Vol. XIV --No. 2

MENTOR is published three times per year by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, Inc., 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, Michigan 48823 (phone 517-332-5046). MENTOR welcomes contributions of articles, information or photos which focus on coaching in Michigan.

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Track & Field, Cross Country
Reclassified For 2000 and Beyond

The MHSAA Representative Council, at its Dec. 1, 1999 meeting in Grand Rapids, continued to address the issue of classification of schools for tournament purposes. The matter of reclassifying by numbers of schools sponsoring a particular sport rather than by enrollment classification (A, B, C or D) has been a growing trend in recent years. Following a presentation by representatives of MITCA, the council agreed to reclassify Lower Peninsula track & field and cross country effective with this school year. The 2000 Lower Peninsula track & field tournament will have four nearly equal divisions for competitive purposes rather than a split by classes as has been done previously. Lower Peninsula Cross Country will follow suit in the fall for the 2000-01 school year.
The Representative Council had previously defeated motions to reclassify cross country and track & field. However, bolstered by support from the Track & Field Committee and surveys indicating support from at least 66 percent of sponsoring schools, the move for change was adopted.

In related classification action the council moved to reduce the enrollment range in Division 4 of the MHSAA Boys & Girls Soccer Tournaments by adopting the 20 percent modification to the current equal division arrangement. In the new format the smallest 20 percent of schools sponsoring soccer will be placed in Division 4 while the remaining 80 percent will be divided into three equal divisions. The 20 percent modification was adopted in response to concerns of Class D schools to reduce the enrollment disparity of the smallest school division.

As of this latest action, baseball, cross country, boys & girls golf, hockey, girls softball, boys & girls soccer, boys & girls tennis, boys & girls track and wrestling are currently grouped by divisions rather than classes. In the Upper Peninsula progress is being made on the subject of MHSAA tournament reclassification.

DANGEROUS:
Food and Drug Administration Says Dietary
Supplements Containing BD, GBL, and GHB Can Kill

Dangerous products sold as dietary supplements for bodybuilding, weight loss, and sleep aids have been linked to deaths and severe sickness requiring hospitalization. These products are made from chemicals named:

• gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB),
• gamma butyrolactone (GBL),
• and 1,4 butanediol (BD).

Swallowing any of these ingredients may make you extremely sick and may even kill you.

BD, GBL and GHB are used to make floor stripper, paint thinner, and other industrial products. FDA determined that dietary supplements containing these chemicals are really unapproved drugs because of the effect they have on the body. It is illegal to sell anything for human consumption that contains BD, GBL or GHB. They can cause breathing problems coma, vomiting seizures and sometimes death. BD, GBL and GHB also increase the effects of alcohol and are even more dangerous when taken along with other drugs.

Items that contain BD include Revitalize Plus, Serenity, Enliven, GHRE, SomatoPro, NRG3, Thunder Nectar and Weight Belt Cleaner. GBL product names include: Longevity, Revivarant, G.H. Revitalizer, Gamma G, Blue Nitro, Insom-X, Remforce, Firewater and Invigorate. Previously, FDA warned consumers not to drink the products named Cherry fJX Bombs, Lemon fX Drops and Orange fX Rush.
The dangerous products may list 1,4 butanediol, tetramethylene glycol, gamma butyrolactone or 2(3H)-Furanone di hydro on the label -- but some products have no label at all.

GBL related products are listed as "party drugs" on internet sites, advertised in muscle-building magazines, and sold in health food stores as dietary supplements. Some of these products have been used as "date rape" drugs.

In 1990, FDA banned the use of GHB, but some companies switched ingredients to GBL and after warnings about GBL, switched to BD. These are all very similar chemicals which the body converts to GHB with the same dangerous effects. GBL-related products have been linked to at least 122 serious illnesses reported to FDA--including three deaths.
For more information contact the Food and Drug Administration at 1-888-INFO-FDA or visit the website at www.FDA.GOV

The Food and Drug Administration is concerned about the use and misuse of consumer products, some of which are labeled dietary supplements, and other products containing gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), gamma butyrollactone (GBL) and 1,4 butanediol (BD). It is illegal to manufacture and distribute GHB, GBL or BD-containing products for human consumption. More than 122 serious illnesses and three deaths have been reported, as a result of using products that contain these ingredients. As the use of these products have increased during the past few years, complications associated with their use have increased. In 1990, FDA banned the use of GHB but some companies switched ingredients to JGBL, and after warnings about GBL, some switched to BD. These are all very similar chemicals which the body converts to GHB--with the same dangerous effects.

