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine in March of 1999: "The arts ­ and I'm considering athletics an art ­ are the place where people synthesize knowledge in new and interesting ways. The arts explore the ways in which we are not just educated, but ways in which we are human."

Professor Herbert Marsh made the following statement in the Sociology of Sport Journal in September of 1993 based on data collected in the 1980's from 10,613 randomly selected high school students: " . . . participation in sports favorably affected . . . social concept, academic self-concept, educational aspirations two years after high school, attending university, educational aspirations in the senior year, being in the academic track, school attendance, taking academic courses, taking science courses, time spent on homework, parental involvement, parental educational aspirations, taking math courses and taking honor courses."

Douglas Heath, an educator from Haverford College, has done some of the best research on this topic and published it in Fulfilling Lives: Paths to Maturity and Success. He concludes, "School grades and achievement test scores predict moderately well which students will do well in school the next year, but they do not predict which students of average or above-average grades and test scores will succeed in later life. Extracurricular participation is a school's best predictor of an adult's success."

Taken together, one must conclude that if we care about kids' performance in school and their happiness and performance after graduation, we will supplement our curriculum with a full program of extracurricular activities, including athletics.

If we decide that high school athletics are expendable and won't be offered, we do at least these two things:

First, we condemn the students to less fulfilling and successful lives than more fortunate students in other places may have.

Second, we condemn the community in which they are educated to becoming less prosperous in the future than it is today. We exacerbate school and community problems. Local real estate suffers; local business declines.

If I were moving to a community and had the opportunity to select one school district with a full program of school sports and another with an incomplete program or no program at all, I would choose what most people would choose, and the other communities would suffer.

Some will argue that sports is a luxury for schools to sponsor. They will say, "Let the communities run the programs. It's too expensive for schools."

If we leave sports to the community, then we lose sports as a tool of education. We lose sports as a way to reach and motivate young people.

There is a difference between school and non-school programs. Throughout history, school sports has distinguished itself in the areas of scholarship, sportsmanship, safety and the scope of our programs. We have put academics before athletics, we have required high standards of behavior, we have protected the health of participants, and we have set sane limits on the number of games and the length of travel.

If we lower the standards, if we reduce the requirements, if we transfer responsibility to non-school groups, sports will be much less capable of doing good things for kids and they will have no potential of doing good things for schools.

In the summer of 1992, Thomas Boswell, the highly respected writer for the Washington Post, wrote a nationally syndicated column entitled, "Save Now, Pay Later." He wrote: "Shakespeare is great. But if you want to run a public school that works, there's no better place to spend your money than on a strong athletics program that involves as many students as possible in as many sports as possible."

And let's leave the final word to Canada. Samuel Freedman, former Chief Justice of Manitoba, has stated this: "A commitment toward intellectual excellence is a good thing. But a commitment toward intellectual and physical excellence is even better. It is in the realization of the latter objective that participation in athletics can play such a valuable role." n

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DON'T MISS THE 21st ANNUAL OFFICIALS AWARDS & ALUMNI BANQUET

May 13, 2000

The Michigan High School Athletic Association is proud to announce the 21st Annual Officials' Awards and Alumni Banquet to be held on Saturday, May 13, 2000. The Banquet will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, corner of I-496 and Creyts Road, Lansing, beginning at 7 p.m.

We are fortunate to have as our speaker National Basketball Association (NBA) official, Tommy Nunez, who is recognized for his work as the founder and coordinator of the National Hispanic Basketball Classic in Phoenix. In addition to conducting the annual tournament to raise funds to promote his charitable work, Nunez spends countless hours speaking to school children about staying in school and maintaining a drug free lifestyle. As a "kid from the barrio" Nunez is committed to promoting kids who "scratch and work hard" for their grades. Officiating, working with kids and motivating adults, according to Nunez, "it's love, not work."

