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“High School Athletics in an Era of Reform”
(February 2005)

During 2004, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) convened a commission "to assess the state of high school athletics and recommend policies for adoption by states, districts, and schools advocating that athletic programs support, rather than undermine, student academic achievement."

The Report of the NASBE Commission on High School Athletics in an Era of Reform was released in November and states the following: "There is an urgent need to address this issue as professional sports increasingly encroach upon academics. Indeed, the problems that have plagued college athletics – such as unscrupulous agents, mercenary coaches, questionable recruiting practices, and extravagant benefits bestowed upon players – are now becoming more frequent at the high school level and, in some instances, the middle school level.

"These practices compromise the schools' educational mission . . ."

The Commission's report is especially critical of sports specialization and the spread of "pay-to-play" policies, and it advocates for the importance of adequately trained coaches.

When I finished reading the 44-page report, I couldn't' help but think that the Michigan High School Athletic Association has some answers the Commission is looking for.

Through the MHSAA, Michigan's secondary schools have adopted and enforced policies and procedures that avoid the excesses of other levels of sports and even of high school sports in other places. For example:

• Schools do not participate in national-scope tournaments and students do not compete in national high school championships. Schools do not allow live telecasts of regular-season contests.

• Coaches do not receive payments that exceed the Board of Education approved pay scale for all extracurricular activities, and all payments to coaches must be through the school, not from any outside sources.

• Student-athletes do not receive cash prizes and may not receive symbolic or merchandise awards with a value of more than $25. Student-athletes do not keep school-provided uniforms, warm-ups, shoes, etc., unless they reimburse the school appropriately.

• The MHSAA opposes sports specialization and "pay-for-play" fees; and the MHSAA administers a comprehensive continuing education program for coaches.

Occasionally, non-school promoters and people who do not share the perspective that athletics are secondary to the academic mission of schools will criticize MHSAA policies for being out of date. However, because of those policies, there will be far less need for the kind of reform in Michigan that is being advocated by the NASBE Commission nationwide. Because Michigan schools have wandered less from the purity of their mission in school sports, less adjustment in the trajectory of their programs will be required.

MHSAA Executive Director
John E. "Jack" Roberts