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Summits Offer Chances to Learn, Share

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 2, 2019

“Be the Example” is a driving philosophy during the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s annual Sportsmanship Summits, and this fall’s series – provided at four sites during the first two full weeks of November – will offer more opportunities for students to present their ideas to each other as a way of sharing best practices for sportsmanship on and off the field of play.  

The MHSAA has conducted Sportsmanship Summits across Michigan for more than 20 years, and this year’s series kicks off Nov. 4 in Marquette and finishes Nov. 14 in Kalamazoo.

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, both as athletes during competition and when it comes to cheering at athletic events. Instruction will be based in part on insights gained during the Student Advisory Council’s Battle of the Fans competitions, which annually began recognizing the best student cheering section in Michigan during the 2011-12 winter season. Details for BOTF IX will be introduced during all four Summit stops.

This fall’s Summits again will feature hands-on breakout sessions and opportunities for students to meet with and discuss sportsmanship with local game officials, who will explain sportsmanship from their points of view and how they may differ from what students experience as competitors or fans. Members of the Student Advisory Council have developed and will instruct during another breakout session and also play a role in the opening all-Summit presentation. To conclude the Summits, the delegation from each participating school will meet to develop a sportsmanship campaign to implement upon returning to school.

Sessions will take place at the following:

• Marquette – Nov. 4 – NMU University Center – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Warren – Nov. 6 – DeCarlo’s Banquet Center – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Lansing – Nov. 11 – Crowne Plaza Lansing West – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Kalamazoo – Nov. 14 – Downtown Radisson – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Registration at each site is limited to the first 250 students and administrators. 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.

Ford Field Parking, Protocols Announced

November 24, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

To provide for the convenience and safety of spectators attending the Michigan High School Athletic Association 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field in Detroit, Nov. 28 and 29, attendees are being advised of a variety of items related to transportation and security – including policies regulating types of bags allowed into the stadium.

Parking will be available in Ford Field facilities and lots to the east and north of the stadium and cost $6. A map identifying the designated Ford Field lot (4) and parking deck can be found on the Football page of the MHSAA Website. (There also are a number of privately-operated parking facilities close to Ford Field, but their pricing may differ.)

Fans also are advised that tailgating, including the setting up and use of grilling equipment, and the consumption of alcohol, is prohibited in Ford Field parking facilities and lots.

Gates A, B and G will be available for public entrance during the event. Ticket sales will begin near Gates A and G at 8 a.m. each day, and the building will open its doors to spectators at 9 a.m.

Tickets are priced at $10 and allow a fan to see all four games in a single day. Spectators leaving the stadium will be required to purchase another ticket for re-entry. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted without charge for this event. There will not be a public Will Call window.

Upon arrival in the building, fans will find their designated seating areas on the South side of the field if their team is the designated home team for their contest and on the North side for the designated visiting team. Home teams this weekend are Clarkston, Muskegon Mona Shores, Muskegon, Grand Rapids South Christian, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Ithaca, Ishpeming and Munising. Brightly lit video boards above the seating areas will display the names of the participating teams each day, and fans should sit on the side of the stadium where they see their school’s name. For general fans, the entire lower bowl of Ford Field will be open for the event. 

Security measures also will be in place to help assure spectator safety. Fans will be subject to a visual search, and Ford Field personnel reserve the right to request patrons open their coats, bags and other item-carrying vessels for visual inspection and deny entrance to individuals who do not cooperate. Items which fans will be prohibited from bringing into the building include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, cinch bags, grocery & paper bags, duffle bags, luggage of any kind, computer and camera bags and large camera cases.
  • Aerosol cans (hairspray, mace, pepper spray, etc.)
  • Animals (except service animals to aid guests with disabilities)
  • Balloons (air or helium)
  • Balls (beach balls, footballs, etc.)
  • Banners or large flags
  • Cameras with lenses longer than five inches
  • Decals, stickers, confetti or glitter
  • Electronic equipment including laptop computers, video recorders and video cameras, and tripods (hand-held video cameras are allowed)
  • Fireworks
  • Food, beverages or liquids (cans, bottles, boxes, flasks, etc.)
  • Illegal substances
  • Knives, pocket knives, box cutters, scissors, etc.
  • Laser pointers
  • Markers (permanent) and/or paint
  • Noisemaking devices (bells, horns, kazoos, whistles, etc.)
  • Objects that can be used as missiles or projectiles (sticks, bats, clubs, Frisbees, etc.)
  • Seat cushions
  • Strollers and infant car seats or carriers
  • Umbrellas
    Weapons

The following items will be permitted after inspection:

  • Small bags, purses and fanny packs that do not exceed 8½ inches by 14 inches by 10 inches. An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.
  • Diaper bags (only if accompanied by a child)
  • Binoculars and binoculars cases
  • Cameras and small camera cases (lenses may not measure longer than five inches)
  • Small radios (no larger than the size of a football and used with an earpiece)
  • Small hand-held video cameras (but no tripods or extension cords)
  • Small, compact umbrellas (must be placed securely under seat)
  • Posters and signs without poles or sticks, or larger than what one person can hold.

The complete list of prohibited items can be found on the Ford Field Web site under Policies & Info. Prohibited items that are discovered during security inspections at stadium entrances must either be returned to the owner's vehicle or discarded. Items will not be held for later pickup.

Fans are reminded that all image taking (still and video) may be only for personal, non-commercial use.