Always Aiming to Provide a 'Fair Start'
June 6, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Tom Truscott was glad where he stood as he raised his hands to start the 100-meter boys Regional race at Lansing Sexton in 1987 that featured Corey Pryor of Jackson, Tico Duckett of Kalamazoo Loy Norrix and the host Big Reds’ Alan Haller.
They’d go on a few weeks later to finish first, third and fourth, respectively, in arguably the fastest MHSAA Finals race of all time. And on this afternoon, Truscott was glad he didn’t have to referee at the finish and figure out who crossed the line first.
To be honest, he’s never paid much attention to finishes during 42 years as an MHSAA track and field and cross country official who has launched a few generations of athletes in the classroom, on various playing fields and as one of the best-recognized race starters in the Lansing area.
His philosophy is simple – and surely has stretched across an educational career that began with his first MHSAA officials registration for the 1959-60 school year.
“I start,” Truscott said, “because I want to give the kids a fair start.”
Truscott has officiated for 42 years in addition to the nearly four decades he spent as a coach and athletic director. In keeping with that desire to give a “fair start,” Truscott quietly told organizers of the longtime Lansing Area Honor Roll Track and Field Meet that last Wednesday’s would be his 32nd and last as starter – not because he doesn’t love it still, but because it’s time to give younger officials the opportunity to run the prestigious show.
It’s a decision consistent with a career of creating opportunities – in track speak, starts – through sports.
“That’s typical Tom. He’s a gracious, humble man,” said retired longtime Grand Ledge and Fowler coach Kim Spalsbury, who now serves as director of the Honor Roll Meet. “That’s what Tom’s all about.”
Standing tall
There’s no way Truscott is 75 years old, one might conclude as he stands tall and instructs runners at the start of a race in a smooth baritone voice.
But he’s been involved as a high school athlete, coach, director or official for more than 60 years – and has officiating dates already stamped on his 2013-14 calendar.
Truscott remains best known in school circles for his more than three decades as a coach and administrator at Potterville High School. A three-sport standout at Lansing Everett from 1953-56 and then two-sport athlete at Hillsdale College, Truscott joined Potterville schools in 1961. He went on to coach Vikings boys basketball teams to more than 300 wins and four District titles during 35 seasons, and he also led the football program for 24 seasons over two tenures – five of his teams won league championships, and he joined the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1986.
He also served as Potterville High School’s athletic director from 1963-96, even during a brief time when he also coached football as an assistant at Lansing Sexton. Potterville was one of few small schools in the mid-Michigan area with full track and field facilities, so Truscott hosted just about every significant event. He served as meet manager for 16 Regionals and also the 1977 and 1978 Lower Peninsula Class D Wrestling Finals.
Truscott also was a strong advocate as girls sports began to grow after Title IX. Among his best coaching hires was Sheryl Mox – who ended up leading both the girls basketball and volleyball teams to MHSAA championships and also became the athletic director.
“He’s a tall man in stature, and that’s a good way to list his long list of accomplishments,” said Spalsbury, who met Truscott in 1980 as their schools belonged to the same league, the Central Michigan Athletic Conference.
Truscott took an officiating course while at Hillsdale, and soon after debuted as an official for a few Thursday night football games. He was a third base umpire during the inaugural Capital Area Diamond Classic baseball tournament, which finished up its 52nd running this week. Cross country and track and field became his sports of choice for officiating because they best fit into his schedule as a coach and athletic director. He took a break from officiating for most of the 1970s, but has been a consistent presence again for the last three decades.
“You can stay associated with athletics by doing it. And you’re the person that’s going to influence the charisma of the game, how the game goes,” Truscott said, explaining how he'd sell the avocation to someone who might be considering it. “You don’t want to be noticed; you’re there to make a fair call and give kids a fair start.”
Seeing the big picture
That's another way Spalsbury described his longtime colleague.
Truscott continues to love the sports he played and coached. But running sports he officiates have earned a special place in his heart.
“You’re always going to the dugout or the locker room (with other sports). You never socialize with your competitors,” Truscott said. “With track and cross country, that’s the marvel of it; you talk to each other, know each other and then get into the blocks and try to beat each other. Then associate with each other again.”
History is among Truscott’s favorite non-sports pastimes, although he certainly finds ways to tie the two; he emulated his Everett history teacher and coach Ted Bauer and so became a history teacher as well who often found a way to mix historical context into halftime speeches.
Truscott is an active member of the Michigan Historical Commission and has dedicated roughly 60 landmarks across the state. An officiating experience recently crept into one of those dedications – when placing a marker at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Community College last month, he likened the continuing education aspect of junior college to a Fulton-Middleton runner who despite trailing by laps continued until she had finished her race.
As word began to spread Wednesday that Truscott was retiring from the Honor Roll Meet, a few admirers made sure to pass on what he’d meant to them. Former Lansing Catholic standouts Zach Zingsheim and Jimmy Hicks – now running at Georgetown University and the University of Georgia, respectively – made sure to let Truscott know he was the best they’ve had start them, including those they’ve seen during their first seasons at the college level.
“They made a point to search him out and go and talk to him and tell him what they thought of him,” Lansing Catholic coach Tim Simpson said. “It is rare that kids would gain that much respect and like for an official.”
But Truscott has earned it by understanding how best to relate to high school athletes.
His son John Truscott, a former athlete at Sexton, remembered a situation concerning a championship-caliber competitor who was committing a minor violation that would've meant disqualification – but before taking that step, Tom Truscott gave the athlete a head's up instead. “He’s always looking out of kids,” John Truscott said.
Simpson recalled another occasion when one of his more “fiery” freshman girls threw a baton in the infield after a disappointing finish. Truscott called out “Ma’am” – which might’ve been a first for the stunned runner – and then explained why what she did was wrong. “Instead of just disqualifying her, he took the extra time. And that incident was never forgotten by that girl,” Simpson said. “It could have been a negative, and he turned it into a positive.
“He treats the kids with respect and in turn gets it back.”
Truscott started the Big Ten Cross Country Championships in 1991 at Michigan State University, and early in his career started meets at Olivet College and the University of Michigan.
But officiating at those levels never stacked up to the fun he’s had starting high school athletes.
John Truscott still hears from his dad after meets about the latest standout he saw or the one showing the potential to do great things. John knows better than most what the high school games mean to Tom – he often assisted his father during Saturday events – and why providing that "fair start" became a life's work.
“That really is his philosophy,” John Truscott said. “Over his career he coached great athletes, mediocre athletes and bad athletes. And he wanted them to all enjoy sports and learn from them, no matter what the future held for them.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Tom Truscott starts a race during last week's Lansing Area Honor Roll Track and Field Meet at Holt High School. (Middle) Truscott oganizes the 3,200 relay teams before their race. (Below) The 100-meter finalists await Truscott's start. (Photos by Geoff Kimmerly.)
Norris Winner Excels in Valuable Roles
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 19, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first thing Michael Gentry did after showing up for a freshman/junior varsity football doubleheader was pull out a new white hat, presenting it to a young official working as the referee for the first time – the first act of encouragement that eased the up-and-comer’s anxiety throughout the game.
Another former pupil wrote of how, no matter if a game was five minutes or 50 from his mentor’s house, Gentry always was there – and a list of observations and pointers would be under that young official’s windshield wipers when he arrived at his car to go home.
Gentry always has made it a priority to help young officials realize their potential, wrote another, often giving those eager to learn places on his crew.
“To this day, I derive more pleasure from passing on what I know and helping people take advantage of the resources that are there for them nowadays,” Gentry said. “I had dinner with one of (the officials I mentored) … and he told me he still has the pen-and-paper evaluations I did and still reviews them to this day, and that just stuns me. I never realized the impact you can have on fledgling officials.”
That impact, along with his continued success as one of Michigan’s top high school officials in a variety of sports, has earned Gentry the MHSAA’s Vern L. Norris Award for 2017.
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.
Gentry will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6 at Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing. He is in his 38th year as an MHSAA-registered official, this school year for football, basketball and baseball, and has worked MHSAA Finals in four tournaments (boys and girls basketball separately) and 10 championship games total during his tenure serving Michigan’s high school athletes.
A member of the Metro Detroit Officials Association, Gentry has officiated MHSAA Finals in baseball (1992, 1999, 2003, 2010), football (1994, 2005, 2010, 2016), boys basketball (2008) and girls basketball (2013) and most recently the Division 4 Football Final on Nov. 25 between Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Detroit Country Day at Ford Field.
He’s also mentored or assisted in guiding a number of young officials from his community over the years and frequently served as a presenter and clinician at local and MHSAA clinics and officials meetings.
“Michael Gentry’s work encompasses all that is recognized by the Vern L. Norris Award,” MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said. “He’s at the top of his game on the field. But his contributions off the field recruiting and mentoring young officials are just as significant. Ask those who have had an opportunity to receive his guidance, and they’ll describe him as selfless, dedicated and truly invested in building up the next generation.”
Gentry initially hoped to stay in athletics as a coach after graduating from Harper Woods Notre Dame High School in 1971. He had played basketball as a freshman in high school and also as part of Detroit’s Catholic Youth Organization athletic program growing up, and he had coached CYO teams for nearly a decade when one of his players’ parents who also served as a local referee suggested Gentry give officiating a try.
He first registered as an MHSAA official for the 1978-79 school year and was mentored early on by Detroit’s Ted Wilson, the eventual first recipient of the Norris Award in 1992.
“He was very instrumental in getting me games, higher profile games, games when I started out at the junior high level, and really forging a path for me,” Gentry said. “As a matter of fact, the first Regional in basketball I worked was with Ted, and although I don’t know it for a fact, I’m pretty darn sure he was the reason I was on that game with him.”
Following Wilson’s lead, Gentry took an interest in not just officiating, but teaching others how to do so. His current football crew includes six officials he helped mentor, including three who are 25 or younger.
A number of officials who have been mentored by Gentry and the Macomb association have gone on to work not just high-level high school games, but at the college level. One of them, Nick Meyer, now officiates in the National Basketball Association’s D-League.
Gentry, who also has officiated at the Division III college level, took classes at Macomb Community College and Wayne State University after high school before taking a fulltime job at General Motors. For the last 20 years he has worked for Carmela Specialty Foods in Clinton Township, currently as the chief operating officer of the wine division.
While that role has come with more responsibility, his fulltime bosses have been supportive of his officiating avocation – and Gentry plans to keep on as long as he’s able.
“It’s a question I ask myself all the time – why do I love it – and basically, it’s like an addiction,” Gentry said. “When the season is over, I get near depression; I just wait for the next season to start. I don’t know what it is. Part of it is the job and doing it well as an individual, and getting together with other people as a unit and doing a good job. There’s satisfaction in that.
“As a football crew we joke, when we hear coaches say, ‘Here comes Gentry’s crew,’ we take that as a good sign. They realize they’re not getting away with anything.”
Gentry was inducted into the Detroit Catholic High School League Hall of Fame in 1996. He also is a dedicated contributor to his parish community at St. Isidore Church in Macomb.
Previous recipients of the Norris Award
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 Park
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
High school game officials with 20, 30, 40, 45 and 50 years of service also will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6.
Seventeen officials with 50 or more years of service will be honored, along with 26 officials with 45 years. A 40-year award will be presented to 68 officials. In addition, 97 officials with 30 years and 190 officials with 20 years of experience will be honored. With the induction of this year’s group of 398, the honor roll of officials who have aided young student-athletes grows to 10,595 since the inception of the banquet in 1980.
Tickets for the banquet are available to the public and priced at $20. They will not be sold at the door. Tickets can be ordered by calling the MHSAA office at (517) 332-5046 or by sending the order form. Deadline to order is April 27.
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45 & 50-YEAR OFFICIALS
The officials on this list will receive their 20, 30, 40, 45 or 50-year service awards at the 38th annual Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6 at Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing.
20 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Bill Collins
Adrian - Paul D. Noce
Albion - Mary Ann Egnatuk
Allen - Christopher L. Adams
Allendale - Arnulfo S. Perez
Alma - Jillane S. McDonald-Sandro
Alma - Jennifer L. Shearer
Ann Arbor - David M. Siegle
Auburn Hills - Michael J. Rossi
Battle Creek - Jonathan E. Dolbee
Battle Creek - Dustin M. Fox
Battle Creek - Michael J. Whalen
Belleville - Keith J. Kennedy
Blissfield - Neil L. Heiden
Britton - Rex A. Forsyth
Bronson - Michael G. Sellers
Brownstown Township - Anthony J. Jesue
Byron Center - Michael S. Sturm
Canton - Bryan C. Earl
Canton - Michael F. Guzowski
Charlotte - James E. Hoyt
Chassell - Vickie L. Lobeck
Clare - Christopher T. Gibson
Clarkston - Darwin Conley
Clinton - Dan J. Jurasek
Clinton Township - Vincent J. Garofalo
Clio - David L. Prevost
Comstock Park - Sam Weatherwax
Constantine - William H. Wright
Coopersville - Ben Hondorp
Davison - Steven K. Barbeau
Dearborn - Kevin R. Wilkinson
Dearborn Heights - Julie A. Ader
Detroit - Sean L. Murphy
DeWitt - Patrick M. McDonnell
Dexter - David R. Steptoe
East China - Wayne D. Biscorner
East Jordan - Phyllis A. Olszewski
Essexville - Roland W. Swartout
Farmington - Dennis K. Miller
Farmington Hills - Ken R. Holzheimer
Farmington Hills - Kevin N. Short
Fenton - James M. Anderson
Flint - Ricky E. McQueary
Flint - John L. Perrine
Fountain - Sean R. Sutcliffe
Fowlerville - Nick Douglass
Fremont - Jan L. Burch
Garden City - Gregory Kozub
Gaylord - John B. Carrick
Gladstone - Russell W. Hall
Gladstone - Gerald E. Kulbertis
Grand Blanc - Brian S. Kita
Grand Blanc - Albert L. Mason
Grand Ledge - Timothy D. Marsh
Grand Rapids - Michael Hillary
Grand Rapids - Marc E. Miedema
Grand Rapids - Marc Van Maldegen
Greenville - Greg L. King
Grosse Pointe Farms - John B. Rucinski
Gwinn - Kevin V. Thomma
Hanover - James D. Hose
Harper Woods - April A. Martin
Hillsdale - Daniel C. Laws
Holland - Timothy H. Howell
Holland - Michael R. Jaeger
Holland - Ronald A. Kamper
Holland - Stephen L. Todd
Holly - Anthony G. Engelberg
Holt - Michael A. Dunlap
Holt - Daniel Grady
Howell - John B. Gendron
Howell - Dan W. Jeffery Jr.
Howell - Kyle N. Richardson
Hudsonville - Kevin D. Bayko
Indian River - Gary L. Campbell
Ironwood - Daniel M. