St. Mary's Standout McLaurin Becomes Chinese Football Pioneer
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
August 19, 2021
The eight years Chris McLaurin spent in China not only changed his life, but they changed the perception of American football in China and elsewhere – and just may have opened the door to a whole new market.
We're talking “American football,” not soccer. Most of us are familiar with NFL Europe, but NFL China? Not so much. When McLaurin went to China in 2011, the thought of teaching the locals American football never occurred to him. He went there to work for a private company, and circumstances just seemed to fall in place.
Some might say McLaurin was in the right place at the right time, but it can also be said he was the right person at the right time to lead this undertaking. McLaurin had the background, both athletically and organizationally, to take on such an endeavor.
“I met a lot of people who were interested in football,” McLaurin said. “I thought, football? I had a limited understanding of what they knew. I was very surprised they would reach out to me. I quickly found out they were hungry to learn.”
A 2005 graduate of Orchard Lake St. Mary's, McLaurin started at tight end and linebacker, and helped the Eaglets reach the MHSAA Division 2 Final in 2004 (where they lost to Muskegon). McLaurin went on to play four seasons at Michigan and graduated in 2009 with a degree in history and minor in urban and community studies. He had thoughts of entering law school when other opportunities interceded.
During his time in Ann Arbor, McLaurin worked with an organization that focused on disadvantaged youth in the area and helped open doors for them. They were allowed to attend lectures at the university as well as sporting events.
Upon graduation, the seeds that would blossom in Asia began being sown in other parts of the world.
McLaurin received a Fulbright Scholarship and went to Johannesburg, South Africa, to work with underprivileged youth as part of a program called Tomorrow Trust. During this time he worked with the United Nations Development Programme and Harvard Law School in their pursuit of promoting economic rights for the poor.
Following his work in South Africa, McLaurin began his post-graduate work at the London School of Economics. He earned his degree after working in the House of Commons and as a research assistant for the Runnymede Trust. Then came a six-month internship within the Obama Administration as part of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
And after that, he was off to Chongqing in western China to work for a private equity company as a project manager. Two years later, he started his own company in addition to a non-profit organization. Much of his work centered on the automobile industry and global technology.
During this time he learned to speak Mandarin and, in doing so, was introduced to more of the local customs – including American football.
What McLaurin found was a rudimental brand of football, what we would term a recreational type of competition. McLaurin began his involvement gradually, on weekends.
“After that first year (2012), I took it up a notch,” McLaurin said. “We started recruiting players and bought new equipment. They watched football on TV, but it's not an easy game to understand. You have to play football to learn it. You don't get that from watching TV.”
A year of training, recruiting and, yes, some frustration, led McLaurin to start a league, the American Football League of China (now known as the China National Football League). The rules are similar to those at the U.S. college level. There are 11 players a side, and when a ball carrier's knee touches the ground the play is over.
In the beginning “it was successful,” he said. “There were no leagues when I got there. There was no one to organize it. We went from (fewer than) 10 teams to, 3-to-4 years later, there are 80-90.”
McLaurin quickly learned he needed help if this adventure was to succeed. USA Football had a footprint in Shanghai, and McLaurin reached out to the organization. McLaurin contacted a handful of former teammates including Prescott Burgess and Morgan Trent for advice. Former NFL player Bruce Plummer and NFL coach and scout Jerry Hardaway worked some of the camps and clinics with McLaurin and added much-needed experience and expertise.
After playing at Southern Illinois, Hardaway’s first coaching position was at Memphis State as an assistant, and then he went to Grambling State to coach under the legendary Eddie Robison for six seasons. He also coached at the University of California under Joe Kapp prior to working in the NFL and then heading to China.
“I was told, through another guy, that (McLaurin) needed some help,” Hardaway said. “It was all about getting back to basics. That's what made it fun. They had no clue when you'd say to them, control the ground at impact when you're making a block. They had no idea of the terms that you'd use. To see the young kids, to see on their faces, they were absorbing everything.
“Yes, yes, yes, it was worthwhile. First of all, people had no clue about what it takes to do something like this. They were learning. Some of the parents thought it was a violent sport. That's what they heard. Then they switched. They saw me, us, teach the basics and they saw what we were doing. For me, it gave me a sense, like hey, you have to teach and you have to enjoy it.”
