Rice Brings Officials Expertise to MHSAA
August 2, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Before starting down the path toward becoming one of the nation’s most respected trainers of baseball umpires, Brent Rice was a student at small-town Concord High School who didn’t have to put much effort into succeeding academically.
But he received a challenge that has continued serving him along the way.
It came from one of his high school coaches, who said he’d go to bat for the then-senior leaving school early to begin attending the prestigious Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in Ormond Beach, Florida. But first, Rice would have to show the higher level of effort and commitment it would take to succeed on his quest to become a professional official.
That nudge from high school sports drove Rice’s surge into officiating, and also remained with him as he decided to come home and serve Michigan’s high schools – with nearly two decades of teaching and training experience to guide him as an assistant director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Rice, who went on to umpire minor league baseball for 12 years and become administrative director and chief of instruction for the Wendelstedt school, has been named to an MHSAA assistant director’s position, effective August 13. He will be charged with supervising the nearly 10,000 registered officials in all sports and also serve as the MHSAA’s director of baseball and assist with softball.
“I went to a small school, and I learned a lot of life lessons through that and I want to be able to give back,” Rice said. “It’s where I got my start, and where I want to finish up.”
The Wendelstedt school is the most highly-attended professional umpire school in the world, and Rice has served as chief of instruction since Sept. 2000 while adding responsibilities as administrative director in Jan. 2005. Rice also umpired at various levels of minor league baseball from 2000-12, including as a crew chief, and has directed or contributed to training publications referred to by thousands of professional umpires worldwide.
Rice, 36, graduated from Concord High School in 2000 and has a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. He began attending Wendelstedt as a student while a senior at Concord and currently umpires at the Division I college level in the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference. He moved to Battle Creek from New Orleans four years ago, and since returning to this state has been registered as an MHSAA official for baseball, volleyball and 11 and 8-player football, working as part of a regular football crew.
He was selected for the assistant director position from a pool of nearly 70 applicants.
"Brent Rice has devoted his career to preparing the next generations of officials, and he will provide great expertise in growing our efforts to recruit, retain and train officials in all of our sports," said newly-appointed MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, who formerly served as assistant director and the association's coordinator of officials. "He is a national leader in teaching and training and has been a much sought-after speaker and clinician for many years, yet brings knowledge and passion for Michigan and educational athletics.
“His experience, work ethic and relationship-building skills will make him a valuable addition to the MHSAA staff."
Rice will draw on nearly two decades of experience in administration and rules interpretation in addition to his on-field umpiring experience.
While at Wendelstedt, Rice supervised 30 Minor and Major League Baseball instructors and developed the curriculum for training future professional umpires. He led the day-to-day operations of the program, and also presented daily classroom lectures on rules and directed staff demonstrations of field mechanics.
As the school’s administrative director, Rice was responsible for maintaining registration and enrollment records and developing programs to increase enrollment. Among his successful initiatives were recruiting programs that focused on engaging college student-athletes and military veterans.
He has directed the design, composition and annual revision of the school’s Official Baseball Rules and Interpretation Manual, the go-to source for umpires at all levels across the country and internationally. Rice also is a regular contributor to officiating publications and in the production of video training packages, and has been commissioned to rewrite the Official Baseball Rules manual used at all levels of the professional game.
Additionally, Rice has worked with both Minor League and Major League Baseball to develop various protocols and has served as a consultant for the Chinese Professional Baseball League, Korean Baseball Organization and the summer collegiate Northwoods League, as well as USA Fencing.
One area Rice would like to start work on immediately at the MHSAA revolves around tackling poor sportsmanship – a main factor driving officials away from the avocation.
Rice doesn’t see recruiting officials as the most difficult part of bolstering the MHSAA’s ranks; it’s retaining them.
“For me, the challenge is to try to find incentives outside of the box in some way … find other things to bring them along, make them feel supported and ultimately stay with you,” Rice said.
Rice played football and baseball as a student at Concord. He is working toward a master’s degree in public administration to go with his bachelor’s from WMU in political science and sociology. He and his wife Jenna have two daughters.
PHOTOS: (Top) Brent Rice, left, instructs an umpire during a drill at the Wendelstedt Umpire School. (Middle) Rice, far left, speaks to a group of students under his supervision. (Photos courtesy of Wendelstedt Umpire School.)
Championship Official, Longtime Mentor Walters Named 2023 Norris Honoree
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 30, 2023
From volunteering to umpire slowpitch softball to officiating at last season’s 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field, Jackson’s Chuck D. Walters has enjoyed every step of the climb over 44 years as a Michigan High School Athletic Association-registered official.
