Use of Participate Fees Falls in 2016-17
July 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Just under half of high schools responding to an annual Michigan High School Athletic Association survey assessed participation fees to help fund interscholastic athletics in 2016-17, making it the first school year since 2009-10 that fewer than 50 percent of respondents reported not charging student-athletes to play sports.
The survey, completed by 557 high schools – or 74 percent of the MHSAA membership – showed 49.7 percent charged participation fees, down from 51.5 percent in 2015-16.
There were 750 senior high schools in the MHSAA membership in 2016-17. This was the 13th survey of schools since the 2003-04 school year, when members reported fees were charged by 24 percent of schools. The percentage of member schools charging fees crossed 50 percent in 2010-11 and reached a high of 56.6 percent in 2013-14.
Class A schools remained the largest group charging fees, as 70 percent of respondents did so in 2016-17 and at least 70 percent have charged for the last five years. Class B schools ticked up to 52 percent charging fees, but Class C (42 down from 49 percent) and Class D (35 down from 38 percent) both reported lower percentages of schools charging fees.
Charging a standardized fee for each team on which a student-athlete participates – regardless of the number of teams – remains the most popular method among schools assessing fees, with that rate at 44 percent of schools that assessed fees for the second straight year. Schools charging a one-time standardized fee per student-athlete rose slightly, from 27 to 31 percent over the last year. Also for the second straight year, the survey showed a slight decrease in schools assessing fees based on tiers of the number of sports a student-athlete plays (for example, charging a larger fee for the first team and less for additional sports) and also a slight decrease in fees being assessed based on the specific sport being played.
The amounts of most fees also remained consistent from 2015-16 to 2016-17: the median annual maximum fee per student at $150, the median annual maximum family fee at $300 and the median per-team fee at $75 – all for at least the third straight year. The median fee assessed by schools that charge student-athletes once per year increased again, but only $5 to $125 after showing a $20 increase per student-athlete between 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The survey for 2016-17 and surveys from previous years can be found on the MHSAA Website by clicking here.
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.
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.