Soon after that first season, the NFL got involved as did the National Committee on United States - China Relations. McLaurin credits the NFL for advising him on the business end of starting a new league and structuring. After 18 months, McLaurin got out of coaching and became the commissioner.
“(The NFL) wanted to expand,” he said. “They saw how their brand was quite low (in China). China is a natural.”
Progress was slow, but it was still progress. The 2015 championship game was played in Shanghai, and McLaurin estimates it drew 3,500 spectators.
He continued to work with the AFLC through 2019 but then decided to make a career move. He returned to the U.S. and, this fall, is pursuing a dream he's held since leaving U-M. At age 34, McLaurin entered Harvard Law School.
“When I started, the last thing we wanted was a U.S. version of football,” he said. “We wanted it to be Chinese football. There were limitations on how many foreigners would compete. At first it was five (per team), then three. We wanted it to be a Chinese experience."
2020-21 Made in Michigan
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PHOTOS: (Top) Former Orchard Lake St. Mary's standout Chris McLaurin started an American football league in China and remained part of its leadership through 2019. (Middle) McLaurin was a two-way starter for St. Mary's 2004 Division 2 runner-up team. (Below) McLaurin runs drills for one of the Chinese teams. (Top and below photos courtesy of Chris McLaurin; middle photo from MHSAA archives.)
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 5 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 26, 2025
Football falls always seem to move fast, and we’ve already reached the midpoint of this 2025 regular season in what again feels like record time.
It’s never too early to start considering playoff possibilities, and you can follow along with by keeping an eye on MHSAA.com’s Playoff Point Summary page, which shows how all teams rank in their respective divisions, updating as scores are received all weekend. Remember, the top 32 in 11-player divisions and top 16 in 8-player will continue once the regular season concludes Oct. 25.
Scores for every game across the state this weekend will be posted on the MHSAA Scores page as they conclude. Tune into several on the NFHS Network, including those with “WATCH” linked below.
Bay & Thumb
Port Huron (3-1) at Port Huron Northern (3-1)
The midpoint of the regular season is also the midpoint of the Macomb Area Conference Blue schedule, and the standings show these two as the only teams undefeated in league play after two games. They’ve split their last eight, with two of those matchups in the playoffs. Reigning league champion Northern’s loss this season came to still-undefeated Madison Heights Lamphere by a 3-2 score, and the Huskies won last year’s showdown with the Red Hawks 30-23.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Clio (4-0) at Goodrich (4-0) WATCH, Unionville-Sebewaing (3-1) at Harbor Beach (4-0) WATCH, St. Clair Shores South Lake (3-1) at Marine City (3-1), Traverse City Central (2-2) at Midland Dow (3-1) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
South Lyon (4-0) at Walled Lake Western (3-1) WATCH
South Lyon is seeking to make the playoffs this season for the first time since 2022, and also sits alone atop the Lakes Valley Conference after Western saw its league winning streak end at 28 games with a Week 3 loss to Waterford Mott. The Warriors have defeated South Lyon the last three seasons, including 49-7 a year ago. But the Lions already have avenged 2024 defeats to White Lake Lakeland and Milford.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Farmington (3-1) at Birmingham Seaholm (4-0) WATCH, Rochester Adams (3-1) at Clarkston (3-1) WATCH, Detroit Community (4-0) at Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech (4-0), Grosse Pointe South (4-0) at Roseville (3-1).
Mid-Michigan
Michigan Center (4-0) at Leslie (4-0) WATCH
These two are only a game into the Cascades Conference East schedule but the only teams undefeated overall in the league with the next-best 2-2. This fall has seen nearly a direct reversal of Michigan Center’s 1-3 start a year ago, when the Cardinals then fell to 1-4 with a 33-31 loss to the Blackhawks. Leslie is the reigning league champion and last week avenged its lone 2024 regular-season defeat by downing Grass Lake.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Northville (4-0) at Brighton (3-1) WATCH, Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-0) at Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (3-1) WATCH, Montrose (4-0) at Ovid-Elsie (3-1) WATCH, Williamston (4-0) at St. Johns (4-0) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Traverse City St. Francis (4-0) at Kingsley (3-1) WATCH
The Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends division has at least one premier matchup every week, and this might be the best as these were two of the three co-champions a year ago and have a rivalry going back to the start of the league in 2014. St. Francis holds a 9-3 advantage during that time, and claimed last year’s meeting 49-20, but the series is knotted 3-3 since 2019.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Escanaba (4-0) at Cheboygan (2-2) WATCH, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (2-2) at East Jordan (2-2) WATCH, Clare (3-1) at Ogemaw Heights (3-1) WATCH, Midland (3-1) at Traverse City West (2-2).
