Beginning Another Tourney Journey
August 8, 2016
Below is the introductory commentary to the MHSAA's spring issue of benchmarks. Histories of MHSAA tournaments published in that issue have been appearing on Second Half every Tuesday and Friday.
By Jack Roberts
MHSAA Executive Director
Concussions and cutbacks. Participation fees and part-time employment. Student safety and specialization. International students and interstate travel. Transfers and trials.
Through a myriad of issues which periodically cloud our mission, the foundation on which the MHSAA was built still shines brightest three times each year: Tournament Time!
It can be daunting and overwhelming to make a living at this business of interscholastic athletics these days, not to mention a tad confusing. Do we need legal degrees? Medical degrees? Business degrees? Marketing degrees? There seems to be no escape from threat of legislative mandates which continually change the landscape of our product and how it’s delivered. Demands pile up, resources dwindle.
Add the daily challenges of scheduling issues, inclement weather and pleasing teenagers and their parents on a daily basis, and it’s easy to lose focus of the primary missions for the MHSAA and its member schools.
And then, scenes like this happen:
• Holly Bullough, a senior cross country runner from Traverse City St. Francis takes her second straight Division 3 championship, winning by 36.4 seconds ... with a stress fracture in her left foot.
• Detroit Martin Luther King QB Armani Posey directs a game-winning drive to give his school the Division 2 football championship ... a drive which started on his own 3-yard line with 37 seconds left and ended with a 40-yard heave to receiver Donnie Corley on the final play of the game.
• Leland sweeps the Class D volleyball title match 3-0 over Battle Creek St. Philip ... ending a string of nine straight titles for St. Phil, the 10th longest national streak in history.
• Davison’s Taylor Davis becomes only the fourth person in MHSAA Girls Bowling history to roll a 300 game in the Singles portion of the tournament ... and the first ever in the championship match.
• The Upper Peninsula’s Hancock HS wins the Division 3 ice hockey title in its first trip to the Final since 2000 ... a trip funded in part from a “Go Fund Me” web page that raised $6,620 from 99 donors in two days.
• Junior Kierra Fletcher of Warren Cousino carries her team to the Class A girls basketball championship with 27 points in the Final ... after scoring 37 of her team’s 60 points in the Semifinals and totaling 198 during eight tournament games.
That’s just a sampling of the magic from last fall and winter.
These moments shine through the current challenges and the unseen future that awaits us as they always have. The uniforms and faces are different, but the tournaments have always yielded the fruits of our labors, and the memories for our mental scrapbooks.
PHOTO: Leland's volleyball team hoists its Class D championship trophy last fall at Kellogg Arena.
Why Spring Sports Injuries Are Common & How To Prevent Them
April 11, 2023
When spring is in the air, athletes of all ages head outdoors to play their favorite sports, including softball, baseball, tennis, lacrosse and track & field.
Unfortunately, the change of season also ushers in injuries, says Joseph Medellin, M.D., a primary care sports medicine doctor at Henry Ford Medical Center-Jackson. A variety of factors can cause spring sports injuries, including:
► Too much or too little winter activity: With shorter days and colder temperatures, some athletes aren’t as active in winter. Even if you are going to the gym regularly, sport-specific muscles – like muscles in the chest and shoulder that help you throw a baseball – may weaken.
At the start of a new sports season, a sudden increase in the demand on these muscles can lead to injury. Taking steps to get ready for spring sports before the season starts can lower this risk. It’s also not uncommon for multi-sport athletes to have games and practices year-round with multiple practices in one day. Not allowing yourself enough downtime can lead to overuse injuries, including strains and sprains.
► Transitioning outdoors: Winter sports often take place on hard surfaces, like wood basketball courts, gyms and treadmills. These surfaces are flat, making it easier to maintain your footing. Spring sports involve soft running surfaces like grass and turf that are uneven. They can also be wet, muddy or icy due to spring weather. All these circumstances increase the risk of injury due to falls.
Cold weather can also be a factor. Early spring temperatures can still be quite cold. It takes longer for muscles to warm up, and they might not work as efficiently. This can be especially troublesome with sports like softball where there are lulls in activity between innings. Playing with cold muscles can increase the risk of sprains and strains.
► Sport-specific movements: Throwing, sprinting and kicking are moves that most people don’t do on a daily basis. They require powerful motions that can stress unconditioned muscles and joints. This is especially true if you haven’t been cross-training to strengthen supporting muscles or haven’t gradually increased your intensity.
A sprinter may experience hip pain from running at full speed around the curve of a track. Rotator cuff injuries can occur in sports that involve throwing, like the javelin, shot put, and baseball and softball. Soccer players can pull their groin from repeatedly taking long kicks.
If You Suspect A Sports Injury, Don’t Put Off Care
A doctor’s office is often the last place eager athletes want to be at the start of the season. But pain should not be a regular part of your training program. If you think you’ve sustained an injury, trying to push through often makes it worse.
Making time to see the doctor can be challenging, especially if you have to miss a practice or game for your appointment. But it’s worth it. “The sooner you get evaluated, the sooner we can get you on the path to recovery,” Dr. Medellin says.
The opposite can be said when treatments are delayed. “The longer you’ve had an injury, the longer it may take to heal,” explains Dr. Medellin. “And first-line treatments aren’t as likely to be successful, which can mean more time away from your sport.”
Sports Injury Treatments That Keep You In The Game
Seeing a doctor doesn’t always mean you’ll have to sit out the season. Treatment may include intermittent rest, as long as you don’t have a severe injury like a stress fracture or tendon tear. “We may recommend a return to sport at a lower intensity or with additional rest days to see if the pain goes away,” says Dr. Medellin.
Patients with minor injuries might also benefit from physical therapy between practices. Physical therapists can correct poor form. They can also help you safely stretch and strengthen injured muscles to promote healing. Conditioning through Henry Ford Health's sports performance program can also speed recovery and prevent injury.
“A sports medicine doctor’s goal is to keep athletes active and involved in the sport they love,” says Dr. Medellin. “That’s what I want for my patients.”
To find a sports medicine provider at Henry Ford Health, visit henryford.com/sportsmedicine or call 313-651-1969.
Joseph Medellin, M.D., is a primary care sports medicine doctor at Henry Ford Medical Center-Jackson.