Retired MHSAA Executive Director Roberts Selected for NFHS Hall of Fame
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 8, 2022
During an award introduction two years ago, MHSAA associate director Tom Rashid described his longtime close friend Jack Roberts as the leader who “took our darkest hours and problems and turned them into positives.”
The MHSAA has faced its share of challenging times, and those may have been among Roberts’ finest hours over 32 years as MHSAA executive director – and admittedly the times when his adrenaline flowed most. But there were many more good times and memorable advances for Michigan school sports under his leadership, and he will be recognized again this summer both for those and a lifetime of service to school sports in this state and across the nation.
John E. “Jack” Roberts was one of 12 honorees announced Tuesday as this year’s inductees into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). He will be inducted as one of three former state association administrators selected for the 39th Hall of Fame class at a ceremony during the NFHS summer meeting July 1 in San Antonio, Texas.
He began his tenure as MHSAA executive director in 1986, and at the time of his retirement he was the nation’s longest-serving executive director of a state high school athletic association. He was the fourth person to serve the MHSAA in that leadership role full time, following Charles E. Forsythe (1931-42, 1945-68), Allen W. Bush (1968-78) and Vern L. Norris (1978-86).
Roberts will become the Hall of Fame’s ninth inductee from Michigan, joining Forsythe (inducted 1983), River Rouge boys basketball coach Lofton Greene (1986), Warren Regina athletic director, softball and basketball coach Diane Laffey (2000), Fennville basketball and baseball standout Richie Jordan (2001), Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett boys and girls tennis coach Bob Wood (2005), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook hockey standout Jim Johnson (2007), Owosso football, basketball and baseball all-stater Brad Van Pelt (2011); and Vermontville Maple Valley baseball national record holder Ken Beardslee (2016).
Roberts also follows in the footsteps of his late father, John Roberts, who served as executive director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association from 1957-85 and was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 2000. They will be the first father-son team in the Hall of Fame.
Jack Roberts began his career serving as an assistant director for the National Federation from 1973-80. He was involved with the implementation of Title IX at the local and state levels and made immense contributions as the NFHS representative to the landmark Amateur Sports Act of 1978, and also played a significant role in the NFHS rules-writing process as the organization started writing and publishing rules for a number of new sports during the 1970s.
The MHSAA enjoyed continued growth under Roberts’ guidance, particularly in the number of Michigan students participating in athletics and in the number of MHSAA-sponsored tournament sports available to them. Several key rules changes came under Roberts’ watch and direction, and he made the MHSAA a national leader in health and safety efforts particularly in the areas of head injury care, heart safety initiatives and heat management strategies.
“I had a head start in this work. Growing up in the home of the executive director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and then spending most of my 20s working for the National Federation office, and much of it with (longtime NFHS executive director) Cliff Fagan, was a jumpstart on this career,” Roberts said. “But I’m also satisfied at this point that, to paraphrase Hamilton in the musical ‘Hamilton,’ I didn’t give up on my shot. I was given a shot, I took it and I didn’t waste the chance.
“The job fit me, and I think I maxed the opportunity I had to serve educational athletics in this job, and that’s satisfying to think about at this time.”
Under Roberts’ leadership, overall participation in high school athletics in Michigan increased 10 percent, and the MHSAA added more than 200 schools in increasing its membership by more than 15 percent at the high school and junior high/middle school levels combined. His tenure saw the addition of girls competitive cheer (1994), girls & boys bowling (2004) and girls & boys lacrosse (2005) to the MHSAA Tournament sport lineup, the creation of a separate wrestling tournament to determine champions by team format (1988), and 8-player football (2010, first playoffs 2011) as many small schools across the state began having trouble fielding 11-player teams because of enrollment and population decreases. Meanwhile, also under his leadership, the 11-player Football Playoffs expanded, doubling to 256 teams in 1999.
Among rules changes put in place during Roberts’ tenure was the addition of opportunities for multiple schools to create cooperative teams in sports where participation is lagging. He also helped Michigan become a national leader in improving sportsmanship; a comprehensive package enacted in 1996 set a statewide tone for appropriate behavior and perspective that continues to make an impact today.
Perhaps the most significant influences by Roberts came on the topics of health and safety. The MHSAA has led nationally in concussion care with its first programming in 2000 and return-to-play protocols enacted in 2010, and with mandated concussion reporting and insurance for those who suffer head injuries rolled out in 2015. A heat management policy and CPR requirements for coaches were introduced in 2013.