Southeast & Border
Dearborn Divine Child (4-0) at Jackson Lumen Christi (2-2) WATCH
Divine Child has reached the playoffs the last three seasons, and this year has become one of the most intriguing stories of the first half. The Falcons have yet to give up a point, outscoring their four opponents by a combined 172-0. They’ve fallen 35-7 and 35-0 to Lumen Christi during their two seasons together in the Catholic High School League AA, and the Titans are certainly used to challenges with one of the state’s toughest schedules already featuring a pair of state champions and a semifinalist.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hudson (4-0) at Adrian Madison (3-1) WATCH, Chelsea (4-0) at Dexter (3-1), Union City (3-1) at Quincy (4-0) WATCH, Adrian (3-1) at Ypsilanti Lincoln (4-0) WATCH.
Southwest Corridor
Buchanan (3-1) at Berrien Springs (3-0) WATCH
Berrien Springs is the reigning champion and Buchanan last season’s runner-up in the Lakeland Conference thanks to the Shamrocks’ 31-6 win over the Bucks last October. Berrien Springs actually has won the league the last two seasons and Buchanan won the first championship in 2022. The Shamrocks have had two weeks to prep for this matchup as they didn’t have a game for Week 4, but Buchanan should be riding high after bouncing back from a three-point Week 3 loss with a big win over Niles Brandywine.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (4-0) at Battle Creek Harper Creek (3-1), Vicksburg (3-1) at Three Rivers (4-0) WATCH, Watervliet (2-2) at Kalamazoo United (2-2) WATCH, Hastings (3-1) at Battle Creek Pennfield (2-2) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0) vs. Bark River-Harris (3-0) at Gaylord WATCH
Whichever teams wins, this is a great result for both after both faced the likelihood of sitting home this week after losing their previously-scheduled opponents. Instead, they’ll meet in Gaylord, both among the top small-school teams on their sides of Mackinac Bridge this season. P-W, which already is facing an open date next week, has given up a combined 12 points this season and topped 50 all of its last three games. The Broncos’ Week 4 game was canceled but their early run has included a 30-22 win over Iron Mountain.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Menominee (4-0) at Houghton (2-2) WATCH, Calumet (3-1) at Kingsford (3-1) WATCH, Iron Mountain (2-1) at L’Anse (4-0) WATCH, Sault Ste. Marie (0-4) at Marquette (2-2) WATCH.
West Michigan
Zeeland West (3-1) at Zeeland East (3-1)
West has won the last nine meetings between these neighbors, going back to 2019. But there seems to be a bit more buzz around this matchup again, perhaps because the Dux –reigning champions in Division 3 – took a loss to Whitehall in Week 3, although the Chix also suffered their first last week to Hudsonville Unity Christian.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Reed City (3-1) at Big Rapids (4-0) WATCH, Rockford (3-1) at Grandville (3-1), Hudsonville (4-0) at Jenison (3-1), Cedar Springs (3-1) at Lowell (4-0) WATCH.
8-Player
Norway (4-0) at Pickford (4-0) WATCH
Pickford has won all three games between these two over the last two seasons, and last year’s Division 1 runner-up has been putting up video-game numbers again outscoring its first four opponents by a combined score of 234-14. But don’t sleep on the Knights, who have put up 212 points and given up only 30 so far, with a 58-8 win over otherwise-unbeaten Powers North Central. Likewise, Pickford handed Newberry its only defeat, 53-6.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Breckenridge (3-1) at Blanchard Montabella (4-0) WATCH, Kingston (4-0) at Brown City (3-1) WATCH, Hillman (4-0) at Indian River Inland Lakes (4-0) WATCH. SATURDAY Bay City All Saints (3-1) at Onekama (4-0) WATCH.
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PHOTO Cass City quarterback Preston Dorland (11) prepares to hand off to one of his backs during his team's 17-14 overtime win over Millington last week. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)