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
- JV Softball – Onaway at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- JV Softball – Onaway at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 27
- Girls Soccer – Lake Fenton at Montrose, 4 p.m.
- Baseball – Rudyard at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Lake Linden-Hubbell at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Troy Athens at Lake Orion, 4:30 p.m.
- Baseball – Rudyard at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- Softball – Lake Linden-Hubbell at Calumet, 6 p.m.
- Boys Lacrosse – Holt at East Lansing, 7 p.m. (On Demand)
Monday, May 1
- Baseball – Mt. Morris at Montrose, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Baraga at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- Softball – Baraga at Calumet, 6 p.m.
- Girls Soccer – Clarkston at Lake Orion, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2
- Baseball – L’Anse at Calumet, 4 p.m.
- JV Softball – Oscoda at Rogers City, 4 p.m.
- JV Softball – Oscoda at Rogers City, 5:30 p.m.
- Baseball – L’Anse at Calumet, 6 p.m.
- Girls Soccer – Montrose at Corunna, 7 p.m.
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.)
Soccer, Lacrosse Added to TV Schedule
June 6, 2017
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
Five MHSAA tournament games have been added to the live schedule on MHSAA.tv this week, being produced by members participating in the School Broadcast Program.
The Division 2 Lower Peninsula Girls Soccer Regional at Cedar Springs will have all of its games streamed by the SBP at that school. Here's the schedule:
Tonight (June 6)
- Spring Lake v. Cadillac – 5 p.m.
- Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern v. DeWitt - 7 p.m.
Thursday (June 8)
- Regional Championship - 6 p.m.
Cedar Springs also will stream the Division 3 Girls Soccer Semifinal between the winners of the Clare and Grand Rapids South Christian Regionals at 6 p.m. June 13.
Wednesday's (June 7) Semifinal games at East Lansing High School in the Girls Lacrosse Tournament also will be streamed. Here's the schedule:
- Farmington Hills Mercy v. East Grand Rapids - Div. 2 - 5:30 p.m.
- Northville v. Rockford - Div. 1 - 7:30 p.m.
"One of the things we ask of our SBP member schools is that they stream any tournament contest which takes place on their campus, even if they are not participating," said John Johnson, MHSAA Communications Director. "We appreciate the work of schools like Cedar Springs and East Lansing to provide this content for MHSAA.tv."
A $9.95 subscription allows viewing of live content on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network for 30 days. On Saturday (June 10), the Finals of the Boys & Girls Lacrosse Tournaments will be shown live. Next weekend, MHSAA Finals in Lower Peninsula Girls Soccer (June 16-17) and Semifinals and Finals in Baseball and Softball (June 15-17) will be streamed live. All events will be archived for free on-demand viewing, beginning three days after their completion. Subscriptions must be cancelled before the 30-day period is over to avoid recurring charges.
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.
Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.