Keep on Coaching
February 1, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A few weeks ago, I finally got my first chance this season to watch a friend coach his basketball team. After guiding some others at the lower levels, this is his first time running the varsity – something he wasn't sure he wanted to do with a 1-year-old just learning to walk, but a challenge he ended up taking on to the benefit of all those involved.
Simply put, he’s good. I've seen a lot of teams and a lot of coaches over the past 15 years, and although I wouldn't know much of what to do if I were walking the sideline, I felt pretty qualified in telling him I was impressed – even if he didn't buy that I was offering an unbiased opinion. The best news is he’s gone from not sure about this a few months ago to talking about next season.
We know, at least anecdotally, that coaching continues to get more challenging. The time commitment has grown substantially to make running a program a year-round endeavor in a lot of sports at a lot of schools.
That commitment – especially for coaches with children of their own – was a main reason referred to in a New Haven Post-Chronicle story Saturday that noted 23 football coaching openings in Connecticut at one point this offseason. That state has 146 football teams – meaning roughly 15 percent will have new leaders this fall.
And that got me thinking about my friend, about how glad I am he’s given this a shot, and how I've seen so many others either not do so, or not stick around long despite having some pretty nice success.
A study published last winter in Interscholastic Athletic Administration magazine – a product of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association – noted some predictable results of a study that sought to determine the biggest challenges faced by first-year high school coaches.
The toughest according to the study was balancing the demands of coaching and teaching, experienced by nearly half the respondents – 98 percent of which coached high school teams and 81 percent of which are teachers.
The next six reasons all were noted by at least 30 percent of those in the study – personal fatigue, securing community support, securing and caring for facilities and equipment, parental contact, keeping non-starting players motivated, dealing with schedule interruptions and motivating athletes to achieve consistent, peak performance.
Nothing there is earth-shaking, and most if not all of these challenges are faced by high school coaches regardless of how long they've been in the field. But I got a little more perspective from some of the 32 items that ranked as least challenging to the first-year leaders – keeping in compliance with state and league regulations, dealing with substance abuse issues, teaching sport skills and creating a positive team atmosphere – things that seem most important, and yet appear to be easiest to do. I’m not sure what that tells us – but I think it tells us something.
Click to check out the entire three-page breakdown of the study, plus the researchers’ recommendations to remedy some of what first-year coaches face.
Giving back to Saginaw
I love reading about high-level athletes – like a star-studded group of alums from Saginaw – giving back to where they got their starts.
Pittsburgh Steelers star LaMarr Woodley made a big impact before the start of this school year by donating $60,000 to cover all participation fees for athletes in his former school district. The Saginaw News’ Hugh Bernreuter writes today about how Woodley (Saginaw High), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Jason Richardson (Saginaw Arthur Hill) and former Oakland Raiders standout Stu Schweigert (Saginaw Heritage) have combined to give more than $865,000 back to their home communities.
Bernreuter also mentions the non-monetary contributions of the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (Saginaw High) and former Indianapolis Colts receiver Blair White (Saginaw Nouvel).
Click to read more about it.
Quote(s) of the Week
While rifling through more papers on my desk, I found an article from the Washington Post from Sept. 2011 titled “How high school sports save our schools.” I was drawn to it in part because I spent more than a decade in a newsroom, and it was a piece by a reporter covering education who instead of reporting on school boards and the like, delved into the importance of interscholastic athletics to education as a whole.
He spoke of how participation continues to grow even as resources dwindle, and of data supporting that extracurriculars like sports are more effective than academic classes in teaching leadership, teamwork, time management and “other skills crucial for success in the workplace.” Later, he mentioned a study noting that those who participate in extracurriculars earned more a decade later.
Click here to read the entre piece. These passages struck me most.
“Coaches might be the only faculty members still allowed by our culture and educational practice to get tough with students not making the proper effort. They have the advantage of teaching what are essentially elective non-credit courses. They can insist on standards of behavior that classroom teachers often cannot enforce because the stakes of dismissing or letting students drop their courses are too high. …
“Students do better in activities they choose. If we provide more of them, led by committed adults … that can make a difference. We know the bad news about education. Dropout rates are high. Achievement scores are stagnant. But sports participation is going up, despite pressure to cut it back. Let’s cheer about that and look for a way to draw in more students.”
Preview: From 119 to 8 Set to Compete at Inaugural MHSAA Boys Volleyball Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 4, 2026
Two years of tournament planning and several more of coaches association organization and support have brought us to the first MHSAA Boys Volleyball Finals weekend at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
This first year of MHSAA sponsorship saw 119 tournament-eligible teams compete, with the final eight to play for championships in Divisions 1 and 2.
This weekend’s schedule:
Semifinals – Friday
Division 1
Grand Haven vs. Macomb Dakota, 4:30 p.m.
Lake Orion vs. Northville, 6:30 p.m.
Division 2
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Walled Lake Central, Noon
Lowell vs. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 2 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1, 2:30 p.m.
Division 2, Noon
Tickets cost $11 for both Friday’s Semifinals and Saturday’s Finals, and one ticket is good for all matches that day. All six matches also will be broadcast on MHSAA.tv. Find more information, including how to purchase tickets, on the Boys Volleyball page.
Below is a glance at all four contenders in each division. (Statistics are through Regional Finals.)
Division 1
GRAND HAVEN
Record/rank: 39-1, No. 1
Coach: Jim VanTol
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Rainbow III
Players to watch: Maddox Krugler, 6-3 jr. OH (336 kills, .328 hitting %, 40 aces); Caleb Cryst, 6-1 sr. S (672 assists, 101 kills); Alfredo Ellis, 6-3 jr. OPP (252 kills, .302 hitting %61 blocks, 128 digs).
