Sparrow to Present MHSAA Hoops Finals
March 15, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Sparrow Health System of Lansing, a provider of medical expertise and information to Michigan High School Athletic Association schools, their athletes, parents and staff, will serve as the presenting sponsor of this season’s Girls & Boys Basketball Finals to be played over the next two weeks.
Sparrow, a member of the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network, is mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization with more than 10,000 caregivers. Sparrow’s Sports Medicine division offers programs for athletes at all levels and includes primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists and athletic and performance trainers.
The MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals will begin with Semifinals this Thursday (March 17) and Friday, with all four Finals on Saturday. The Boys Basketball Semifinals and Finals will be played next week, March 24-26. All games will be played at the Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University.
Sparrow lends its expertise through the MHSAA Website and on-site at various MHSAA tournament events. Resources from Sparrow staff, including information on current health and safety topics and trends, are accessible online through the Health & Safety page of the MHSAA Website, where an “Ask the Expert” feature connects users with sports health-related questions to Sparrow Caregivers.
“Sparrow Health System’s contributions have allowed us to bolster our ability to provide assistance on health and wellness topics to our athletes, parents, coaches and administrators,” said John E. “Jack” Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. “We are pleased to have Sparrow involved with two of our most attended events and the opportunities they provide to make contact with many of our constituents.”
The Girls and Boys Basketball Finals weekends drew a combined 62,654 fans in 2015.
In addition to its presence at MHSAA Tournament events, Sparrow also provides speakers at MHSAA functions and events throughout the state, offering guidance on health issues for student-athletes. Sparrow physicians have spoken during MHSAA staff training sessions, Student Advisory Council meetings and athletic director orientations.
“Sparrow is proud to be the official health system of the MHSAA,” said Michael Shingles, D.O., Sparrow Sports Medicine medical director and team orthopedic surgeon for Michigan State University. “We provide some of the most advanced care in the mid-Michigan region and world. We are particularly excited to have a new Sports Medicine practice specifically for athletes like those participating in the high school basketball playoffs at the Breslin Center.”
Sparrow is mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, St. Johns, Ionia and Carson City as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Physicians Health Network, the Sparrow Medical Group and the Michigan Athletic Club. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 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.
Sportsmanship Summits Go Annual
October 29, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Michigan High School Athletic Association will present its Sportsmanship Summit series again this November as the program becomes an annual event after previously being presented every other school year at four sites across the state.
MHSAA staff, with assistance from school administrators and the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, conduct Sportsmanship Summits. More than 1,000 students from more than 100 schools are expected to take part in the four workshops, where they will discuss the line that separates good from bad sportsmanship, especially when it comes to cheering at athletic events.
“Sportsmanship is a key part of athletic competition and should be a way of life for all young athletes,” said MHSAA assistant director Andy Frushour, who leads the Summits and serves as advisor to the Student Advisory Council. “By bringing the Sportsmanship Summit series to students every year, and to all areas of the state more regularly, we can better promote this value that will continue to serve student-athletes as they move on from high school and into other endeavors.”
Instruction will be based in part on insights gained during the Student Advisory Council’s Battle of the Fans competitions. The contest annually recognizes the best student cheering section in Michigan. The first Battle of the Fans champion was awarded at the end of the 2011-12 winter season.
This fall’s Summits again will feature hands-on breakout sessions – including one session developed and instructed by members of the Student Advisory Council. To conclude the Summits, the delegation from each participating school will meet to develop a youth sportsmanship campaign to implement upon returning to school.
Sessions will take place at the following:
- Marquette – Nov. 9 – University Center, Northern Michigan University – 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Warren – Nov. 11 – DeCarlos Banquet Center – 9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
- Kalamazoo – Nov. 16 – Downtown Radisson – 9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
- Lansing – Nov. 18 – Crowne Plaza Lansing West – 9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
Registration at each site is limited to the first 300 students and administrators, and the Lansing and Marquette Summits are sold out. Schools are welcome to bring as many as 10 total representatives, including two administrators. For additional registration information, contact Andy Frushour at the MHSAA office – [email protected] or (517) 332-5046.
Registration information also is available on the MHSAA Website.