In Memoriam: Vic Michaels (1954-2025)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 30, 2025
The hearts of the MHSAA and countless others in the school sports community are heavy after the unexpected death Monday of Catholic High School League director Vic Michaels, also a longtime and devoted member of the MHSAA’s Representative Council. He was 71.
Michaels was inducted into the CHSL Hall of Fame in 2024 as a “Legend” – a title carrying prestige that certainly described his contributions to school sports on a statewide level as well.
After a decorated 17-year career as a coach, teacher and administrator at Center Line St. Clement, Michaels joined the CHSL office as associate director in 1995, and then assumed the role as leader of the league in 2003 when then-director Tom Rashid left to become associate director at the MHSAA.
Michaels also joined the Representative Council in 2003, representing non-public schools and serving as the Council’s secretary-treasurer. But his impact was much more far-reaching than titles could explain. As MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl told the Detroit Free Press in coverage of Michaels’ 2024 CHSL recognition, “I’m not sure there’s been anyone who’s been more important to the MHSAA over the last 40 years than Vic Michaels,” and called him one of the key builders of the MHSAA over its first 100 years as that milestone was celebrated in 2024-25.
Especially over the last decade, as numerous Council and MHSAA staff members have retired or move on from school sports, Michaels has supplied vital context and institutional knowledge especially as a long-serving member of the Executive Committee, which considers eligibility decision appeals and other issues that must be addressed on a frequent basis. He provided a calm voice of reason and advocacy, not only for students he represented from nonpublic schools but for athletes, coaches and administrators from all 1,500+ high schools and junior high/middle schools that make up the MHSAA membership. And serving as treasurer, he filled another crucial role in making sure the MHSAA stood on solid ground financially even amid the challenge of COVID-19 and while expanding its numbers of sponsored tournament sports and students served.
Michaels attended Detroit St. Phillip High School, and after St. Phillip closed, was part of the final graduating class at Detroit St. Ambrose in 1972. He attended and played college basketball at Detroit Institute of Technology and earned his teaching certificate from University of Detroit Mercy.
He coached junior varsity at Dearborn St. Alphonsus and Redford St. Mary before beginning a tenure in 1978 at St. Clement where he taught, served as athletic director and assistant principal and won more than 300 games as the school’s boys and girls varsity basketball coach, earning statewide “Coach of the Year” awards leading both programs during the 1980s.
Michaels and his wife Linda were married 46 years, and he also is survived by his sons Marc and Brad, their wives and grandchildren.
As the CHSL noted in its memorial to Michaels, “Vic dedicated his life to Catholic education, interscholastic athletics, and the young people entrusted to his care. His leadership of the CHSL was marked by integrity, vision, humility, and an unwavering belief that athletics are an extension of the classroom — meant to form the whole person in faith, character, discipline, and service. … His decisions were thoughtful, his counsel wise, and his love for the educational athletics unmistakable.”
PHOTO MHSAA Representative Council member Vic Michaels, far right, with the assistance of MHSAA Student Advisory Council member M'Khi Guy from Muskegon, presents Warren De La Salle Collegiate coach Dan Rohn the finalist trophy after the 2023 11-Player Football Final at Ford Field. (Photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Bentz Adds Next Chapter to Inspirational Story as Novi Christian Athletic Director
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
September 24, 2024
NOVI – For anyone seeking an inspirational speaker, new Novi Christian athletic director Chad Bentz has a story he’d like to tell.
His includes the value of resilience, proof that improbable dreams can come true, and affirmation that mentors can change lives.
Bentz spent time in Major League Baseball, playing 36 games for the Montreal Expos in 2004 and four games in 2005 for the Miami Marlins as a left-handed relief pitcher.
The chances of making it to the big leagues are slim to begin with, but were even longer considering that Bentz grew up in Alaska.
On top of that, Bentz has a deformed right hand. When he debuted with the Expos, he followed in the footsteps of Jim Abbott, who also has a deformed right hand and starred at Flint Central and University of Michigan on the way to pitching for four MLB teams across 10 seasons.
Bentz was certainly a case of beating improbable odds, and watching Abbott while growing up was a big reason why.
“Everybody has their favorite players, but Jim was more than that to me,” Bentz said. “He gave me confidence to try things. I was always the kid with the weird hand. I always kept my hand in my pocket and was always self-conscious about it. Then I saw Jim pitching. He gave me confidence to try things, and thank goodness he did. When I tried things, I discovered I was good at it and got more confidence.”
It got even better for Bentz as a college freshman playing for Long Beach State, when he got to meet Abbott in during an unexpected visit.
“Meeting him was by far the most star-struck I’ve ever been,” he said. “We both stuck out our left hands to shake and it was the first time ever where it wasn’t that awkward. It was everything I thought it was going to be. He was incredibly nice, funny and just a good dude. That was one of my favorite moments. Kids being born, wedding and Jim.”
A big part of Bentz’ baseball development occurred in Michigan. Although he grew up in Alaska — he said he could’ve been a “Hall of Famer pitching inside of a gym” — Bentz would spend his summers in Michigan with family members in the Grand Rapids area.
He ended up hooking up with a travel ball team in the area, the Grand Rapids A’s, which was a step up from competition he saw in Alaska.
“I went down to Michigan, and I said, ‘OK, there are a lot of players in this country, and I am not as good as I thought I was,’” he said. “After my freshman year here (playing summer ball), I went back (to Alaska), and I started lifting and I didn’t stop. I kept working.”
Bentz eventually was drafted out of high school in the 34th round by the New York Yankees, played at Long Beach State and then was drafted in the seventh round by the Expos in 2001. In choosing baseball, he turned down opportunities to play football at Division I schools in what was then the PAC-10.
Bentz had been a standout linebacker and fullback, and when his baseball career was done, he began a college football career at age 30 playing for Castleton State College in Vermont.
“Playing college football at age 30 kind of gave me a taste of it, and that taste was that you should have done this 10 years ago,” Bentz quipped. “Not at 30. I was in slings every single Sunday. I couldn’t move. My arms were in slings. Both of them. But it was worth it. I loved and was thankful I had that opportunity. It filled that ‘what if’ type of thing.”
A husband and father of three, including 2-year-old twin boys, Bentz jumped on the chance to become the athletic director at Novi Christian and move to Michigan to not only be closer to family but give his kids a chance to be more active.
“Alaska is great, but it’s limiting,” Bentz said. “I told people that the grass isn’t going to be greener, but it’s just going to be a bigger yard and more swings for them to play on. We just wanted a little bit more opportunity.”
Bentz also said he would love the opportunity to speak in front of groups of people and share his journey in hopes of inspiring others, something he did regularly when he was in Major League Baseball at various ballparks.
"I was able to meet a lot of people of all ages who had any types of disabilities or anything,” he said. “I just know the kind of impact it can have. If I can do that and do a tiny bit of what Jim gave me, I’d like to pay it forward as much as possible.”
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTO courtesy of Chad Bentz.