Vol. XV --No. 1
Fall 2000

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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Over 164,000 males and over 118,000 females were listed as participants in Michigan high school sports during the 1999-2000 school year. (Participants are counted once for each sport in which they participate). As we enter the 21st century, students continue to turn to high school sports for an additional educational experience and schools continue to add sports to their expanding programs.

There were 737 schools listed as members of the MHSAA for the full 1999-00 school year, up six from the previous year. This includes 623 public and 114 non-public schools. Basketball continues to be the sport sponsored by the most schools, 721 boys teams and 705 girls teams for a combined total of nearly 43,000 participants. Football attracts the most participants with 42,743 students competing on 620 school teams.
Volleyball for girls and track & field for boys have strong representation statewide with 694 and 649 schools respectively sponsoring the sports. Ice hockey once again shows the strongest growth with 135 schools sponsoring the sport last year, up from 126 in 1998-99. Projections for this year indicate 144 schools will enter the MHSAA postseason tournament.
Interest continues in school sponsorship of non-MHSAA tournament sports. Schools responding on the survey indicated growing participation in sports like bowling, equestrian, lacrosse and water polo and list both boys and girls participants. Although bowling is listed as a sport by more than 30 schools for both boys and girls, there are strong indications that there are many more teams representing schools in bowling during after school activities and competition.
The MHSAA Representative Council will consider additions to the current lineup of 12 post-season tournaments for girls only and 12 postseason tournaments for boys and girls when 64 or more schools sponsor the sport on an interscholastic basis for two consecutive years. Based on current numbers, bowling appears to have the greatest school participation at this time.
Sports, professional and amateur, have become a dominant part of American culture in the latter half of the twentieth century. In spite of external threats to sports in our nation's schools, it is essential that we preserve the amateur status and educational value of high school athletics for all students in the 21st century.

ELIGIBILITY ADVANCEMENT REMINDERS
 
School administrators, counselors and coaches are reminded to present advanced eligibility opportunities to over-age jr. high/middle school students. MHSAA Regulations prohibit seventh and eighth-grade students who become 15 years of age before Sept. 1 to participate in interscholastic sports competition at their respective grade level. The same is true of 16-year-old ninth-graders in a 10-12 high school system if the birthday occurs before Sept. 1.
If the local school administration and parents can agree and arrange, these over-age students can be advanced athletically and participate in the 9-12 program, even if it is in a separate building.
The students will be limited to four years of high school eligibility and must maintain the requirement to be passing work in at least four full credit courses.
Eligibility Advancement Application forms are available on the MHSAA website at www.mhsaa.com and are also included in the MHSAA Handbook.

A Middle School Guide to Handling Tryouts
Tryouts for your basketball, volleyball, swimming team are coming up and the dreaded idea of cutting some young athlete from your program looms in the near future. What is the best way to tell a young student athlete that he/she doesn't have the ability to make the team this year? For years coaches have posted lists in the office window, read the names out loud at the conclusion of tryouts, or talked to each athlete individually while the others waited their turn in the gym or locker room. Each method gets the job done but is difficult for the athletes involved. Every player has to deal with the rejection with the other athletes aware of what has happened, or other players asking what the coach said. There is another way to handle this process with great effectiveness, quickness, and privacy for the players involved.
A simple note is the answer. At our school we have 60 to 80 players trying out for our basketball teams. We keep 2 teams of 15 players. Before tryouts begin we make 15 notes that say:
 
Congratulations you made the "A" team. Practice is tomorrow at 2:45
 
Congratulations you made the "B" team. Practice is tomorrow at 4:00
 
and another set of notes that say:
 
Thank-you for your effort and enthusiasm this week but you have not made either team. We hope you will continue to work on your game and try out again next year.
We put a name on the back of each slip (which are all the same color and shape). At the conclusion of tryouts we call the athletes together and explain the reason for the slips. They will receive a slip and can look at it whenever they choose- they can do it right away, in the locker room, in the car on the way home. The athletes should respect the privacy and emotions of the other athletes and keep their elation or dejection to themselves. We hand out the slips and then the coaching staff keeps themselves available to talk to any of the athletes afterwards.
This system is quick and easy and the athletes don't have to crowd around a posted list, or listen for a name that never gets called. They get immediate notification in a private way. It really works well for us. Try it.
 
