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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.)

Video 1/27/16: Basketball, Buzzer Beaters

January 27, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

Each week, MHSAA.tv features highlights of events produced by schools involved in the MHSAA School Broadcast Program.

This week's package includes clips from the Houghton/Calumet and Midland Dow/Saginaw Heritage girls basketball games, plus buzzer-beating shots from around the state.  

A rematch of last year’s Class B Girls Basketball Final highlights games that can been seen over the next week on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv, produced by students involved in the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program. 

Defending Class B champion Detroit Country Day, currently ranked second statewide, will be at Haslett on Tuesday (Feb. 2) to take on the Vikings, ranked third in Class A. Last March, the Yellowjackets prevailed in the Class B title game, 49-41.

The defending champion in Class C boys basketball, Flint Beecher, makes its first appearance this season on MHSAA.tv on Friday, with the top-ranked Bucs hitting the road to face Montrose in a Genesee Athletic Conference game.

In its seventh 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 On-Demand – 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 the schedule of events School Broadcast Program members plan to stream this week for broadcast at MHSAA.tv. On-Demand listings may be available as soon as one hour following an event’s completion.  

Wednesday – Jan. 27

Thursday – Jan. 28

Friday – Jan. 29

Saturday – Jan. 30

Tuesday – Feb. 2

Wednesday – Feb. 3

Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.