To warn consumers about the dangers surrounding these products, FDA has issued the attached flyer. This flyer outlines the dangers of using products in the GHB family. Please copy and post the flyer in prominent places throughout your organization. In addition, we are asking that you publish the attached information in any publications, magazines or newsletters affiliated with your organization.
I hope you will support FDA's efforts to bring this critical information to consumers about the dangers associated with products containing these chemicals. If you would like additional information about any of these products, please contact the Drug Information Branch at 1-888-INFO-FDA. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support.

Janet Woodcock, MD, Director
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration

Letters to the Editor

Remember: It’s Just A Game
In today’s world the news media, when talking about young people, is usually on the negative side.
But last fall I witnessed a very moving experience. I had the opportunity to officiate the JV football game between Negaunee and Manistique. During the game, a Negaunee player was injured.After a lengthy time, this young man was taken from the field by ambulance to the hospital. (He is now doing fine).

The thing that really hit me was that during this timeout, Caleb Varoni, one of the Manistique football players, called the Negaunee and Manistique players into a huge huddle. With everybody on their knees and heads bowed, Varoni stood in the middle of the huddle and prayed for the injured player and that nobody else would get hurt.

In 42 years of coaching and officiating sports, in high school and in college, I have never seen this happen. My hat’s off to the Manistique JV football team. Your sportsmanship during the whole game really touched my heart.
And I thought I had seen it all.

– Bill Rogers
Manistique
Registered Official and Retired Coach

The Rating You Didn’t Submit Can Cost Deserving Officials
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cam Aulds and I live in Freeland, Michigan. I have a wife, four children and two careers. I take all of the aforementioned very seriously. My purpose in writing to you today is in response to a conversation I had regarding ratings with MHSAA Assistant Director Bill Bupp. He thought a letter to you, describing my situation, might be appropriate.
One of my "careers" is officiating several high school sports. Though I currently ply that trade here in Michigan and previously in Louisiana, I could easily be an official in any state. In 1996 I officiated nine regular-season varsity football games and one playoff game. There were 20 different schools involved in the 10 games. As such, I expected to receive at least 18 varsity ratings for that football year. That was important to me because I had promised my oldest son I would attend all his varsity football games in 1997, his junior year and 1998, his senior year. I happily fulfilled that promise.

They were two awesome years for my son and my family as well. Stephen's senior year saw our Freeland Falcons win eight straight games, participate in three playoff games and come within one game of playing for the state championship in the Pontiac Silverdome. Stephen started at quarterback all 12 games his senior year. We have many wonderful memories of games won and agonizing moments of games lost that we share with Stephen. That can never be taken away and I savor every memory.

There is however, one thing that has been taken away from me for the coming year as a result of attending Stephen's games. The 1999 football playoffs. I couldn’t go this year except as a spectator. The rest of my crew, two of whom have worked the Finals at the Silverdome, also were endangered of missing the playoffs as well. The first two playoff rounds are officiated as a crew. Each official must be playoff eligible for a crew to be considered.

In Michigan you must have 16 ratings over a three-year period to qualify for the playoffs. With 18 ratings in 1996, I should have been qualified this year. My crew went to extra effort to make sure all the schools had our name and numbers. We wanted all the ratings and took them very seriously. We have always tried to improve each year and the ratings continue to be one of the tools we use to do just that.
In August of 1997 I received my ratings for 1996. There were only 14 varsity ratings for 1996 leaving me two short. In 1997 I was able to schedule one Saturday varsity game and should have received the necessary ratings I needed. In August of 1998 there was only one rating out of the two I should have received. Saturday varsity games are a rarity in our area and hard to come by. I was unable to find an opening on any crew on a Saturday and thus, was one rating short for this year's playoffs. Perhaps you are one of those who failed to rate me. What happened?

I want to thank all the coaches and athletic directors who did take the time to send in their ratings for officials all over America. Officials do take ratings seriously, even bad ones we feel we don't deserve. There may be a good rating in there somewhere that in our heart we know isn't deserving either. The best officials are always tougher on themselves for a sub par game than any coach will ever be. I try to never let a sub-par game happen, but when it does, nobody knows it better than I do.

Maybe you just forgot and missed the deadline. Maybe you lost our crew's rating card. Maybe you thought it didn't matter that much, that is wouldn't hurt anyone. Maybe you thought we don't care about the ratings. There are many reasons why you may have neglected to rate your officials but the one that upsets me the most is, maybe YOU don't care. I can assure you that I, like thousands of officials around America, do care and for 1999 I'm paying a price. Come playoff time, I'll be sitting in the stands somewhere. I'm short by one rating and you may have been the one.

I speak for all officials when I ask you to please turn in ratings this year, for all sports and for all your game officials. I have another full schedule of varsity games this year and I'll need all my ratings to qualify for next years' playoffs. I lose the 14 ratings from 1996. I could be any official, in any state.

This is going to be a great year. There is not a better place to be in the fall than a high school football game on any night. Even if the season is short by a game or two or three or four, it's going to be great. Here's hoping that next year will be "longer" for as many of us as possible.

–Cam Aulds
Freeland
Saginaw and Bay Metro Officials Member

No Pass, No Play
Eligibility Requirements for Extracurricular Activities

Although high school sports have been a part of American education since the turn of the century, it was not until 1984 that Texas became the first state to impose no pass, no play academic eligibility requirements to participate in athletics. Since then nearly thirty states have established similar academic minimums, with many expanding the scope to include student participation in all extracurricular activities. More recently, some states have taken this concept even further by tying school attendance and/or academic performance to adolescent privileges such as driver's licenses.

The notion of "No Pass, No Play" first gained national prominence fifteen years ago when it was included as part of a comprehensive Texas education reform plan emphasizing accountability (the plan also gave birth to the statewide testing system, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills). In Texas, where high school football is an integral thread of the community fabric and is as popular as professional sports, the proposal was seen as an attempt to reemphasize academics over athletics. The effort closely paralleled reforms instituted around the same time at the collegiate level that were similarly focused on restoring academic primacy. The collegiate experience is particularly instructive because, as the groundbreaking Knight Commission warned in the early 1900s, some high school athletic programs are beginning to exhibit the same characteristics of exploitation and academic abuse that plague many college campuses.

A "No Pass, No Play" policy has been adopted in varying forms by 16 states, but the underlying premise is the same: students with
failing grades are barred from participating in extracurricular activities for a set period of time (ranging from several weeks to an entire grading period). Proponents argue that this time is needed for students to concentrate on their school work and improve their grades. These supporters maintain that academics should be the students' and the school's highest priority and that the eligibility rules provide a deterrent to student-athletes inclined to ignore their class work. Detractors, however, contend that the punishment is too harsh; that it negatively affects at-risk students by eliminating one of their primary incentives for continuing in school; and that it discourages students, particularly marginal ones, from selecting challenging academic courses.

The issue of eligibility has become more divisive because of the benefits athletics and school activities impart upon students. There are those who believe that academics and activities are intertwined and that neither component should be denied a student. Participation in youth sports, they note, can have many benefits for the individual and for society in general. The evidence is compelling, they point out, that participation in school sports is a protective factor against delinquency, gang membership, and other risk behaviors, particularly among low-income youth. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found in 1995 that students who spend no time in extracurricular activities are:

• 57% more likely to have dropped out of school by the time they would have been seniors
• 49% more likely to have used drugs
• 37% more likely to have become teen parents
• 35% more likely to have smoked cigarettes
• 27 % more likely to have been arrested

than those who spend one to four hours per week in extracurricular activities. In addition, sports participants have better school attendance rates, and they are less likely to carry weapons or attempt suicide,
At their best, sports programs promote responsible social behaviors and greater academic success, confidence in one's physical abilities, an appreciation of personal health and fitness, and strong social bonds with individuals and institutions. Participation in extracurricular activities enhances social bonding by increasing opportunities for students to feel a sense of belonging and attachment.

– POLICY UPDATE, a publication of the Policy Information of NASBE, July, 1999

When a league or conference does not have a written policy regarding late contest start time, the MHSAA policy will apply:

1. If a team fails to arrive for a regular season contest at the time stated on the contract, it will be necessary for the host administration to delay the contest, declare the game forfeited, reschedule the contest, or declare the event "no contest."

2. If the host management has been notified of the reason for the delay and projected arrival, the officials must stand by for 60 minutes beyond the scheduled starting time. When the team arrives, a reasonable amount of time must be provided for the visiting team to conduct a pre-game warmup. In any case, warm-up may not be less than 15 minutes.