Also under this leadership, the first program for coaches education was launched in 1987 and evolved into the Coaches Advancement Program, with nearly 34,000 courses administered as part of CAP since 2004-05. The Women in Sports Leadership Conference was created in 1989 and remains the first, largest and longest-running program of its type in the country, regularly drawing upwards of 500 participants. The first of now-annual statewide Athletic Director In-Service Programs was conducted in 1992, and Michigan also remains a national leader in student services thanks to a variety of programs that were introduced under Roberts’ leadership.
Internally, he put the MHSAA on the leading edge nationally when it came to use the technology, especially in the realm of communications, where he put special emphasis on telling the story of school sports. “I think I was considered a conservative as to rules for eligibility and competition, and a progressive in how we delivered services to schools and school sports,” Roberts said.
In addition to his work specifically in Michigan, Roberts carried significant influence at the national level. He served as part of the NFHS Board of Directors and led the creation of the NFHS Network for video productions in 2012, serving as that board’s chairperson. He also has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).
“For 32 years, Jack Roberts was the epitome of what leadership looks like. He was the strongest advocate for high school sports that anyone could ever hope for,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, who succeeded Roberts in 2018. “He is without question one of the preeminent pioneers and difference-makers in the world of high school sports over the past 100 years.
“And other than my father, there has not been a man who has had a bigger impact and positive influence on my life personally than Jack Roberts.”
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS, and the rest of this year’s class is made up of athletes, coaches, administrators and an official. The 12 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations. Also chosen for this class were athletes Notah Begay (New Mexico), Walter Payton (Mississippi), Sanya Richards-Ross (Florida) and Thurman Thomas (Texas); sport coaches Ray Crowe (Indiana), Ron Kordes (Kentucky) and Lamar Rogers (Tennessee); administrators E. Wayne Cooley (Iowa) and Becky Oakes (Missouri), official Jeff Risk (North Dakota) and speech/debate coach Susan McLain (Oregon). (Click for more.)
Roberts came to the MHSAA in 1986 from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which he served as executive vice president. He is a 1970 graduate of Dartmouth College and taught English and coached football at high schools in Milwaukee and Denver before joining the NFHS staff.
He and his wife Peggy reside in East Lansing, and in retirement they together have increased their contributions to environmental matters and international refugee issues while both serving in leadership roles. Jack Roberts has served as board president for the Refugee Development Center in Lansing for 13 years, and Peggy Roberts served six years as chairperson of the board for Lansing’s Fenner Nature Center. As part of their environmental work, the Roberts are working within a small group of organizations to help them acquire and preserve land.
2026 Scholar-Athlete Award Recipients Announced in Class B
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 10, 2026
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected nine student-athletes from Class B member schools to receive scholarships through the MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 37th year of sponsoring the award, will give $2,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees who can come from any classification.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
The 32 scholarship recipients will be recognized March 14 during the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing.
The Class B Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are Madison Dennis, Durand; Phoebe Elder, Haslett; Natalie Foltz, Frankenmuth; Julia Noureddine, Grosse Ile; Brayley West, Lake Fenton; Miles Dell, Chelsea; Cole Haist, Big Rapids; Logan Johnson, Flint Powers Catholic; and Micah Zacks, Detroit Country Day.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class B Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
Madison Dennis, Durand
Played three seasons of varsity volleyball, completing fourth varsity bowling season and will compete in second seasons of varsity track & field and tennis after missing last spring with a knee injury. Coached eighth grade team as a junior while healing from her injury. Earned all-league in bowling and serving as team captain, earned academic all-state in volleyball and helped team to academic all-state award, and helped tennis team to league title. Officiated volleyball as part of MHSAA Legacy Program. Named National Merit Scholarship Commended Student and received College Board Rural and Small Town and Scholar awards. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and has served as secretary. Serving third year as city youth ambassador, fourth year as student government class president and has served one year as executive board vice president. Leading yearbook staff as editor-in-chief. Will attend University of Michigan and study neuroscience on a pre-medicine track.
Essay Quote: “When matches are stressful or games are looking rough, I remind myself to stay positive and support my teammates. Treating others with kindness and integrity allows my teammates to feel welcome, and in turn, I help create an environment where everyone can perform their best and enjoy the sport.”
