Rep Council Wrap-Up: Winter 2015
April 1, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The selection of a new venue for its Team Wrestling Finals highlighted actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association during its annual Winter Meeting on March 27 in East Lansing.
The Team Wrestling Finals will be hosted by McGuirk Arena at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant for two years beginning with the 2016 tournament. The Team Wrestling Finals previously had been hosted by Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek since their inception in 1988.
McGuirk, formerly Rose Arena, is part of the CMU Events Center and reopened in 2010 after the facility underwent $22.5 million in renovations. McGuirk seats 4,867 fans for wrestling competitions, and the building also features adjacent practice areas that will be utilized by teams competing at the MHSAA Finals.
Rose Arena formerly served as host of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals from 1997-2003.
“We are grateful to the athletic directors, staff and volunteers whose time and energy factored heavily into creating and growing the Team Wrestling Finals at Kellogg Arena,” MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said. “The decision to move from Battle Creek was not an easy one. However, we believe Central Michigan University offers us a fantastic opportunity to continue growing one of our most popular championship events.”
The Representative Council also continued discussions on three issues which may require action at meetings later this calendar year.
Continuing its examination of athletics at the junior high/middle school level, the Council discussed recommendations submitted by the MHSAA’s Junior High/Middle School Committee, including one which may come up for vote at the Council’s May meeting. It is a request for a membership vote to amend the MHSAA Constitution to allow for school membership beginning at the 6th grade. If the Council approves, the amendment vote likely would occur in late October after another round of membership meetings.
The Council also continued its discussion of potential changes to out-of-season coaching rules and considered results of surveys taken during the MHSAA’s Update Meetings in the fall and by athletic directors and leaders of leagues and conferences during the late fall and winter. The major changes in rules that were proposed for discussion last summer have not gained traction with the MHSAA membership, but three modifications intended to give school coaches longer and more flexible contact with their student-athletes out of season during the school year will receive Council action in May.
Continuing its work regarding the eligibility of international students, the Council also approved that MHSAA staff continue reviewing school-operated international student programs for the purpose of granting students athletic eligibility at MHSAA schools. A proposal first approved at the March 2014 meeting granted the MHSAA authority to grant athletic eligibility to students placed through an Approved International Student Program that had not been accepted for listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), so long as that Approved International Student Program is not eligible for CSIET consideration and listing. CSIET will only review existing programs, but the MHSAA’s supplemental process will allow programs too new for the CSIET process to gain approval for 2015-16.
Those international students placed through an Approved International Student Program are eligible for a maximum of the first two consecutive semesters or three consecutive trimesters at any secondary school in the United States, after which the student is ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition at any MHSAA member school for the next academic year. International students who do not meet one of the residency exceptions recognized by the MHSAA or are not enrolled through an Approved International Student Program or CSIET-listed program may become eligible after one semester to participate at the subvarsity level only.
The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
Bensinger Adds to Gaylord's Title Count with First of Stradling Coaching Era
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
March 7, 2025
New coach. Same great results.
Gaylord – officially under new leadership for the first time since 1995 – sent four wrestlers this year to the Division 2 Individual Finals at Ford Field in Detroit and came away with yet another champion.
The newest champion is junior Jaron Bensinger, who came out on top in the 144-pound weight class. His brother, Ty, was one of Gaylord’s three individual champs last year.
“It’s pretty cool that both (of us) could experience something like that and both be forever state champions here in Gaylord,” Jaron said. “I couldn’t do this without God. I know He has a plan for me next year, and I have to keep following Him.”
For now, Bensinger will move on to some summer wrestling before getting back on the football field for the Blue Devils.
“I’ll be back at it and hopefully just go out there and have fun,” said Bensinger, who posted a 47-0 record this season after finishing as a Finals runner-up as a sophomore. “I will just take one match at a time next year and whatever happens, happens.”
Casey Stradling officially became the head coach of the Blue Devils this year after serving three as the team’s assistant coach under Jerry LaJoie, who headed up Blue Devils program for 30 years and unofficially turned over the program to Stradling last year. This winter’s team season ended in the Regional Final with a loss to Freeland.
While Stradling, the captain of Petoskey’s 1996 Division 2 champion wrestling team, hopes to see Bensinger involved in summer wrestling, he is looking forward to football for Gaylord’s newest champion as well.
“Jaron does have a passion for football, and there’s where I want him to be,” Stradling said. “I want his weight to be up and for him to be healthy for football because if they worry about their weight, that’s where injuries happen and that’s not where we want him.”
Bensinger has 140 career wins and just 13 losses. He credits his team, faith, coaches and family for his success. He singles out one teammate in particular — training partner Kieran Beach, who also qualified for this year’s Finals.
“I was with that team every day of the week and we all make each other better people on and off the mat, and our coaches go a great job of making sure we’re having fun and still getting after what we need to get after.” Bensinger said. “I wrestled with Kieran every day. He came up short this year, but I think next year has a pretty good chance of doing something special.”
Current assistant coaches Dan Cornish, Dave Beyers and Cole Guilck also played big roles in Bensinger achieving an undefeated championship season.
“Coach Guilck has helped me with all his wrestling knowledge throughout to make sure I enjoy the opportunity to compete,” Bensinger pointed out. “Coach Beyers’ strength program has helped me so much, and Coach Cornish hops in and actually wrestles with us.”
Bensinger comes from an athletic family. There’s a slew of relatives who wrestled competitively on his mother’s said. His dad, reputed to previously favor basketball and baseball, is now one of the biggest fans of wrestling.
Ty and Jaron were first introduced to the sport at a young age by LaJoie.
“I couldn’t have done anything without my family and my teammates,” Jaron Bensinger said. “This sport has meant a lot to my family. My dad loves wrestling now, that’s for sure.”
Junior Zane Willobee followed up his individual championship with a runner-up finish at 165 points last weekend, and senior Caden Sides finished runner-up at 285.
Losing three starters and facing a host of illnesses and injuries were among obstacles Stradling is proud the Blue Devils were able to overcome this season. They also overcame an early-season loss to Cadillac to win their 16th-straight Big North Conference championship.
“The kids were resilient, and we have a great coaching staff,” Stradling said. “We got these guys focused and back in shape and peaking at the right time. I am really happy with the way this team bounded back – coaches and wrestlers.”
Not a whole lot has changed since LaJoie turned things over to Stradling, except a greater focus on pins.
“We’re more of a quick-striking, countering offense – not so much a sprawling defense,” Stradling said, while noting LaJoie coached similarly. “I really think pinning and getting turns is a big part of wrestling, and pins are the ultimate goal.”
Bensinger said LaJoie, who now heads of the Blue Devils middle school program that boasted 20 eighth-graders this season, made him the wrestler he is today.
“New coaches bring in new pieces to the puzzle, and for sure I fit both of them,” Bensinger said. “They both bring great things to the Gaylord program. Coach Stradling has already started off a pretty successful coaching career with a really bright future.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Gaylord’s Jaron Bensinger, left, has his arm raised in victory during Saturday’s Individual Wrestling Finals at Ford Field. (Middle) Bensinger listens in to Blue Devils head coach Casey Stradling, center, and assistant Dan Cornish during a break in his championship match. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)