Linked Up: Generations of Calls
July 9, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Father Ralph Burr recently finished his 50th season as an MHSAA official at 76 years old. His daughter Jackie has worked with him for 20 seasons, and son Jeff has served alongside Dad various times over the last 36 years.
Add in another son and grandson, and the family has officiated a combined 142 years in the Muskegon area.
Grand Rapids' WZZM tells the story of the Burrs, focusing especially on Ralph and his other contributions including the care-taking of Muskegon's Sheldon Field.
Click for the WZZM story on the Burrs and watch below if your browser allows for Flash playback. Also, see the report done earlier this season by the Muskegon Chronicle.
PHOTO: Members of the Burr family pose during the MHSAA Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet in May including current MHSAA officials Jackie Burr, (to her left) Ralph Burr and (on far right) Jeff Burr.
Linked Up: Hill Reaches 1,000
March 4, 2013
The Ann Arbor Pioneer boys and girls swim programs have received national acclaim over the years. And at the head of those efforts has been coach Denny Hill, who celebrated his 1,000th dual meet victory last month.
AnnArbor.com's Terry Jacoby tells us more about how Hill came to Pioneer and what he's accomplished. This former athlete's thought explains a lot of what Hill has meant to his sport and high school athletics as a whole.
“(Hill) taught me what it meant to work hard and what it meant to push myself past the limits I had put on myself,” said Kristyne (Cole), who also swam at Michigan. “He taught me what it meant to be a part of a team and how to be a leader. Denny taught me that you should give 100 percent effort in whatever you decide to do, and that the team always comes first; whether that meant showing up to practice early to do lane lines or switching events during a meet right before that event began.”
Click to read the full report:
Legendary Pioneer swim coach Denny Hill reaches 1,000 win milestone (AnnArbor.com)