As a revered and beloved trainer, mentor and recruiter of officials, he’s also dedicated decades to providing opportunities to the next generations of officials in his community.
For especially his work in nurturing others in the avocation, Walters has been selected as this year’s MHSAA Vern L. Norris Award honoree.
The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels.
Walters has registered to officiate MHSAA football again this fall, which will begin his 45th year of refereeing or umpiring school sports. He’s a member of the Jackson Area Officials Association, Kalamazoo Officials Association and Southeast Michigan Sports Officials organization, and he has served as a football and baseball trainer in the JAOA while also working more than 100 MHSAA postseason games in those sports including six football and two baseball Finals.
“Chuck Walters is one of the best people I’ve known through officiating. He’s been a leader and mentor for hundreds of officials in the Jackson area over many years,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, who also is a longtime football and baseball official at the high school and college levels. “Chuck is the epitome of what the Vern Norris Award is meant to honor.”
Walters was a three-sport athlete at East Jackson High School – playing football, basketball and baseball – and upon graduating in 1965 took a job with Chrysler at its Proving Grounds in Chelsea. While later coaching his son Chuck in youth baseball, Walters put on a slowpitch softball tournament to benefit the local Little League association – and umpired the bases at those games to help save money so more could go to the organization.
From there, he began filling a need locally for youth umpires. Relationships built in baseball turned into working subvaristy football. After his son graduated from Napoleon, Walters’ Friday nights opened up and he filled that personal sports void by beginning a long and successful career in varsity football as well. He first registered for two years at the start of the 1970s, and returned to register without pause beginning with the 1981-82 school year.
In addition to working youth and high school athletes, Walters has umpired college baseball primarily at the Division II, III and NAIA levels but also in the Big Ten Conference and Mid-American Conference. He also served 35 years as the volunteer clock operator at Napoleon High School basketball games – his current football crew includes multiple former Napoleon athletes or coaches.
Among recommendations for this Norris Award came a letter from his entire crew and another noting Walters continues to mentor 14 current officials while always seeking to introduce opportunities to others.
“I used to go to a lot of college football meetings just to stay current, and they’d talk about this and that and my head would be spinning forever,” Walters said. “We have four new officials in our area starting football this fall, and I know their heads will be spinning when we talk about this and that. My focus will be to get those new officials’ feet on the ground, get them (progressing) step by step by step. Once they get that passion to officiate whatever sport it might be, they just take off.”
Walters received the Al Cotton Award in 2013 from the Jackson Citizen Patriot for his contributions to Jackson-area sports, and was named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) Hall of Fame in 2021 as a “friend of basketball” for his hundreds of games operating the clock.
Walters and his high school sweetheart Judy have been married 57 years, and they have adult children Stacy and Chuck. Walters retired from Chrysler after 32 years and has a car restoration business.
Previous recipients
1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Par
2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids
2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
2010 – John Juday Sr., Petoskey
2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing
2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
2017 – Michael Gentry, Shelby Township
2018 – Jill Baker-Cooley, Big Rapids
2019 – David Buck, St. Joseph
2020 – Hugh Matson, Saginaw
2021 – Lewis Clingman, Grand Rapids
2022 – Pat Hayes, Birmingham
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45 & 50-YEAR OFFICIALS
The officials on this list are receiving their 20, 30, 40, 45 and 50-year service awards.
