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: 9/22/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 22, 2023

1. BOYS SOCCER Walled Lake Western clinched the Lakes Valley Conference regular-season championship with a 1-1 draw with South Lyon – Oakland Press

2. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 6 Traverse City St. Francis got past Division 4 No. 4 Leland 3-1 – Up North Live

3. GIRLS GOLF Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central won the Monroe County championship by 17 strokes, carding a 395 – Monroe News

4. BOYS TENNIS Terry Schwartzkopf coached his 100th Saginaw Valley League match for Midland Dow – top-ranked in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – and improved to 99-1 with his team’s sweep of Saginaw Heritage – Saginaw News

5. GIRLS GOLF Remus Chippewa Hills – No. 8 in LPD3 – carded a 381 to win the Lakeview Invitational – Big Rapids Pioneer

6. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 8 Portage Central won the latest Portage Derby 3-1 over neighbor Northern – Kalamazoo Gazette

7. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Midland Dow’s Emmy Sower highlighted Tri Cities Championship prelims with a meet record in the 100-yard butterfly – Midland Daily News

8. BOYS SOCCER Brighton downed rival Hartland 2-0 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

9. BOYS SOCCER Battle Creek Pennfield scored first, but Coldwater scored the next five goals for a league win – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Ionia remained undefeated in dual meets with a win over Charlotte in their Purple Meet – Greenville Daily News

Also of note …

FOOTBALL For what’s believed to be the first time, an all-woman crew officiated a varsity football game in Michigan as Detroit Lincoln-King hosted Waterford Kettering – X (Twitter)