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.”
Memorable Debut Ignites Massey's Inspiring Impact on Adaptive Athletics
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
May 7, 2025
STURGIS – Very few high school track & field athletes have an opportunity to finish their freshman seasons the way Sturgis' Vivian Massey did last spring.
Massey, now a sophomore, won the adaptive shot put championship last spring at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals at East Kentwood. She took first with a personal-best and Finals-record throw of 12 foot, 7 inches, using a 4-kilogram (8.82-pound) ball).
"Getting a state record throw is really cool, but being able to show others that something like that is possible for an adaptive athlete is even better," Massey said.
Sturgis has been one of the pioneer programs in the state as participation by adaptive athletes increases in the sport. The Trojans are led by the husband and wife duo of JB and Lesley Starkey; JB serves as Sturgis' head boys coach, while Lesley guides the girls team.
Former Sturgis athlete Jillian Romanyk, a 2023 graduate, won LP Division 2 Finals titles her senior year in the shot put (13-7) and 100-meter dash (30.53) competing in a wheelchair.
Massey has the condition achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that causes the most common form of dwarfism. It affects the growth plates in bones, resulting in abnormal bone growth and shortened limbs.
"I used to play soccer up until I was in fifth or sixth grade. But by then everyone became taller and faster than me, so I just stopped. I thought I was done competing in sports then,” said Massey, who hopes to one day study forensic psychology in college. “It just feels really good to still be able to compete. Our track family here at Sturgis is really close, and we are all there for each other. Eventually I'd like to try throwing the discus as well. I'd like to throw in college, but who knows if that will happen or not."
Vivian grew up around track & field. Her older sister Hannah, a 2020 Sturgis graduate, and brother Alex (2024) were both throwers for the Trojans.
"When I was in eighth grade I started throwing with them during the indoor season and continued with it into high school. It just seemed like a good fit for me," Vivian explained.
There were a few adjustments Massey had to make when she began competing in outdoor track her freshman year, but having her older brother in the Sturgis program with her was an immense help.
"The experience of competing wasn't that new to me when I reached high school, but the outdoor season took a little getting used to. Having my brother and a few of his friends right there to help me was very helpful," she said.
Massey excelled and qualified for the Finals as a freshman after winning her Regional competition.
"It was a very cool experience and a lot of fun qualifying for and winning state. It's still kind of a shock to me when I pause a minute and think about what I accomplished that day. I never expected to win state," Massey said.
She is looking forward to another strong finish this season.
"I really want to get first at Regionals and qualify for state again and hopefully keep improving my performance," Massey said. "The biggest thing I'm working on right now is to not get so nervous and inside my own head. I like to listen to music to help keep me calm before I throw. It helps me focus and block out everything else that's going on around me."
Lesley Starkey, a Title I elementary teacher at Congress School in Sturgis, feels Massey's involvement will have a far-reaching effect on the track & field program and with others long after she graduates.
"Just from a general athlete and seeing what Vivian does is amazing. What she doesn't realize is how impactful she's going to be down the road,” Starkey said. “I have a student at Congress with only one arm. She could be one of our next adaptive athletes, and I'd love to have her come out for our team. So helping other athletes see that they have an opportunity to compete in the adaptive category like Vivian does is huge in the long term. Just by her work ethic and coming out here and competing when it can sometimes be intimidating, is a big contribution to our program and others around the state during her four years here and beyond as well."
Massey’s participation has inspired opposing athletes as well.
"JB and I were at a meet last season in Quincy. Vivian wasn't competing, but Athens had a blind athlete and their coaches weren't even aware that the adaptive category existed at the state level. We spoke with them and told them to make sure she went on to compete at the Regional and the state level,” Starkey said.
“Right now there are four events that adaptive athletes can compete in. They are the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, and the shot put. The girl from Athens was able to do that and she became a multi-state champion in Division 4."
Massey’s personal-best in the shot put during the indoor season is 15 feet, 3 inches, using a 2 kilogram (4.41 pound) ball.
JB Starkey, a physical education teacher at Sturgis High School, credits her commitment to a weight training program for helping her increase her strength and consistency this season.
"I learn lessons in the weight room every day. I make mistakes with things that Vivian can't do. I'm the one that has to make adjustments so we are making adaptions with her weight training, shot put throwing and even our physical education classes to service her the best that we can,” he said. “She's very flexible and understanding of our mistakes. We're learning over time and getting much better about it.”
Massey had to overcome several physical challenges before she was able to throw effectively.
"So with achondroplasia, I have little or no cartilage in my joints. For example, I can write an essay but it would take more time for me than it would other kids because I'd have to take breaks and let my wrists rest,” Massey said. “I wear a wrist strap in the shot put that helps stabilize my wrist when I'm throwing. I also use J-Hooks to help with my grip when weightlifting in doing reps with the bar. I'm strong enough to hold and do the motion, but my hands can't hold onto the weight.”
Kelly Massey, Vivian's mother, stated that her daughter's condition has never deterred her from accomplishing daily tasks or continuing her athletic career.
"Vivian has to figure out a different way to do everything she does in life, like reaching the kitchen cabinets. Everything is a struggle, but she just makes it happen,” Kelly Massey said. “She started in soccer and we thought her sports career was over, but the Starkeys have done a great job keeping her involved and giving her all the opportunities they possibly can. They truly love this sport, and they will do whatever it takes to get kids participating.”
Alex Massey remembers how Vivian became involved in throwing as an eighth grader.
"During the offseason, a small group of us throwers would come up to the school and throw, and Vivian started coming up there with us. She fell in love with it, and the Starkeys have been with her all the way. Being able to work with her some I think helped keep her motivated," Alex Massey said.
"It was pretty emotional to see Vivian up there throwing at the state meet. She holds herself to a very high standard, and it’s just amazing to see the door that she's opened for other athletes."
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Vivian Massey competes in the adaptive shot put during last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals. (Middle) Sturgis High School track & field coaches Leslie and JB Starkey stand for a photo during a Trojans' practice last week. (Below) Massey, right, receives congratulations from Fenton’s Molly Katic, left in wheelchair, following last year’s Finals shot put competition at East Kentwood. (Finals photos provided by JB Starkey. Coaches photo by Scott Hassinger.)