20-YEAR OFFICIALS
Allegan – Joseph Munn
Allen Park – James Murdoch
Ann Arbor – Shawna Lorch
Bad Axe – Gary Krause
Bannister – Clyde English
Baraga – Scott Koski
Battle Creek – Lonzo Warren
Bay City – Jason Ruple
Bay City – David Szczypka
Belleville – Michael McCormick
Big Rapids – Marty Shaffer
Blissfield – Steven Babbitt
Bloomfield Township – Richard Dylewski
Bloomfield Village – Maynard Timm
Bridgman – Shane Peters
Brimley – George Jones
Bronson – Brian Case
Bronson – Kevin Gardner
Brownstown Township – Charles Monette
Byron Center – Michael Jager
Cadillac – Demetrio Rojas-Cruz
Chassell – Robert Fay
Chassell – Shana Ruotsala
Chesterfield – Paul McBride
Clarkston – Jamie Rykse
Clarksville – Michael Burgess
Clinton Township – Mark Carney
Clinton Township – Keith Justice
Clinton Township – Brad Thomas
Commerce Township – Robert Foss
Constantine – Jerry Burgess
Cottrellville – Grant Harris
Dearborn Heights – Abasi Sanders
Detroit – Cozette Ealy
Detroit – Cedric Green
Detroit – Delonda Little
Detroit – William Pugh
DeWitt – Mark Kellogg
DeWitt – Adam Miller
Dorr – Dan Heasley
East Lansing – Eric McGaugh
Farmington hills – Kevin Cleveland
Fenton – Paula McAllister
Flint – Rozier Looney
Frankenmuth – Matthew Krause
Freeland – Nick Horn
Fremont – Kevin Holmberg
Gaylord – Michael Switalski
Gobles – Randy Hood
Grand Blanc – Josh Dean
Grand Blanc – Anthony Klinck
Grand Blanc – David Clement
Grand Ledge – Brian Gorman
Grand Rapids – Marc Davis
Grand Rapids – Timothy Gildner
Grand Rapids – Lloyd Kilgore
Grand Rapids – Fritz Owen
Grand Rapids – Debra Rambow
Grand Rapids – James Stokes
Grand Rapids – Michael Underwood
Grand Rapids – Randy Wilson
Grosse Ile – Michael Szczechowski
Grosse Pointe Woods – Douglas Bohannon
Harbor Beach – Jill Fuller
Harrison Township – Kimberly Broski
Hart – Chris Romero
Haslett – Scott Bradley
Haslett – Casey Kern
Hastings – Fred Koning
Highland – Jason Zimmerman
Holland – Jayson Dibble
Holt – Andrew Hoard
Honor – Matt Olson
Horton – Jerry Waddington
Houghton – Gregg Richards
Howell – Anthony Vella
Howell – Nathan Thompson
Hudsonville – Roberto Ortega-Ramos
Ionia – April Holman
Ironwood – Guy Trier
Jackson – Tracy Boyers
Jackson – Troy Fairbanks
Jackson – Daniel Garrison
Jackson – Jim Miller
Jackson – Bernard Nabozny
Jackson – Douglas Richardson
Jenison – Alfred Kennedy
Kalamazoo – Jill Lansky
Kentwood – Andrew Terrien
Kentwood – Rus Tien
Lansing – Oscar Castaneda
Lansing – Steve Crowley
Lansing – Terry Harris
Lansing – Arthur Lilly
Lansing – Keith Rhodabeck
Lansing – Cameron Rodgers
Lathrup Village – Gerald Jones
Livonia – Scott Racer
Macomb – Don Kalpin
Macomb – Terry Prince
Manistique – Joseph Crowder
Manistique – Howard Parmentier
Marlette – Chris Storm
Marquette – John Schultz
Marshall – James Dyer
Marshall – Eric Earl
Marysville – John Schweihofer
Mason – Ammahad Wnaikau
Memphis – Steven Gray
Merrill – Malena Marr
Michigan City – Larry Jordan
Middleville – Darrin Oliver
Midland – Thomas Coatoam
Midland – Alan Huntress
Milan – Jill Hargrove
Milan – Michael St. John
Milford – Jeffrey Garvin
Milford – Larry Walters
Mt. Pleasant – Jeff Siler
Muskegon – Robert Koekkoek
Niles – Cory Gowen
Niles – Glenn Kimmerly
Northville – Doug Doyle
Ortonville – Laurel Kobe
Perrysburg – Gregg Becker
Petersburg – Mike Faunce
Pickford – Marc Andrzejak
Pontiac – Wanda Clayton
Port Austin – Andrew Preston
Portage – Phillip Baker
Portage – Jeff Kirkman
Portage – Mike Lauraine
Portage – Michael Northuis
Reed City – Aaron Keup
Riverview – Gregory Drewno
Rochester – Avoki Omekanda
