Westdorp to Receive NFHS Citation
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 1, 2021
MHSAA assistant director Kathy Vruggink Westdorp is one of eight high school association leaders who have been selected to receive a Citation from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) during this summer’s annual meeting.
The Citation is one of the NFHS’ highest honors and recognizes recipients for their contributions to the NFHS, state high school associations, athletic director and coaching professions, the officiating avocation and fine arts/performing arts programs.
In addition to serving in most of those roles over more than 20 years in Grand Rapids-area schools, Westdorp has been a national leader in a number of efforts since joining the MHSAA staff during the 2003-04 school year.
She directs the MHSAA Coaches Advancement Program (CAP) and was named NFHS Coach Educator of the Year in 2015 for her leadership of the eight-level educational program that has seen nearly 16,000 coaches complete at least the first-level unit and nearly 2,300 advance through at least the program’s fourth level.
Westdorp received the MHSAA’s Women In Sports Leadership Award in 2004 and now directs that leadership program, as well as serves as lead MHSAA administrator for competitive cheer, girls gymnastics and girls lacrosse. She currently chairs the NFHS Education Committee and NFHS Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee.
“Kathy Westdorp is an incredibly hard worker, and that’s obvious in her dedication to her sports and especially coaches education,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “She’s tireless in her support for students and coaches in Michigan.”
Prior to joining the MHSAA staff, Westdorp served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, game official and school administrator. She came to the MHSAA after serving most recently as principal at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central High School.
She also previously served as athletic director at Grand Rapids Creston and as director of health and wellness programs for Grand Rapids Public Schools, taught at Grand Rapids Central and has coached basketball, field hockey, gymnastics, track & field and volleyball. Westdorp also is a past president of the Ottawa-Kent Conference.
Council Approves Proposals Providing Roster, Schedule Flexibility at Winter Meeting
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 23, 2026
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved a pair of proposals during its Winter Meeting on March 20 in East Lansing that increase roster flexibility in softball and schedule flexibility in track & field and will take immediate effect for this upcoming spring season.
The Council approved a Softball Committee proposal to allow athletes to compete on teams in multiple levels of that sport on the same day, as long as those athletes do not exceed 38 regular-season games in total across all levels. This mirrors what is currently allowed in baseball.
The Council also approved a Track & Field Committee recommendation allowing for Regional competitions to be conducted on Wednesdays, in addition to the current Thursday-Saturday window. This adjustment will allow for Regionals to be competed this season from May 13-16.
Also approved for the start of the 2026-27 school year were matching proposals from the Golf and Tennis Committees adjusting the allowed first day of competition. Teams in those sports may now compete for the first time after three separate days of practice, but not before four calendar days after the first date of practice is permitted. All fall sports for 2026-27 are allowed to begin practice Aug. 10.
Additionally, the Council received a report on personal branding activity (PBA) deals students have made since the Council approved the allowance of PBA on Jan. 27. The Council also discussed the development of the online Transfer Tracker designed to guide schools on eligibility determinations whenever a student transfers schools after beginning ninth grade. The Council will consider taking action on use of the Transfer Tracker during its Spring Meeting, May 3-4.
The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
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.