As part of the program, individualized plaques will be awarded to those officials with twenty (20) years or more service and thirty (30) years or more service with the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The "Vern Norris" award will be presented to one official in recognition of contributions made to officiating. The Banquet will give those officials who were awarded plaques previously, a chance to renew acquaintances as "alumni."

Those who plan to attend should complete the form below and return it with a check or money order in the amount of $15 per ticket to the MHSAA no later than April 24, 2000. Ticket orders will be filled on a first-come basis, however, priority will be given to those officials receiving awards. Officials, friends and relatives are also encouraged to attend. Tickets will not be sold at the door. n

(Please detach and return to the MHSAA office before April 24, 2000)

OFFICIALS' AWARDS AND ALUMNI BANQUET

Saturday, May 13, 2000

PLEASE PRINT

NAME_________________________________________________________________________

(Last) (First) (Initial)

MAILING ADDRESS____________________________________________________________

CITY_________________________________________ STATE________ ZIP______________

Number of tickets ordered _______________ @ $15 -- Total: $_______________

(Number)

TICKET MONEY CANNOT BE REFUNDED

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CVENGROS, HAGMAN TO RECEIVE

FORSYTHE AWARD

Two individuals who have served high school sports for a combined total of 80 years as teachers, coaches and administrators have been selected to receive the 2000 Charles E. Forsythe Award by the Michigan High School Athletic Association ­ Jerry Cvengros of Okemos and Blake Hagman of Kalamazoo.

This annual award is in its 22nd year of existence and is named after Charles E. Forsythe, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1931 to 1968. One or two recipients are selected each year by the MHSAA Representative Council, based on an individual's outstanding contribution to the interscholastic athletics community. Cvengros and Hagman will be presented the award on March 25 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing at halftime of the Boys Basketball Class B Final Game.

Cvengros has served as Associate Director of the MHSAA since 1988, but is well known statewide as a teacher, coach and administrator at Escanaba High School, where he served from 1958 to 1988. Hagman has served as athletic director for Kalamazoo Central High School, and also as a cross country and track and field official for many years.

A 1951 graduate of Ironwood High School, Cvengros joined the staff at Escanaba after receiving his bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. He was a teacher of English, history and physical education at Escanaba, and also coached football, track and field and basketball. He became became athletic director in 1970, and added the duties of activities director in 1975. In 1983, he became principal at Escanaba until joining the MHSAA staff in 1988.

While at Escanaba, Cvengros was elected to serve on the Representative Council of the MHSAA from 1983 to 1988, representing Upper Peninsula Class A-B schools. During his tenure on the Representative Council, he also served as its president from 1986-88.

As Associate Director at the MHSAA, Cvengros has coordinated the football playoffs and ice hockey tournament, directed in-service educational programs for athletic directors and coaches, and served as a liaison with statewide principals, athletic directors and coaches associations. He has also been inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Active on the national scene, he was a 1999 National Citation recipient from the National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association, of which he was a former member.

After beginning his teaching and coaching career at Homer High School in 1964, Hagman, a 1960 graduate of Kalamazoo Central, returned to his alma matter in 1966, where he is still a faculty member, continuing to teach business education courses. Hagman also served as an assistant cross country and track and field coach for five years at Kalamazoo Central before becoming assistant athletic director in 1973.

After two years as assistant athletic director, Hagman was named athletic director at Kalamazoo Central, a position he held until 1994 when he became the citywide athletic director. In 1998, he returned to the classroom. As athletic director, Hagman served as a site manager for countless MHSAA tournaments in a variety of sports, including serving as tournament manager for the MHSAA Girls Volleyball Finals since 1988 to this day. He has also served on many MHSAA committees.

