Mixed Messages
November 27, 2013
One of the very few enjoyable aspects of waiting in an airport is the guiltless time it allows me to visit its bookstores and page slowly through some of the old classics I vaguely remember and the new releases I can’t wait to read.
Two months ago in one of the terminals of Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, my attention went quickly to a prominent display of books about football. Five titles were mostly critical of the game, focusing on the sport at the major college and professional levels. Down at the bottom of the display was one title that addressed the positive value of football to students, schools and communities.
One month ago, while I was eating breakfast, the television news reported on the results of new research about youth concussions. While the narration mentioned multiple sports, the video was mostly of football. I saw that story repeated on another television channel that evening. I wondered, how many times on how many channels did how many people get this gift of the latest youth concussion statistics for all sports presented in football-only wrapping paper?
The public is getting mixed messages about school-sponsored football. The problem of college and professional football is not the problem of school-sponsored football. And what problems of head trauma that do exist in school sports are not exclusively problems of football.
In fact, school-sponsored football has never been freer of serious injury than it is today – that’s true whether we are talking about heads, necks, knees or nicks. It’s the result of the most careful and cautious rules making, coaching and officiating ever. And it’s safer – not less so – as we ever more quickly assess and refer injuries to ever more educated and capable health care professionals.
Performance of the Week: Zeeland West's Keaton Hendricks
December 4, 2024
Keaton Hendricks ♦ Zeeland West
Senior ♦ Football
The 6-foot, 165-pound running back played a starring role as Zeeland West defeated Detroit Martin Luther King 42-22 in the Division 3 championship game at Ford Field to claim the program’s fifth Finals title and first since 2015. Hendricks scored an 11-Player Finals record six touchdowns, on runs of 49, 14 and 30 yards and passes of six, 11 and eight yards. Those six TDs also gave him the Finals record of 36 points scored.
Hendricks also finished with a team-high 129 yards rushing on 16 carries and caught all three passes completed by the run-heavy T-formation Dux, who threw only four times while running the ball 47. Also a defensive back, had had two tackles and a forced fumble. Hendricks finished this season with 1,576 yards and 22 touchdowns rushing on 146 carries, and 26 touchdowns total with four more receiving. He also plays basketball and competes in track & field in both hurdles races, the 400 and 800 relays and long jump, making the MHSAA Finals in those four running events in the spring.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Keaton Hendricks #football #ZeelandWest #Finals #champion #record #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Keaton Hendricks #tiktalk #questiontime #cars #snickers #chipotle #crazy #emoji #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber volleyball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
PHOTO Zeeland West's Keaton Hendricks scores a touchdown in front of the Zeeland West student section at Ford Field. (Photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)