Rally Finalists Prepped for Competition
August 16, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The MHSAA’s inaugural “Prep Rally” contest was born this spring to help us teach athletes the importance of staying in shape during the offseason – while showing them fun ways to do so.
And like with our MHSAA “Battle of the Fans” contest during the past two winters, we learned a few things from our Prep Rally participants – most notably, that athletes during the school year enjoy staying active during the offseason. And especially if that activity includes a creative challenge or two.
Following are brief stories behind our three finalists for this summer's contest, which was part of the MHSAA’s PLAY (Preparation Lasts All Year) initiative designed to encourage athletes to remain active during the offseason so they are prepared physically and acclimated to warm weather when practice begins in the fall.
Thanks to all who submitted applications – we hope this is just the start of your helping us tell more athletes the best and most enjoyable ways to stay in shape and get ready for competition. The inaugural Prep Rally winner will be announced Monday on Second Half and be awarded tickets to an MHSAA Final of their choice, at which they will be recognized for their accomplishment.
Not surprising given Michigan’s abundance of woods and water, outdoor activities were a dominant theme of the inaugural Prep Rally.
Here’s a look at our finalists:
Beal City: Game Changers
“For many students the summer is simply a time to kick back, relax, hang out on the couch and play video games. However, this is not the case for Beal City athletes,” sophomore Billy Chilman wrote.
“When we are not training for our championship teams on the field or in the classroom, we are always looking for new ways to stay fit and have fun. Whether it’s going to Coldwater Lake, to boat, knee board, ski or tube, we always seem to find something active to do.”
And that led to ATV tubing.
In essence, a four-wheeler on one bank of a small pond pulls the rider, sitting on a snow sled, across the pond. “It was also a great workout, improving our balance and upper body strength,” Chillman added.
Fenton: Into the Woods
A team that will spend all fall in the pool spends a valuable part of it offseason prep on dry land.
Fenton girls swimming and diving team journeys away from home leading up to every season. This summer it headed to Pigeon River Country State Forest near Vanderbilt at the northern end of the Lower Peninsula for a three-day “survival trip.”
Plans included a four-mile hike to the first camp, followed by 4-5 mile hikes to each day to a new camp site.
The team also was divided into four smaller squads that competed in challenges as well as setting up camp, building fires and cooking meals.
“The purpose of the trip is to provide some physical conditioning as well as a team-building activity,” Fenton coach Brad Jones wrote in the Tigers’ submission.
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett: Crossing the Isle
Seniors Hannah Hodges and Danielle Lorant participate in three sports together during the school year – cross country, hockey and soccer – so staying in shape over the summer is especially key.
This summer, that included a five-day backpacking trip at Isle Royale National Park as part of a program hosted by Michigan Tech University.
The Knights’ pair hiked 45 miles while carrying 50 pounds of supplies in backpacks. To prepare for the trip, Hodges and Lorant went on weekly hikes closer to home at Stoney Creek Metropolitan Park, Island Lake State Recreation Area and Algonac State Park – which built endurance but also allowed for an opportunity to test their gear.
“Backpacking on Isle Royale granted the chance to interact in nature and connect with other Michigan high school athletes who also participated in the trip, and to stay in good physical condition,” Hodges wrote in her submission.
“This trip demonstrated that there are other ways to stay in shape over the summer besides participating in the sports that we play during the school year.”
Follow the #PrepRally conversation on Facebook and Twitter @MHSAA.
MHSAA Provides Hot Weather Reminders
July 31, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As summer turns toward the beginning of fall sports practices next week, the MHSAA is providing a familiar but vital reminder that student-athletes need to prepare for activity in the hot weather that traditionally accompanies the beginning of August and the first training sessions of the school year.
Each year, the MHSAA provides information to its member schools to help them prepare for hot weather practice and game conditions during the late summer and early fall. Football practice can begin at MHSAA schools August 7, followed by first practices for all other fall sports August 9.
The topic of heat-related injuries receives a lot of attention at this time of year, especially when deaths at the professional, collegiate and interscholastic levels of sport occur, and especially since they are preventable in most cases with the proper precautions.
“We emphasize preparation for hot weather at the start of each fall, but this cannot be repeated enough: If we take precautions and plan as we should, heat illness is almost always preventable,” said John E. “Jack” Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. “We encourage student-athletes to come to their first practice prepared for hot conditions. But coaches also are trained to assume not all student-athletes will be ready, and to be vigilant in making sure all participants are hydrating properly.”
A number of member schools continue to follow the MHSAA’s Model Policy for Managing Heat & Humidity, which while not mandated for member schools was adopted as a rule for MHSAA postseason competition in 2013. The plan directs schools to begin monitoring the heat index at the activity site once the air temperature reaches 80 degrees and provides recommendations when the heat index reaches certain points, including ceasing activities when it rises above 104 degrees.
The model heat & humidity policy is outlined in a number of places, including the publication Heat Ways, which is available for download from the MHSAA Website on the “Health & Safety” page.
To also assist in acclimatization, football practice rule changes adopted in 2014 allow for only helmets to be worn during the first two days, only shoulder pads to be added on the third and fourth days, and full pads to not be worn until the fifth day of team practice. The policy in detail can be found on the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
Heat, hydration and acclimatization continue to be focuses of the MHSAA’s required preseason rules meetings for coaches and officials. The online presentations discuss the need for good hydration in sports, regardless of the activity or time of year, and informs both how to recognize the early signs of heat illness and the immediate steps to take to respond to those symptoms. The MHSAA requires all head varsity, varsity assistant and subvarsity coaches at the high school level to complete the rules and risk minimization meeting requirement.
The first days of formal practices in hot weather should be more for heat acclimatization than the conditioning of athletes, Roberts reminded, and practices in such conditions need planning to become longer and more strenuous over a gradual progression of time. He noted that schools also must consider moving practices to different locations or different times of day, or change practice plans to include different activities depending on the conditions.
Roberts also noted that student-athletes should make sure to hydrate all day long – beginning before practice, continuing during and also after practice is done. Water and properly-formulated sports drinks are the best choices for hydration, while energy drinks, high-carbohydrate fruit juices (greater than eight percent carb content), carbonated and caffeinated beverages are among those that should be avoided.
The Health & Safety Resources page of the MHSAA Website has a number of links to various publications and information and a free online presentation on preventing heat illness from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Also accessible through the MHSAA Health & Safety page are resources from Sparrow Health System, a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, which lends expertise on-site at various MHSAA tournament events and provides an online “Ask the Experts” feature to connect MHSAA.com users with Sparrow sports medicine caregivers.
Visit MHSAA.com and click on "Health & Safety” in the top menu bar to find the information, or click the direct link provided above.