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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.)

UP Swim/Dive Finals On MHSAA TV

February 13, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties   

Swimming and diving action kicks off live streaming video coverage of MHSAA Championships on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network this week at the Upper Peninsula Swimming & Diving Finals at Marquette High School.

Friday’s (Feb. 16) coverage of the Diving Finals begins at 2:30 p.m., and the Swimming Finals on Saturday (Feb. 17) commence at 10 a.m.

The U.P. Swimming & Diving Finals will be joined this week by live action in Wrestling and Girls Competitive Cheer on MHSAA.tv, with those events being produced by participants in the School Broadcast Program.

School Broadcast Program participants cover tournament games which take place at their facilities as a condition of membership in the program.  SBP schools also play a major role in the production of Quarterfinal games in the Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments in March.

This week, Team Wrestling Regional coverage will take place at Freeland, Fremont and Marquette on Wednesday (Feb. 14), and Competitive Cheer Districts will be covered by Comstock Park and Novi.

The NFHS Network will provide six straight weekends of tournament coverage this winter on MHSAA.tv. Here’s the complete schedule:

  • Feb. 16-17 – Upper Peninsula Swimming & Diving Finals
  • Feb. 22-24 – Team Dual Wrestling Quarterfinals-Semifinals-Finals
  • March 2-3 – Individual Wrestling Finals
  • March 2-3 – Girls Competitive Cheer Finals
  • March 8-10 – Ice Hockey Semifinals & Finals
  • March 13 – Girls Basketball Quarterfinals
  • March 15-16 – Girls Basketball Semifinals
  • March 20 – Boys Basketball Quarterfinals
  • March 22-23 – Boys Basketball Semifinals

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 a month. 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. School Broadcast Program participants will also be selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.

Of the record 115 events on this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule, 72 at the varsity level will be covered, with more to be added as the week progresses. A record 67 events will be produced by schools using Pixellot, the NFHS Network’s automated coverage solution. Be sure to check “Upcoming Events” on the MHSAA.tv home page daily for last-minute additions.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by SBP members:

Tuesday - February 13

Wednesday - February 14

Thursday - February 15

Friday - February 16

Saturday - February 17

Monday - February 19

Tuesday - February 20

Wednesday - February 21