-- Tracy Ouellette, Rockford Middle School

Nominations for
Special Awards
 
The MHSAA will continue to receive nominations for the Women in Sports Leadership Award, the Charles Forsythe Award, the Vern L. Norris Award, and the Allen W. Bush Awards. Conferences, officials associations, and individuals may nominate deserving candidates. Names submitted last year will continue as nominees in this year's selection process.
 
Please contact the MHSAA for application forms. Deadlines for applications are October 15 for the WISL Award and for the Forsythe Award, March 1 for the Norris Award, and April 1 for the Bush Awards.

Five Honored With 2000 Bush Award
Five respected athletic administrators who have been instrumental in expanding and improving the educational atmosphere of their programs, while serving their communities with a combined total of nearly 150 years of service, have been chosen to receive the Michigan High School Athletic Association's Allen W. Bush Award for 2000.
 
Bush served the MHSAA for 18 years, including 10 years as executive director from 1968-78. The award honors individuals for past and continuing service to prep athletics as a coach, administrator, official, trainer, doctor or member of the media. The award was developed to bring recognition to men and women who are giving and serving without a lot of attention. This is the ninth year of the award, with the selections being made by the MHSAA's Representative Council.
This year's recipients are: Dan Flynn, coach/faculty member at Escanaba High School; John Fundukian, athletic director of Novi High School; Dan McShannock, athletic director of Midland Dow High School; Jim Fledkamp, director of athletics of Troy Public Schools; and Dewayne Jones, athletic director of West Bloomfield High School.
The recipients of this year's awards will be recognized at ceremonies in their communities at a future date.
Unique to this year's group is their strong involvement in athletic administration at the local, statewide and national levels. Their involvement has also seen two of the honorees serving on the MHSAA Representative Council, two have been President of the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, and the other is a key speaker regarding Sportsmanship and Ethics on the state and national level.
Here are brief biographical sketches of the 2000 Bush Award recipients:
Dan Flynn - A long-time U.P. resident and recipient of two degrees from Northern Michigan University, Dan Flynn has spent most of his 27-year career as a teacher, coach and administrator at Escanaba High School. He began his career at Ishpeming High School, where his wrestling team won the U.P. championship in his first and only year, but then headed to Escanaba where he coached football, wrestling and track. A recipient of multiple Coach of the Year honors, Flynn was athletic director for the Eskymos from 1983-1996 and was awarded UP Athletic Director of the Year in 1991. Under his leadership, Escanaba added girls volleyball and ice hockey to its program, and developed major projects such as track, tennis, and weight training facilities and programs. Flynn's contributions to the MHSAA are numerous. He has served on the Representative Council for 10 years; and organized, managed and reported over 100 MHSAA tournaments in 12 sports, including many U.P. finals. He has also been a registered official in wrestling and track for 30 years. Flynn has been active with the MIAAA, serving on the Board of Directors for 8 years, and the U.P. Athletic Directors Association for 13 years, the Michigan High School Coaches Association and the Football Coaches Association for 20 years and the Michigan Track Coaches Association for 8 years. Flynn is currently a teacher and coach at Escanaba and was nominated for the award by Allen W. Bush's son, Allen S. Bush.
