Noel Dean on Parental Expectations

July 9, 2012

At Lowell High, football parents who think their child should be playing more get an opportunity to convince coach Noel Dean of the same -- but must do so in a meeting with the parents of the player who would lose time in the process. 

Dean, who has led the Red Arrows to three MHSAA titles, recently spoke with the America Football Coaches Association about managing parental expectations and providing a wider view of his program and the decisions that must be made to parents who often see through a more narrow scope.

Click on the link below, and especially pay attention at the 2:30 mark as Dean talks about his strategy for discussing playing time.

AFCA Two Minute Warning

In Memoriam: Brenda Henry (1967-2021)

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 30, 2021

Brendaettie “Brenda” Henry, a dedicated academic and athletic presence at Detroit Western International High School for more than three decades and an integral member of the tournament management staff annually for the MHSAA Girls & Boys Basketball Finals at Breslin Center, died unexpectedly April 21.

Henry had served on staff at Western since 1989, most recently as an academic interventionalist in charge of working with seniors and getting them scholarships, and she also oversaw Western’s night school IMPACT (formerly Second Chance) Program that assists high school students with credit recovery.

Brenda HenryShe also had served as Western’s athletic director for four years and coached volleyball, basketball and track & field, and she was a registered MHSAA basketball official for 14 of the last 16 seasons.

Every winter for nearly 15 seasons, Henry’s educational service extended to her MHSAA basketball family as she contributed to championship weekends at Breslin and previously Eastern Michigan University.

“Brenda had a huge heart for people, and that’s why she was such a valuable part of our basketball tournament staff for so many years,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “She was a huge reason the Breslin experience has been special for so many people.”

Henry, an alum of Detroit Northern High School, worked in Detroit Public Schools for more than 35 years total. She also was a sign language interpreter and active part of her church community.