Rochester Hills – Michael Timko
Rochester Hills – Terry Zangkas
Royal Oak – Linda Mariani
Saginaw – Richard Moody
Saginaw – Charles Smith
Schoolcraft – Nathan DeMaso
Schoolcraft – Reid Jones
South Haven – Ken Dietz
South Haven – Douglas Jones
South Lyon – Elisabeth Tyzo-DePaulis
St. Clair Shores – Chad Kelly
Sterling Heights – Robert Hornik
Sterling Heights – Patrick Radaj
Sterling Heights – Erik Schneider
Sterling Heights – Ernest Sciullo
Sterling Heights – Terry Sheen
Stevensville – Thomas Rivette
Stevensville – Douglas Wegscheid
Swartz Creek – Andrew Palovich
Tecumseh – Eryn Stamper
Temperance – Larry Nocella
Traverse City – Jeffrey Brunner
Traverse City – Jason Meriwether
Traverse City – Thomas Spencer
Trenton – Brian Hill
Trenton – Kevin McMillion
Troy – Glenn Craze
Troy – Patrick Grady
Twin Lake – Mike Vanderstelt
Utica – Edward Kotulski
Wallace – Terry Unti
Walled Lake – Terry Prickett
Warren – Arthur Lynn
Wayland – Joseph Kramer
West Bloomfield – Ilya Beltser
West Branch – Howard Hanft
White Lake – Gregory Waun
Williamston – Kelli Hart
Wixom – Cuba Gregory
Wyoming – Kelli Polinskey
30-YEAR OFFICIALS
Allen – Kent Sanborn
Allen Park – Mark Klein
Alpena – Robert Centala
Alto – Bene Benedict
Bad Axe – Brent Wehner
Baroda – Chris Falak
Battle Creek – John Crumb
Bay City – Stephen Linton
Bay City – Scott Packard
Bay City – Joseph Pietryga
Bessemer – James Trcka
Brooklyn – Gregg Wonderly
Caledonia – Stacy Smith
Center Line – Scott Manteuffel
Charlotte – Val Nelson
Chelsea – Eric VanHevel
Chesterfield – Anthony Mancina
Clinton Township – Barbara Laird
Clinton Township – Scott Walendowski
Comstock Park – Kathy Felty
Davison – James Edgar
Dearborn – Gloria Joseph
Dearborn Heights – Rick Ballnik
Detroit – Joyce Smith
Dowagiac – Scott Stewart
East Lansing – Brent Sorg
Eaton Rapids – Wesley Collins
Essexville – Mark Gentle
Farmington Hills – Robert Dobson
Fenton – Paul White
Flat Rock – Janis Stahr
Flint – Richard Higgins
Flint – John Yelle
Flushing – Jeffrey Straley
Freeland – Terry Schmidt
Grand Blanc – Bernadette Koenig
Grand Blanc – Thomas Le Blanc
Grand Blanc – Leonard Sparks
Grand Rapids – Jacquie DeJonge
Grand Rapids – Jeff Green
Greenville – Darcia Kelley
Grosse Pointe – Ryan Murphy
Grosse Pointe Park – George Markley
Grosse Pointe Woods – Renee Dicristofaro
Hazel Park – Benny Holzman
Hickory Corners – Dean Bostwick
Holt – John Massey
Imlay City – John Forti
Kalamazoo – Julie Jones
Kalamazoo – Mark Kampen
Kingsley – David Lemmien
Lansing – Dee Hammond
Lansing – Robert Mccullem
Livonia – Steve Timm
Manchester – James Connors
Marinette – Neil Motto
Mason – Daniel Carmichael
Mason – Kathy Showers
Mattawan – John Visser
McMillan – Anthony Immel
Midland – Katherine Duso
Monroe – Carolyn Peters
Montague – Stanley Bush
Muskegon – Jacklyn Burr
Muskegon – Chris Calkins
Muskegon – Dennis Danicek
Muskegon – Randall Peters
North Muskegon – Tony Kartes
Ontonagon – Andrew Borseth
Ottawa Lake – Douglas Sanders
Paw Paw – Karla Koviak
Perry – Thomas Montpas
Petoskey – Mark Holland
Pierson – Joseph Williams
Pleasant Lake – Marty Shean
Plymouth – Michael Rossman
Plymouth – Richard Schmidt
Quincy – Candace Cox
Rapid River – Mike Pilon
Rochester – Janette Luttenberger
Rochester Hills – Katherine DiMeglio
Romeo – Mary Milke
Rossford – Steven Agler
Saginaw – Thomas Nichols
Saline – Todd Schultz
Shelby – Todd Fox
Shelby Township – Sheila Brownlee
Shelby Township – Kristi Dean
South Lyon – Michael Kiselis
Sparta – Ryan Huber
St. Clair Shores – Gary Kowalewski
St. Joseph – Terry Myers