Finals forecast: The Buccaneers have more than made good on expectations they’d be a contender this spring, defeating No. 2 Jenison, No. 4 Hudsonville and honorable mentions Rockford and Zeeland during this tournament run, with the loss to Jenison in their regular-season finale. That defeat came without Cryst, who was injured at the time but is back and won the inaugural Mr. Volleyball Award from the coaches association. Grand Haven finished as a state runner-up the last three seasons before MHSAA sponsorship of the sport began this spring. Sophomore 6-2 outside hitter John Cryst also contributes in several ways, tying for the team lead in aces (44), ranking second in assists (182) and digs (192) and third in kills (222) entering the week.
LAKE ORION
Record/rank: 22-0, No. 10
Coach: Tony Scavarda
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Players to watch: Jan Ludvik, 6-2 sr. OH (406 kills, .345 hitting %, 45 aces, 258 digs); Owen Dyer, 5-10 jr. S (306 assists), Kuba Wolski, 5-11 sr. OH (225 kills, 40 aces).
Finals forecast: The Dragons – state semifinalists a year ago – have lost only five sets this season and defeated No. 5 Farmington in four to advance to this weekend. Lake Orion also swept honorable mention North Farmington in their only meeting this season. Ludvik and Wolski are the team’s leading hitters but only senior starters.
MACOMB DAKOTA
Record/rank: 20-9-3, unranked
Coach: Alec Arena
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Players to watch: Samuel Yang, 5-5 sr. S (383 assists, 118 digs); Matthew Lefever, 6-0 sr. OH (213 kills, 45 aces); Nathan Allport, 6-1 soph. OH (212 kills, 41 aces).
Finals forecast: Dakota is 11-2-2 since April 30 and lost only two sets over four postseason matches on the way to Battle Creek. Senior 6-foot-6 middle Andrew Thamarus is another top hitter and led the team with 55 blocks entering the week, with 6-5 right-side Joseph Trachsel right behind with 50.
NORTHVILLE
Record/rank: 32-7-1, No. 8
Coach: Nyia Setla
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association
Players to watch: Julian Janisse, 6-1 sr. RS (325 kills, 54 aces, 43 blocks, 196 digs); Jude Butler-Shriner, 5-11 sr. S (713 kills, 54 aces, 181 digs); Yuta Kikumori, 5-7 sr. OH (194 kills, 45 aces, 190 digs).
Finals forecast: Northville advanced to this weekend with a win over No. 9 Hartland, the only team to deal the Mustangs a KLAA loss this season – although Northville had previously avenged that defeat during the league tournament as well. The Mustangs also avenged a regular-season loss to No. 3 Saline in the Regional Final. Junior outside hitter Subhash Tej Buchu (141 kills entering this week) and 6-3 senior middle Adam Piao (112 kills) give Northville two more significant hitting options.
Division 2
AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 11-2, unranked
Coach: Alex Redford
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Players to watch: Andrew Redford, sr. MB (104 kills, .385 hitting %, 141 digs); Efraim Lopes, soph. S/RS (151 assists); Micah Redford, soph. OH (57 aces, 168 digs). (Heights not provided.)
Finals forecast: Oakland Christian has lost only two sets over four postseason matches and fell this season only to Division 1 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek and Clarkston. Micah Redford also is the team’s second leading hitter, and junior Luke Reyes (139 assists entering this week) joins Lopes in a two-setter system.
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 27-13-2, No. 6
Coach: Mya Udell
League finish: Third in O-K Conference Rainbow II
Players to watch: Noah Jager, sr. MB (234 kills, 61 blocks); Ezra Miller, sr. S (633 assists, 173 digs); Noah Klump, sr. OH (229 kills, 220 digs). (Heights not provided.)
Finals forecast: South Christian advanced to these first Semifinals in part with a five-set Regional Final win over No. 8 Holland Christian and a four-setter over No. 4 St. Joseph in the Quarterfinal. All six starters plus the team’s libero are seniors, with outside hitter Jack Borish also over 200 kills this season and Brock Hoekwater with 390 digs entering the week.
LOWELL
Record/rank: 25-6, No. 1
Coach: Drew Davidson
League finish: First in River Cities Alliance
Players to watch: Max Davidson, 6-2 sr. S/OH (328 kills, .333 hitting %, 473 assists); Josh Wolters, 6-4 jr. M (299 kills, .300 hitting %, 44 aces, 218 digs); Issac Kissinger, 5-10 fr. S/RS (175 kills, 224 assists).
Finals forecast: Lowell won four straight state championships before this first MHSAA-sponsored season, and swept No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian, Midland, No. 9 Mount Pleasant and honorable mention Greenville during this tournament run. The only losses this spring came three times to Grand Haven and once apiece to Jenison, Grand Rapids Christian and Holland Christian. Junior right-side Lincoln Pollema and freshman outside hitter Jaeger Smith also have topped 100 kills.
WALLED LAKE CENTRAL
Record/rank: 24-19, unranked
Coach: Miguel Strauss
League finish: Third in Lakes Valley Conference
Players to watch: Jerry Hempfield, 6-0 sr. OH/S; Kai Waynick, 6-1 soph. S/OH. (Statistics not submitted.)
Finals forecast: Central defeated honorable mention Warren Woods Tower entering the postseason and then swept all four of its tournament matches – with the Regional Semifinal win over rival Walled Lake Western including two sets decided by two points apiece as those two evened their season series at 3-3. Hempfield is one of only two seniors.
PHOTO Grand Haven’s Caleb Cryst (7) sets his team’s offense during a 3-0 Division 1 Quarterfinal win over Hudsonville on Wednesday. (Photo by Trevor McCue/Grand Haven Tribune).