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New Legacies

September 30, 2015

For nearly two dozen years, the MHSAA has conducted its “Legacy” program through which high school students are welcomed into high school sports officiating and mentored by approved MHSAA officials. This has given these students a jump start in officiating and in life. For example ...

  • Zach Kemp and Aaron Wieber, both honored as legacy officials in 1992, are now NCAA officials in football and basketball, respectively.
  • Brent Sorg, 1993, is now the soccer coach at Williamston High School and a former MLS soccer official.
  • Dan Carmichael, also 1993, has worked MHSAA Finals in both basketball and football.
  • Bill Parker, 1994, has umpired both Minor League baseball and MHSAA Baseball Finals.
  • Carmen Kennedy, also 1994, is principal at St. Clair Shores South Lake High School and serves on the MHSAA Representative Council.
  • Matt McDermott, 1995, has officiated MHSAA Finals in both football and basketball, and has been a longtime NCAA basketball official.
  • Ryan Negoshian, also 1995, has officiated MHSAA Softball Finals.
  • Jeremy Valentine, 1998, has worked the MHSAA Football Finals and an NCAA Division II National Championship game.
  • Jon Studley, 1999, is now athletic director at Caro High School.
  • Nathan Taylor, 2000, has worked MHSAA Finals in both football and basketball.
  • Sara Tisdale, also 2000, worked MHSAA Finals in volleyball and she’s now a college lacrosse coach.

That’s just a dozen examples from the Legacy program’s first decade, making a difference in Michigan schools and sports. Adding to the pleasure of living in Michigan and loving school sports.

Balancing Football Playoffs

April 18, 2017

Every time the Michigan High School Athletic Association Football Playoffs have been expanded, two voices have been heard – one complaining that too many teams or divisions have watered down the tournament; the other advocating that every school should qualify for the tournament regardless of its regular-season performance.

The playoffs have expanded from 32 to 64 to 128 to 256 to 272 teams; and for 2017, with the addition of 16 more 8-player teams, to 288 of the 626 MHSAA member schools’ football teams in Michigan.

We have reached the point where 46 percent of the schools which sponsor football qualify for the Football Playoffs, and we are approaching closely the point of qualifying every team with winning records during the regular season.

Those stats sound about right for a collision sport conducted mostly outdoors in a cold climate for teenagers. A longer tournament is unwise; a larger tournament is unneeded.

What is needed and wise is more attention to the regular season, and especially to practices which occur at least five times more frequently than games. That’s where the teaching and learning of football skills and life lessons can be everyday occurrences for every team in Michigan.