Stripes Worn Well (Muskegon Chronicle)

March 1, 2012

Tim Flahive has battled diabetes for all but a few years of his life. But he's also filled half of those years with high school sports as a longtime official based in the Muskegon area.

The Muskegon Chronicle's Mark Opfermann tells the story of Flahive's final basketball game last week -- and makes us appreciate even more the significant role our officials fill to no fanfare.

A powerful excerpt:

He left the court with no fanfare, took off his whistle and shed a few tears.

But Flahive's story isn’t just about sports and an official leaving the hobby he loves. It’s about courage, getting back up and pressing on.

So, I guess it’s a lot like sports after all. But it’s a whole lot more about life.

That’s because when Flahive took the court last week, he did it with half of his left foot missing.

Click to read on.

Today in the MHSAA: 9/16/26

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 16, 2026

1. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Jenna Middleton became the 34th player in MHSAA history to reach 2,000 career kills during Division 2 No. 4 Kingsley’s sweep of Grayling – Traverse City Record-Eagle

2. BOYS SOCCER A last-minute goal resulted in a 1-1 draw between Division 1 top-ranked Troy and No. 10 Troy Athens – Oakland Press

3. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Maddy Kozuch reached 1,000 career digs in Division 3 No. 9 Morley Stanwood’s sweep of Grand Rapids Sacred Heart – Big Rapids News

4. GIRLS GOLF Frankenmuth – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – and Freeland senior Alexis Heinz were champions at the Saginaw County Invitational – Saginaw News

5. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Division 2 No. 8 Macomb Lutheran North continued its impressive stretch with a 3-1 win over honorable mention Richmond – Macomb Daily

6. CROSS COUNTRY The Freeland girls and LPD2 No. 7 Alma boys were first in the Tri-Valley Conference Red opener – Saginaw News

7. BOYS SOCCER Division 3 No. 4 Elk Rapids moved to 10-1-3 with a 3-0 win over Charlevoix – Up North Live

8. CROSS COUNTRY Lake City’s LPD3 No. 6-ranked girls and McBain’s boys won the first Highland Conference jamborees – Cadillac News

9. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Gladstone struck first but Ishpeming came back to win in five sets – Upper Michigan’s Source

10. BOYS SOCCER Birmingham Groves went on the road to defeat Royal Oak 4-0 – Oakland Press