Phoebe Elder, Haslett
Competed three seasons in swimming & diving and is competing in her fourth of gymnastics. Earned all-state and named league Gymnast of the Year as a junior and holds multiple program records. Also earned academic all-state and helped team to multiple league titles. Qualified for MHSAA Finals for swimming in multiple events and is part of a school record-holding relay. Served as captain of both teams. Named Commended Student by National Merit Scholarship program. Participating in third year of National Honor Society, fourth of school sustainability club, fourth of Future Doctors of America club, and fourth of Haslett Women in STEM club. Served as club/chapter president or vice president of all four and also on student council throughout high school. Will attend Northwestern University and study biology on a pre-medicine track.
Essay Quote: “The positive atmosphere in high school sports has made me a better athlete, inspiring me to attempt new skills in gymnastics and push through the final painful yards of a swim race. I think it has also made me a better person. It’s important to empathize with someone after a difficult performance, celebrate someone else’s success, and recognize that competing with people matters far more than competing against them.”
Natalie Foltz, Frankenmuth
Ran four seasons of cross country and will compete in her fourth of track & field this spring. Earned all-state three times and academic all-state all four seasons of cross country, and was league and Regional champion in that sport. Qualified for MHSAA Finals in multiple events all of her first three seasons of track, earning all-state and academic all-state all of her first three seasons. Served as team captain of both. Participated in DECA throughout high school, qualifying for state competition and serving as vice president of community involvement. Served as quiz bowl captain and helped team to league championship as a senior. Served as treasurer and vice president of Be the Change club and three years as part of local library teen advisory board. Volunteered as Vacation Bible School group leader. Will attend Grand Valley State University and study exercise science.
Essay Quote: “Cross country and track introduce a complex twist into high-school sports: you’re competing against people from your own team, even your closest friends. This could cause friendships to be cracked and broken. … This season has taught me what true sportsmanship is: putting the focus on the success of others above my downfalls, no matter how difficult it may seem.”
Julia Noureddine, Grosse Ile
Playing second season of varsity basketball, will compete in second season of track & field this spring and played two seasons of junior varsity volleyball. Earned all-region and all-area honors in track, and academic all-conference in track and basketball. Serving as basketball team captain and second year as youth game official. Earned multiple AP Scholar awards. Participating in third year of National Honor Society. Serving fourth year on student council and as executive board president, and organized sports equipment drive to support under-resourced youth. Participating in third year of Girl Up club , serving as vice president, and was regional placer and state qualifier in public speaking as part of Health Occupations Students of America. Started school sports and senior photography business, producing content for school athletic programs. Is undecided where she will attend college but intends to study a major on a pre-medicine track.
Essay Quote: “(Sportsmanship) isn’t measured by a handshake at the finish line. It’s measured by whether you choose to see people when it would be easier to walk past. Whether you give someone space to breathe in a world obsessed with winning. Whether you remind an opponent, a teammate, or someone you barely know that their worth is not determined by a stopwatch.”
Brayley West, Lake Fenton
Played two seasons of varsity football, will compete in her fourth of track & field this spring and also played junior varsity basketball as a freshman. Also competed on powerlifting team throughout high school. Served as track & field throwers and powerlifting captain. Earned multiple AP Scholar awards and College Board recognition. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and as chapter president. Played four years in marching, symphonic, jazz and pep bands, and served as section leader. Serving fourth years on principal and superintendent advisory boards, and served two years on student council as vice president. Participating in second year of Key Club and earned volunteering achievement medallion for serving more than 100 hours as a junior. Will attend Michigan State University and study social work.
Essay Quote: “As students, we are still learning who we are and who we want to become. Athletics accelerate that process. They place us in situations where emotions run high and winning feels like the only thing that matters. But sportsmanship keeps those moments from turning into something harmful. It teaches empathy and courage – the kind it takes to treat someone fairly even when everyone around you isn’t.”
Miles Dell, Chelsea
Ran two seasons of varsity cross country, competing in fourth on swimming & diving team and will compete in his fourth season of track & field in the spring. Also will play his second season of varsity water polo. Qualified for MHSAA Finals all four seasons of cross country, twice in swimming and as part of a track relay, and earned academic all-state in all three sports and academic all-region in water polo. Served as team captain of cross country, swim & dive and track & field teams. Participating in second year of National Honor Society, third year of Interact Club, second years of Key Club, Link Crew and Bible Club, and first in economics club and as part of Bulldog Mentors for school’s new students. Played in wind symphony and marching bands throughout high school. Will attend University of Michigan and is finalizing his course of study.