3. If the host management has not been notified that there is a delay and the reason for it, the officials have permission to leave the site, without obligation, 30 minutes after the contracted start time has passed.

In MHSAA tournament play, the General Information Bulletin for each sport will prescribe the specific action to be taken.

Ice hockey teams that play with more violence are less likely to win, according to a landmark study on professional sports violence conducted by John D. Walker, M.D. of the Texas Youth Commission, Austin, Texas, and Steven T. McCaw, Ph.D., professor at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill.

The violence prevention research provides new evidence of both statistical and practical significance. At the highest level of competition, teams playing with more violence are not more likely to win; in fact, the opposite is true.
In a study of 1,462 recorded penalties from all 18 Stanley Cup Championship Final Series from 1980 to 1997, teams playing with less violence were more likely to win and averaged more than seven more shots on goal per game than teams that played with more violence.

Over the Course of a seven-game series, this would provide an additional 53 shots on goal – more than a whole extra game's worth of shots on goal – to teams playing with less violence.

The researchers also found that losing teams demonstrated more violent player behavior early in the game, suggesting, that violence was not due to the frustration of losing, but rather due to an intentional strategy based on the mistaken belief that violent behavior contributes to winning,

Ice hockey has become the fastest-growing, sport in many parts of the world. Although European ice hockey has evolved into a highly refined game, based on skill and finesse, the North American version of the sport is still based heavily on violence.

The authors noted that professional athletes are powerful role models for American youth. Many authorities have looked to sport programs as a way of reducing juvenile delinquency, they said.

One of the most disturbing trends in American sports is the increasing frequency and severity of violence, Walker and McCaw said. Many authorities in the field of violence prevention believe that the increasing acceptance of violence in sports creates a cultural climate that “spills over” and translates into greater violence in society.

“Old myths die hard,” Walker said. “North American teams that play with more violence continue to lose in international competition against European teams that play with more finesse.

“There is a temptation experienced by all players and coaches when in a game situation to rely on the 'crutch' of cheating (both violent and nonviolent) to makeup for inadequate preparation and practice. And while the players and coaches who develop a habit of leaning on this 'crutch' may have temporary short-term success from time to time, in the Iong-run there is no shortcut to success.

“The reliance on the 'crutch' of cheating only serves to weaken a team because the hard work of preparation and practice – which is the only true foundation for success in the long-run – is never done. Coaches at the highest level of competition may wish to adjust their team policies and recruiting practices in order to benefit from the plausible strategic advantage of reducing violent player behavior.”

The Official Balls of the MHSAA Baseball and Softball Tournaments, provided to every level of the tournament in the years 2000 through 2002, are:

Rawlings R100 Baseball
Wilson A9011SST Softball

The MHSAA has also selected the following Game Balls for MHSAA Finals (and Semifinals if held at the same venue and weekend):

Sport -- Year -- Ball
Girls Basketball -- December 1999-- Rawlings COMPMICH 285
Boys Basketball -- March 2000 -- Rawlings COMPMICH
Girls Volleyball -- March 2000 -- Wilson 6000LE
Girls Soccer-- June 2000 -- Brine NCAA
Boys Soccer-- November 2000-- Brine NCAA

1999 Football Playoffs By The Numbers

• 256 teams qualified for the expanded MHSAA Football Playoffs in 1999.
• 241 teams were "automatic qualifiers" which won 6 or more games of a nine-game regular season or had 5 wins during their 8-game regulation season.
• 15 teams were added to complete the 256 team Playoff field: the four teams from each of Classes A, B and C and the three teams from Class D which had the highest Playoff average but had not qualified by win total.
• Four "additional qualifiers" were in Division 3, three additional qualifiers were in Divisions 6 and 8, two additional qualifiers were in Division 2, one additional qualifier was in Divisions 1, 4 and 7. Division 5 had no additional qualifiers.
• Four of the 15 "additional qualifiers" won their first-round games; three won second-round games; one won its Regional, Semifinal and Final games.
• 12 of the 256 qualifying teams played eight-game regular-season schedules. Eight of them won and four of them lost their first-round games.
• Fourth-seeds defeated their opponents in 11 of 128 first-round games: Six fourth-seeds were District champions and three were Regional champs before being eliminated.
• Home teams won 102 of 128 first-round games, 39 of 64 District final games, and 16 of 29 Regional games (three were at a neutral site).
• Of the eight champions, two were undefeated, two had one loss, two had two losses, one had three losses and one had four losses.