Hagman has been active with statewide and national athletic administrators associations, and is involved with educational programs for coaches and athletic directors. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Since 1961, Hagman has been a registered official with the MHSAA. For the duration of his service as an official, he has been registered in cross country and track and field. For 15 years, Hagman also officiated basketball and wrestling. His dedication to the track and field community has seen him serve as a founder and president of the Association of Track Officials of Michigan. In 1994, he was honored by the MHSAA with its Vern L. Norris Award, presented annually in the name of the Association's former executive director for service in the officiating field, especially in the recruitment and education of officials.

Hagman was also recognized by the MHSAA in 1992 with the Allen W. Bush Award, named for another former executive director, which is presented annually to recognize the achievements of past and continuing service to interscholastic athletics. Hagman becomes the first individual to receive the Association's three awards named after its former full-time executive directors. He earned his bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University in 1964.

"The Forsythe Award is just a small way to congratulate individuals for a job well done in service towards educational athletics," said MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts. "The contributions of Jerry Cvengros and Blake Hagman in their lifetimes to their peers in the coaching and officiating professions, and to young people, are incredible. They represent everything that is not good, but great, about the school sports environment, and we're pleased to honor them as this year's Forsythe Award recipients." n

Past recipients of the Charles E. Forsythe Award

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SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD RECIPIENTS HONORED

The 1999-00 recipients of the MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award will be honored in ceremonies during the Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing on March 25.

The program drew 2,857 applications from 516 schools for the 24 $1,000 college scholarships to be presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Both the number of applicants and number of schools participating set records for this competition.

"These young people are those who excel in academics, athletics, and in other school and community programs. They are the leaders of tomorrow," said John E. "Jack" Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. "All of the applicants are reaping the benefits of a well-rounded education by sampling as many things as she or he can while in school. That is what makes the Scholar-Athlete Award truly impressive. We're proud of what all the applicants have achieved, and extend our congratulations to this year's scholarship recipients."

Winter sports 2000 recipients are: Seann Duffin, Carney-Nadeau, Boys Basketball; Jennifer Fay Mosack, Armada, Girls Competitive Cheer; Laura Barker, Menominee, Girls Gymnastics; Bryan Dery, Livonia Stevenson, Ice Hockey; Scott Bell, Rochester Adams, Boys Skiing; Martha Grant, Mt. Pleasant, Girls Skiing; Bradford Andrew Flora, St. Joseph, Boys Swimming & Diving; Georgianna Golematis, Brownstown Woodhaven, Girls Volleyball; Zachary Sine, Napoleon, Wrestling.

Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must carry a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average, and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the MHSAA sponsors postseason competition. Applicants are also required to show involvement in other school/community activities and submit an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.

"The students applying for this award did an outstanding job with their treatment of the essay topic," Roberts said. "There's a lot the leaders of our collegiate and professional athletic communities could learn about sportsmanship from these young people."

Additional information about the Scholar-Athlete Award may be obtained by contacting the principal of an MHSAA member high school, or the MHSAA office at 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, 48823, telephone: 517/332-5046. A complete list of applicants may be obtained through the MHSAA Web Site at www.mhsaa.com, under the Services department.

Applications for the award for students graduating during the 200-01 school year will be sent to member school athletic directors in August.n

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CLASSIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING

East Lansing, January 12, 2000

Members Present: Staff Members Present:

John Amend, Akron-Fairgrove Nate Hampton, East Lansing

Jim Dittmer, Mason County Central (MASB) Sue Martin, East Lansing

Keith Eldred, Williamston Jack Roberts, East Lansing

Tom Rashid, Detroit Catholic Schools Ron Hart, New Buffalo (MASSP)

Robert Riemersma, Manistee Lillian Mason, Grand Blanc (MASB)

Fred Smith, Comstock (MIAAA)

Roger Thelen, Stanton-Central Montcalm (MASA)

The committee reviewed the history and purpose of the Classification Committee, which was created by Representative Council action in 1986. The goal is to bring together the thinking of a cross-section of school leadership to a broad range of topics related to classification of schools for athletic competition, and to bring recommendations to the Representative Council on those topics where consensus can be formed.