St. Joseph – Dave Waaso
Standish – Kimberly Belchak
Stanton – Jason Petersen
Sterling Heights – George Braund
Sterling Heights – John Moceri
Traverse City – Allen Hebden
Utica – Sean Barel
Waldron – Michael Granger
Walled Lake – Donald Magee
Warren – Joseph DiBucci
Washington – Gloria Berger
Wayne – Robert Allen
West Bloomfield – Cynthia Tyzo
Williamston – David Sweeney
Wolverine – David Ashenfelter
Wyandotte – David Shalda
Wyoming – Stephen Hendrickson
Yale – Perry Sutherland
40-YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian – Doris Goodlock
Allen Park – James Sombati
Battle Creek – Corby O'Leary
Bay City – Tony Biskup
Buchanan – Ronald Bartz
Cedar Springs – Dan Rypma
Charlevoix – Daniel Ulrich
Clark Lake – Ralph Piepkow
Clinton Township – Patrick Crandall
Crystal Falls – Lyle Smithson
Detroit – Aimee Davis
Detroit – John Leidlein
Detroit – Richard Shalhoub
Eastpointe – Wayne Rockensuess
Fort Gratiot – Jeff Klausing
Garden City – Eric Hebestreit
Grosse Ile – Steven Vecchioni
Hancock – Brian Rimpela
Holland – Brent Hoitenga
Hudsonville – Gerald Kuiper
Jackson – Thomas Morrissey
Jackson – Joseph Page
Jonesville – Kirk Snyder
Kentwood – William Meade
Lake Orion – James Weidman
Lansing – Daniel Kitchel
Lapeer – Gary Oyster
Lapeer – Scott Strickler
Macomb Township – William Gerbe
Mayville – Gary Libka
Midland – Bradley Crampton
Newaygo – Clinton Abbott
Ray – David Hines
Reed City – David Erler
Republic – Paul Price
Rockford – Carl Knoop
Rogers City – Karl Grambau
Roseville – Mario Soresi
Saginaw – Michael Mayers
Saginaw – Richard Welzein
Saginaw – Dennis Wildey
Sand Creek – Jack Sager
Sault Ste. Marie – Dale Cryderman
St. Clair Shores – Gerald Garcia
St. Joseph – Bruce Molineaux
Swartz Creek – James Loria
Temperance – Michael Bitz
Traverse City – Barbara Beckett
Walled Lake – Nicholas Lesnau
Waters – Rick Sehl
Ypsilanti – Jerry Kelley
45-YEAR OFFICIALS
Alpena – Scott MacKenzie
Berkley – Charles Tyrrell
Boyne City – Peter Moss
Bronson – Randy Houtz
Brown City – Curt Lowe
Buchanan – Larry Monsma
Burton – Thomas Rau
Cheboygan – Peter Stempky
Conklin – Gary Meerman
East Lansing – Bruce Heeder
Flint – Joseph Johnson
Flushing – David Cowden
Fowler – Dean Schrauben
Frankfort – Peter Olson
Grand Rapids – Todd VandenAkker
Haslett – Heidi Doherty
Holland – Craig Kuipers
Houghton – Roy Britz
Iron Mountain – Robert Barkle
Jenison – James Kerbel
Lake Isabella – James Novar
Linden – John Cross
Madison Heights – Joseph Marcinkowski
Muskegon Heights – Johnny Robinson
Oxford – Donald Maskill
Plymouth – Charles Hempel
Portage – Richard Bird
Portage – Robert Burch
Posen – Donna Couture
Prescott – Charles Wren
Roseville – Robert Iwasko
Shelby Township – Michael Gentry
South Bend – Dale Matteson
South Lyon – Dan Riggs
Taylor – Clayton Conner
Warren – Vern Rottmann
50-YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian – Gary Laskowsky
Ann Arbor – Michael Parsons
Canton – David Mattingly
Caseville – Daniel Korbutt
DeWitt – Raymond Barnes
Fenton – Hewitt Judson
Fruitport – David Fisher
Kalamazoo – David Turley
Livonia – Steven Boyak
Livonia – John Dunn
Ludington – Roger Chappel
Marlette – Jerry Sauder
Marquette – Gene Aho
Ontonagon – John Gravier
Palmetto – Donald Bourdon
Rodney – Jeffrey Greene
Rogers City – Michael Grulke
Saginaw – Richard Havercroft
South Haven – Robert Linderman
South Lyon – Richard Gibson
Stevensville – Bruce Arter
Traverse City – Tom Post
West Bloomfield – Anthony Magni
Whitehall – Chuck Hulce
PHOTO Chuck Walters officiates this past season's Division 5 Final.