The combination of great November weekend weather and a new five-week playoff format produced large crowds throughout the state and resulted in record attendance for most levels of the Football Playoffs. Although final figures have not been confirmed, preliminary accounting indicates that over 560,000 fans attended high school football games throughout the state over the five weeks, including the Finals held at the Silverdome on Nov. 26-27.

The new playoff format enacted this year doubled the entry teams to 256 and resulted in 128 additional games in a newly created Pre-District round.

KEYS TO PROPER WARM-UP & STRETCHING

1. Passive warm-up - the use of warm showers or whirlpools, heating pads, massage, or analgesic creams does not seem to be beneficial to athletic performance.

2. General warm-up - the use activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, jumping rope, or calisthenics prior to activity - may reduce the risk of injury and improve performance.

3. Specific warm-up - the use of movements that are an actual part of the sport to be performed - is an excellent way to warm up and rehearse specific sport-related skills. These skills may include a baseball player taking batting practice, a tennis player practicing serves, a quarterback throwing passes, and a wrestler practicing moves.

4. General warm-up activities should precede specific warm up.

5. ALWAYS warm up before stretching.

6. Stretching should result in a mild tension in the muscle being stretched. Pain is counterproductive when stretching.

7. Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds

8. Never Bounce When Stretching!

9. Stretching after a workout will help to alleviate possible muscle soreness and improve flexibility.

10. To prevent possible further injury, it is best to consult a medical professional before stretching when an injury is present.

from the Iowa High School Athletic Association

As often as possible, I like to remind students, parents, and the community about the mission of the Haslett Public Schools: To provide educational opportunities which enable students of all aspirations and abilities to grow and learn. It's a mission that energizes the efforts made every day by the Haslett Board of Education, the district's administrators, teachers, and staff.

As we seek to provide different opportunities for our students, we must bear in mind the costs involved. We are keenly aware that these costs are borne mainly by parents, not only in the form of their tax dollars, but also when parents pay for athletic equipment, class trips, uniforms, yearbooks, private music lessons, formal attire, as well as the added expenses that come with a student's senior year of high school.

Often we rely on the generosity of businesses and individuals in our community to help offset the expense of educational activities through donations. At times, community fund raising becomes excessive.

Cost is an important factor that we take into account when we receive requests from student programs that go beyond the norm. This issue has been brought to the forefront recently because of requests from some Haslett interscholastic athletic programs to travel to the southern United States in order to prepare for their upcoming sports seasons. These requests are often supported and encouraged by parents.

There are many factors that the district considers before approving out-of-state travel requests. They are: Is the program educationally enriching? Does it take students away from their families during a vacation period? Does it pose a financial hardship? Does it ask too much of the community in terms of fund raising? Does it heighten the risk of liability? Are chaperones required? Does it have ramifications for students who cannot afford to participate? We also must be mindful of the precedent which is set when approving such a request. If we approve a trip for one group, there is pressure to approve requests from other groups.

After careful consideration, the administration of the Haslett Public Schools has determined that the disadvantages outweigh the potential benefits that many of these trips have to offer. Therefore, the Haslett Public Schools will adhere to the policy on interscholastic athletic program travel established by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. This means that we will apply this policy to athletic practices as well as competition. Haslett teams may travel to states adjoining Michigan which are Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, as well as Ontario, Canada. Each request will be approved on its own merit.

Without a clear-cut policy, travel requests would continue to escalate. Today, it's no longer unusual for athletic teams at some area schools to travel across country-- and sometimes out of the country--to practice in warmer climates. We believe this is extravagant and unnecessary for athletic success.

Our school district has an obligation to-and a partnership with-not only students, but also parents and the community at large. We believe that the MHSAA policy is reasonable, and benefits all concerned.

— Robert Regan
Superintendent
Haslett Public Schools

The 1999 Girls Basketball Finals set an attendance record for the second time in the three years that the event has been in Mt. Pleasant, at Central Michigan University’s Rose Arena. The Finals on Dec. 4 drew a record 10,958 fans, and the three-day total of 21,606 eclipsed the previous mark of 20,993 set in 1997, the first year CMU hosted the event.