Essay Quote: “I had just experienced the pinnacle of sportsmanship in athletics … not just to compete, but to laugh, to celebrate, to have fun, and to forge unbreakable bonds with the people around us. Too often, I think, athletes get caught up in pressure and competitiveness, and these reasons drift out of sight.”
Cole Haist, Big Rapids
Played three seasons of varsity football, playing his fourth of varsity basketball and will play his third of varsity baseball this spring. Earned all-conference in baseball, all-area in football and all-state in basketball, helping all three teams to league championships and the football team to District titles. Earned or was part of team academic all-state honors in two sports. Served as captain of football and basketball teams. Serving second year on MHSAA Student Advisory Council and fourth on school’s student council, this year as student body mayor after three years as class president. Also serving fourth year on athletic leadership council and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Officiated youth football, basketball and baseball throughout high school and also coached youth sports. Participating in fourth year on Climate Crew. Is undecided where he will attend college and is finalizing his course of study.
Essay Quote: “… The other team isn’t the enemy. They’re kids our age who love their sport just as much as we do. Sportsmanship means remembering that – even when the game is intense, even when trash talk is flying, and even when you want to win more than anything.”
Logan Johnson, Flint Powers Catholic
Played four seasons of varsity soccer and two of junior varsity basketball. Earned all-state and academic all-state multiple seasons in soccer and served as team captain. Officiated youth soccer throughout high school. Participating in third year of National Honor Society. Served in student government/student council the last two years and as president in second year of school’s UNICEF Club. Participated in DECA the last two years, competing at district and state levels with a focus on marketing. Has played piano for several years and earned national recognition during competitive performances. Founded neighborhood trash bin cleaning business. Co-founded and served as president of school’s investment club. Totaled more than 200 hours of volunteer community service. Is undecided where he will attend college, but intends to study business.
Essay Quote: “That moment changed how I view leadership. Sports often make it easy to get caught up in pressure, what the crowd wants, what your teammates expect, what the standings say. Real leadership doesn't let the noise around you drown out your values. It is a choice for integrity in moments when it may cost you something.”
Micah Zacks, Detroit Country Day
Played four years of varsity soccer, is playing his fourth of varsity ice hockey and will play his fourth of varsity lacrosse in the spring. Earned all-league in ice hockey, all-state in soccer and all-America in lacrosse, and helped soccer and lacrosse teams to MHSAA Finals championships. Served as team captain of soccer and ice hockey teams. Served as icer hockey referee for two years and youth soccer trainer as a senior. Named National Merit Scholarship Commended Student and earned national scholar-athlete recognition. Founded school’s Jewish Student Alliance as a freshman and served as vice president of Youth in Government Club and Jewish Teen Connection Community Service Club. Participating in French foreign exchange program. Will attend University of Michigan and study statistics.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship can come in many different ways, but what’s important is making an effort to respect and help others. It is so important because what I will remember looking back on my high school sports memories is not just the wins and losses, but the character and kindness that were shown, and it is those values that I learned that I will carry with me throughout my life.”
Other Class B girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Presley Chamberlain, Cheboygan; Sydney Fox, Birch Run; Maya Grossman, Vicksburg; Sophia Hazzi, Ann Arbor Greenhills; Kendall Hollon, Yale; Ava Lassey, Wixom St. Catherine; Clare O'Donnell, Negaunee; Avery Pagel, Birch Run; Liliana Saunders, Negaunee; Aubrey Tarkiewicz, Marshall; and Lilly Thelen, Portland.
Other Class B boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Hugh Aaron, Detroit Country Day; Parth Ashok, Ann Arbor Greenhills; Dylan Becksvoort, Holland Christian; Caleb Carignan, Flint Powers Catholic; Nolan Carr, Corunna; Tucker Cole, Tecumseh; Joel DeLorge, Corunna; Bryce Gross, Flint Powers Catholic; Jackson Kohler, Yale; Caden Sommerfield, Frankenmuth; Möbius Stubblefield, Edwardsburg; and Jaxxon Thelen, Ionia.
The Class C and D scholarship award recipients were announced Feb. 3, and the Class A honorees will be announced Feb. 17.
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.