John Fundukian - In his 36th year of service in the field of athletic administration, John Fundukian is currently the atheltic director at Novi High School. Under his guidance, athletic programs have expanded to 19 teams at the middle school and 54 teams at the high school. He was instrumental in forming athletic policies and procedures in athletic administration at Highland Park, Walled Lake schools and Novi schools. He has also hosted over 250 major league and MHSAA tournaments in a dozen sports and was an original committee member for the PACE program in Michigan. Fundukian is extremely active in the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. He is the committee chair for educational athletics, a committee member for the development of "Effective Elements of Athletic Administration," and he has given over 20 MIAAA presentations. He has also been a speaker on "Sportsmanship and Ethics" at the NIAAA as well as speaking on issues at the MHSAA's Sportsmanship summits. Fundukian has been given the NIAAA State Award of Merit, was named MIAAA Regional Athletic Director of the Year, and is in the Highland Park High School Hall of Fame. In the community, he is involved with the Novi Lions Club, Novi Youth Assistance, and Novi Athletic Boosters. He is also a member of the National and Michigan Associations of Secondary School Principals, the Association of Track Officials of Michigan, and has been a registered MHSAA official in track for 20 years, and is a Past President of the Oakland County Athletic Directors Association. Fundukian graduated from Highland Park High School before earning his Bachelor degree from Adrian College and Masters in Education at Wayne State University. He was nominated for this award by Curt Ellis, past President of the Kensington Valley Conference.
Dan McShannock - Most of Dan McShannock's first 20 years in education, including 9 years as athletic director, were at Saginaw Arthur Hill High School, but he has served as athletic director at Midland Dow High School since 1992. A graduate of Muskegon High School, McShannock received his Bachelors from Western Michigan University before earning his Masters in Secondary Education Administration from Michigan State University. He served as assistant coach for numerous league and regional champions in track and wrestling, as well as an undefeated, untied, and unscored upon state champion in football, while at Arthur Hill. McShannock is a diligent member of the MIAAA, serving on the Board of Directors and as President in 1997-98. He also received the prestigious NIAAA State Award of Merit, was voted as MIAAA Regional Athletic Director of the year in 1990-91, was editor of the MIAAA 35th Anniversary History Newsletter Edition and has been the publications chairman for the MIAAA since 1995. McShannock has served as president of the Michigan High School Coaches Association, on the Board of Directors for the MHSCA and NFCA, and is currently the president-elect of the NFCA. He has also been active as an MHSAA tournament manager and committee member and was nominated for this award by Thomas Rashid of the Detroit Catholic High School League.
Jim Feldkamp - A tireless leader and promoter of the athletic administration profession, Troy Public Schools Director of Athletics, Jim Feldkamp, just finished a stint as President of the MIAAA for 1999-2000. His scope of work with the MIAAA has included, among other things, presenting at state conferences four times and at the national conference on two occasions, sitting as a charter member on the political action committee, and serving as a Regional Representative and Recording Secretary. Feldkamp has also assisted the MHSAA by managing numerous District and Regional Tournaments in three different school districts and serving on many MHSAA committees. He has also been very active in coordinating and volunteering in many of Troy's youth sports programs. Feldkamp has been with the Troy School District since 1988, but his career in educational athletics has also sent him through the West Bloomfield School District, Anchor Bay High School in New Baltimore and Romeo Junior High. He is also affiliated with NASSP, Oakland County Athletic Administrators Association, Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and the MHSCA. A graduate of Wyandotte Roosevelt High School, Feldkamp received his Bachelors and Masters from Eastern Michigan University before becoming an Education Specialist through Wayne State University. He was nominated for the Bush Award by the MHSAA Staff.
 
Dewayne Jones - A history of administrative leadership and extensive coaching background mark the career of the final Bush Award winner, Dewayne Jones. After 26 years with Ferndale Public Schools, including 8 years as Athletic Director and coaching from 1973-1991, Jones just finished his second year as Athletic Director at West Bloomfield High School. Jones, a Ferndale High School graduate, is currently on the MHSAA Representative Council. While at Ferndale, Jones also served as President of the Southeastern Michigan Association, President of the Oakland County Athletic Directors Association, Director of the Oakland Activities Association, Immunizations Coordinator for Ferndale schools and hosted MHSAA Tournament series events on the District, Regional and Quarterfinal level. He has also been a member of the MIAAA and NIAAA since 1991. Earlier in his career, Jones was also an accomplished high school and collegiate basketball coach. He received numerous "Coach of the Year" honors with his Ferndale boys team in 1980 and guided his women's basketball teams at Oakland University and University of Detroit to several winning campaigns. He was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1983, Michigan's Women's College Coach of the Year in 1983 and Midwestern Collegeiate Conference's Coach of the Year in 1987. He was also inducted into the Oakland University Hall of Honor in 1996. In the community, Jones is a member of the Oakdale Tabernacle, is a Sunday School teacher, and was involved with Ferndale High's Charity Days and Ferndale Elementary's Mentor Program. Dewayne Jones attended Northern Michigan University where he received his Bachelors and Masters in Learning Disabilities. He was nominated for this award by MHSAA Assistant Director Nate Hampton.

Laffey Inducted into NFHS Hall of Fame
Diane Laffey, Michigan's all-time winningest coach in girls basketball and softball, was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Association's National High School Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the NFHS annual summer in Minneapolis in July.
Laffey was one of 14 individuals in this year's induction class, which included four other coaches, two officials, three administrators, one contributor and three athletes.
Laffey is the third inductee from Michigan into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. Previous inductees are Charles E. Forsythe, the first full-time and longest serving executive director of the MHSAA (1983), and Lofton C. Greene, Michigan's all-time winningest coach in boys basketball, who coached River Rouge to 13 MHSAA titles (1986).
(The following was published in the program distributed at the induction ceremony)
More than a quarter-century ago, Diane Laffey took over the reins of the Harper Woods Regina High School basketball and softball programs. She currently holds the head coaching position of both sports, and is the school's athletic director as well.
Through the 1999 basketball season, Laffey was the Michigan all-time winningest coach with a 468-241 record. Four of her squads played in the MHSAA title game.
Through the 1999 softball season, Laffey was Michigan's and the nation's winningest coach with a 701-236-2 mark. Her 1989 team captured the MHSAA Class A title.
Laffey was co-founder of the Michigan Softball Coaches Association and is the current Michigan chairperson of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She has also been a MHSAA registered game official for 21 years in basketball, volleyball and softball.
Additionally, Laffey is a member of the following Halls of Fame: Detroit Catholic League, Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan, Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association, Metro Detroit Amateur Softball Association, Michigan High School Coaches Association and National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
She was also the 1991 recipient of the MHSAA Women In Sports Leadership Award, presented annually to the person who makes major contributions to encouraging and preparing women for positions as athletic administrators, coaches and officials.
Laffey was born on August 16, 1939, in Detroit. She is following in her father's footsteps as a high school coach, as she was a fan of all his teams.
MHSAA TO SPONSOR ORIENTATION FOR FIRST-YEAR HOCKEY SCHOOLS
The MHSAA Representative Council at its May meeting approved the Ice Hockey Committee's recommendation to sponsor an orientation program for schools sponsoring hockey for the first time. High school hockey continues to be the fastest growing MHSAA sport with 10 new teams expected to take the ice in November, making a total of 144 schools. Michigan ranks third in the nation, behind Massachusetts and Minnesota in the total number of schools sponsoring hockey.
It is expected that the 10 schools, plus any other schools that recently added ice hockey, to include its coach, athletic administrator, principal or booster club representative in their delegation. The meeting will be held in the MHSAA offices on Tuesday, September 12, from 9 a.m. until noon. Schools planning to attend should notify the MHSAA as early as possible.
In addition to sportsmanship issues, the program will focus on practical issues including game administration and coach-player, coach-administrator communication. Presenters will include MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts, Coaches Ron Baum of East Kentwood and Andy Weidenbach of Cranbrook, School Administrator Eric Federico of Gibraltar-Carlson, Tournament Manager Dave Durkin and Official Steve Winn.
New athletic directors in schools sponsoring ice hockey should find the program informative and can attend if they wish. Everyone wanting to reserve space should do so by contacting Jerry Cvengros or Sharla Stokes at the MHSAA.