The committee reviewed minutes of the 1999 Classification Committee meeting and subsequent Representative Council action. It was noteworthy that the Council adopted expansion plans in football and ice hockey after recommendations to do so by the committee. In addition, the committee's recommendation to divide cross country and track & field into four equal divisions was also adopted by the Representative Council at its December meeting.

RECLASSIFICATION ISSUES

Track & Field: Nate Hampton reported to the committee on the progress to implement four equal divisions in girls & boys track this spring. Mr. Hampton indicated that boys & girls teams from the same school would be placed in the same division with the boys classification being the determining factor because there are more boys teams.

Concern was expressed that because a number of small Class C schools would compete in Division 4 with all Class D schools, that smaller schools would have difficulty competing. The committee unanimously suggested that the MHSAA monitor the situation by comparing with previous years the distribution of qualifiers from C & D schools in Division 4.

Soccer: Sue Martin reported to the committee on the adjustment to the divisional concept for soccer that has been approved by the Representative Council. Because of the concern for the smaller schools in Division 4, soccer was reclassified so that 20 percent of sponsoring schools were placed in Division 4 while the remaining 80percent were divided into three equal divisions.

Competitive Cheer: Mrs. Martin reported that the Competitive Cheer Ad Hoc Committee has recommended that the 153 schools sponsoring competitive cheer be divided into four equal divisions for tournament competition. Currently, there are three classes for competition: Class A, Class B, and Class CD.

Noting that the Cheer Committee has not yet reviewed the proposal and no school survey has been taken, the Classification Committee voted to table the issue at this time.

Swimming & Diving: The committee reviewed a proposal from the Swimming & Diving Committee to reclassify the Lower Peninsula Tournament into three equal divisions. Currently, swimming is conducted in two divisions: Class A (143 schools) and Class BCD (69 schools).

Noting that qualification to swim finals is an ongoing process throughout the season, and the lack of adequate sites for final events and the small number of Class C & D sponsoring schools, no motion to change the current structure was advanced.

Enrollment Form & Membership Count: The committee reviewed current procedures regarding enrollment issues. It was pointed out that some schools still have difficulty reporting accurately their total membership as it applies to alternative students and overage students. Changes to the previous year form were discussed and approved in hopes that it would be less confusing.

It was pointed out that some state associations work directly with their departments of education in determining membership counts for public high schools.

The matter of monitoring membership counts will continue to be reviewed.n

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COMMITTEE MEETING

East Lansing, January 19, 2000

Judy Branch, Parchment Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing (Recorder)

Sue Gaudet, Dundee Tom Mecsey, Bloomfield Hills

Don Gustafson, St. Ignace

Bill Regnier, Temperance-Bedford

Rick Swilley, Southfield

Dave Yarbrough, Walled Lake s

Brian Zdanowski, Greenville

Following introductions, committee members reviewed minutes of the 1999-00 Junior High/Middle School Committee and Representative Council action pertaining to recommendations.

6TH-GRADE PARTICIPATION

The committee reviewed proposals and suggestions that would allow 6th-graders to participate on 7th and 8th-grade teams. In light of the increasing number of 6-7-8 middle schools questions regarding use of 6th-graders in competition have increased. MHSAA Handbook Regulations prohibit the use of 6th-graders in athletic competition with 7th and 8th-graders.

"If school districts choose to sponsor interscholastic sports competition for sixth or lower grades, it is recommended that those teams should not exceed the limitations of competition for grades 7-8 that are published in the MHSAA Handbook" (unanimous).

SPORTS LIMITATIONS

The committee reviewed overlapping sports seasons and how they can affect student-athletes participating in more than one sport. MHSAA Regulations prohibit students from participating in more than one sport at one time.

Committee members felt that even though sports seasons are not clearly defined at the middle school level. the problem surfaces so seldom that it is not necessary to seek regulation changes. If schools have athletes faced with this conflict, relief can be sought through the Executive committee appeal procedure.

VOLLEYBALL LIMITATIONS

The committee reviewed a recommendation from the MHSAA Volleyball Committee to increase the number of days of competition from 12 to 14 per season and to allow three days of competition per week.

Noting that adjustments in volleyball limitations have been made in recent years, the committee rejected the recommendation by unanimous vote.

EQUITY ISSUES

The committee acknowledged the recommendation of the MHSAA Equity Committee that equity concerns were a matter for jr. high schools as well as sr. high schools.

Noting agreement with the overall philosophy of equity at all school levels, the committee acknowledged that it was a matter for individual school district's compliance.n

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COACHES ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS MEETING

East Lansing, January 24, 2000

Members Present: Staff Members Present:

Dick Vandercamp - Baseball Nate Hampton, East Lansing

Diane Littleton - Competitive Cheer Jack Roberts, East Lansing

Pam Durand - Cross Country John Johnson, East Lansing

Keith Froelich - Football Tom Minter, East Lansing

Gregg Kirchen - Golf Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing (Recorder)

Sue Barthold - Softball

Jodi Manore - Volleyball

AGENDA ITEMS

Reclassification: Mr. Roberts informed attendees of recent Representative Council action regarding reclassification of sports for tournament competition. In December the Council approved four equal divisions for cross country and track & field as well as a modification in the equal division plan for soccer.

Legislative Process: Associate Director, Jerry Cvengros reviewed the MHSAA Legislative Process, outlining the role of individual sport associations in the development of rules and regulations pertaining to their respective sports. In addition, Mr. Cvengros reviewed the responsibilities of associations as they apply to sportsmanship issues.

Communications: Communications Director, John Johnson reported on changes that are evolving with the MHSAA web site as well as the Scholar-Athlete program and sport records.

Representatives of each association present reviewed activities and membership updates of the respective organizations.n

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East Lansing, January 25, 2000

Members Present:

George Sahadi, Harper Woods

Stephen Schleicher, Macomb

Member Absent:

Staff Members Present:

Jerry Cvengros, East Lansing (Recorder)

Nate Hampton, East Lansing

Tom Minter, East Lansing

The committee met for the purpose of reviewing playing rules, regulations and policies concerning high school football rules and Football Playoff procedures. Following is a review of items discussed by the committee as well as recommendations to be presented for Representative Council action.

FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

The committee reviewed the 1999 Football Playoffs and the new expanded formula. There was general agreement that the expanded field of 256 teams in a 5-week format was widely accepted by member schools. The committee reviewed the following items thoroughly.

1. Team selection and divisional alignments: There was general satisfaction that the system is fair for all schools.

2. Site selection in the first three rounds: There was unanimous agreement to continue the current policy of playing all games in the first two rounds at the site of the school with the higher playoff average.

During the third round Regional games, the host school will continue to have the higher playoff average unless opponents are over 200 miles apart and an alternate site is necessary.

3. Semifinal sites were reviewed with unanimous committee agreement to play on artificial surfaces whenever possible. It was pointed out that 11 of 16 Semifinal games were played on artificial surfaces. Alma College has approved a new artificial surface in time for the 2000 season.

4. Videotape scouting with an end zone "Sky Cam" was discussed at length with the following recommendation advanced for Representative Council action: "Videotape scouting is restricted to the stands or press box". The motion was passed unanimously.

5. While there were none in 1999, the possibility of "Selection Sunday" errors that affect home and away designations was discussed. By unanimous vote, the committee approved: "Changes in home and away designations and opponents within a Pre-District may be made no later than 10 a.m. on Monday, if they are the result of MHSAA clerical error."

7. Film exchange during the first round of the playoffs and roster limitations throughout the playoffs were discussed at length: It was felt that items concerning coaching ethics and integrity should be referred for discussion to the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Matters such as film exchange and roster limitations need complete cooperation of competing coaches.