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Ready for Some Football

August 12, 2014

How seriously should we take public criticism of tackle football when that public promotes boxing or cage fighting? Or how seriously should we take public criticism of football played with helmets when that public allows motorcyclists to ride without any helmets at all?

This fickle if not hypocritical focus on football deserves to be exposed. 

However, and more importantly, this does not reduce our obligation to rise above the obvious questions of fair and balanced criticism and keep pressing for a safer environment for schools’ most popular participation sport.

In Michigan this has led to new limitations on head-to-head contact in football practices that began for more than 600 high schools this week. Specifically, no team or individual may participate in more than one collision practice per day before the first game, and no more than two collision practices per week after the first game.

The new policies promote instruction in proper blocking and tackling technique. It is full speed head-to-head contact that is further reduced, not full speed shoulder contact with sleds, shields and dummies nor slow speed contact between players.

Last month, and perhaps two years too late to be helpful, the National Federation of State High School Associations hosted a high-profile, high-powered summit to discuss practice policies of the kind that we developed, debated and adopted during the past school year to be ready for this 2014 season.
Byron Glaspie of the Detroit St. Martin dePorres breaks free for a big gain. The Eagles would win 14-6 over Whittemore-Prescott. (1996 Class CC Football Finals)

Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship

August 30, 2024

In celebration of the MHSAA’s 100th anniversary, we’ll be posting a photo each week on our social media accounts, accompanied by a prompt for high school sports fans.

Following each post, we will feature the photo on our website, along with additional details.

This week, we’re sharing a photo from the 1995 Class CC Football Final at the Pontiac Silverdome, where the Eagles of Detroit St. Martin dePorres defeated Whittemore-Prescott 14-6. Detroit St. Martin dePorres went on to secure three more football titles under coach Greg Carter, and though the school closed in 2005, remains tied for seventh in MHSAA 11-player history with 13 championship game appearances and tied for third with 12 Finals titles. 

The MHSAA Football Finals were played at the Silverdome from 1976 until 2004. Since 2005, the 11-Player Football Finals have been played at Ford Field in Detroit.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok for more weekly photo features and other content celebrating our 100th anniversary.