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Montrose Junior Named NFHS Network's Best

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director emeritus

April 26, 2017

Eric Vandefifer, a junior at Montrose High School, was named today the Best Student Broadcaster nationally in the NFHS Network School Broadcast Program Awards. 

For the second straight year, James Kitts, the coordinator of the School Broadcast Program at Montrose, was a finalist in the Teacher of the Year category.

Just last week, Montrose was named the “Program of the Year” in the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program Excellence Awards for 2016-17, claiming the top honor for the fourth straight year.  Montrose took first place in four categories.

Vandefifer also was honored recently by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association as the top Student Broadcaster in Division 3. Vandefifer and his broadcast partner David Sackrider placed second in the Play-By-Play Category in the MHSAA SBP awards and first in the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Sports Announcing Team category this year.

In its eighth year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. 

The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.  

All sporting events – live or delayed – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of live video streams being produced by SBP members (All times Eastern):

Wednesday, April 26

Thursday, April 27

Monday, May 1

Tuesday, May 2

Be sure to check the Upcoming Events page at MHSAA.tv for schedule additions every day.

The NFHS Network has announced new pricing for 2016-17, eliminating the Day Pass and lowering the cost of a Month Pass to $9.95. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.

PHOTO: Montrose's Eric Vandefifer (left) and Conner Pyrc call an MHSAA Girls Soccer Semifinal last season for the NFHS Network. (Photo courtesy of Montrose High School digital media.)

Hockey, Swim Finals Next on MHSAA TV

March 6, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

Finals on frozen pond and in swimming pools highlight this week’s schedule on MHSAA.tv, with live video streams of the MHSAA Ice Hockey and Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Championships.

The streaming this week begins at 5 p.m. Thursday (March 8) with the first of two Division 2 Semifinal games in the Ice Hockey Tournament. Division 3 and 1 Semifinals follow Friday (March 9), with the Finals on Saturday (March 10).

Here’s the complete Ice Hockey coverage schedule:

Thursday – Division 2 Semifinals

Friday – Division 3 Semifinals

Friday – Division 1 Semifinals

Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming and Diving coverage begins at noon Saturday at three locations, with the consolation and championship heats in each swimming event, plus the final round of the diving. Here are direct links to each Division of activity:

The continued Ice Hockey and Swimming coverage is part of six straight weekends of live MHSAA Championship coverage on MHSAA.tv, and online viewers can catch every weekend of action for one low cost of $9.95. Over the next two weeks of live Winter championship coverage, the following events will be featured: 

  • Girls Basketball Quarterfinals – March 13 – ALL 16 GAMES
  • Girls Basketball Semifinals – March 15-16
  • Boys Basketball Quarterfinals – March 20 – ALL 16 GAMES
  • Boys Basketball Semifinals – March 22-23 

All events become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

The MHSAA Championship Radio Network begins three straight weekends of Winter tournament coverage this weekend at the Ice Hockey Semifinals and Finals. The audio stream is available at MHSAANetwork.com. Over the following two weekends, the MHSAA Championship Radio Network also will carry the Semifinals and Finals of the Girls and Boys Basketball Tournaments for distribution on an over-the-air network of radio stations, and on the internet.

In addition to all of the MHSAA Network coverage of tournament action, participants in the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program will bring over a dozen playoff contests into homes over the coming week.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of live video streams being produced by SBP members (All times Eastern Standard):

Monday, March 5

Wednesday, March 7

Friday, March 9

Monday, March 12

  • Boys Basketball Regional at Fowlerville – TBA
  • Boys Basketball Regional at Marquette – TBA
  • Boys Basketball Regional at Negaunee – TBA

Tuesday, March 13

  • Girls Basketball Quarterfinals – Sites & Times TBA

Be sure to check “Upcoming Events” on the MHSAA.tv home page daily for last-minute additions.

In its ninth year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – The NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games, but lacking the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions. 

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.

Highlights of games produced in the past week by MHSAA School Broadcast Program members feature District Girls Basketball games Fowlerville v. Williamston and Manchester v. Pittsford, and a Regional Ice Hockey game Detroit U-D Jesuit v. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.

Highlights can be found each week on the MHSAA.tv website, the home page of the MHSAA Website, and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube.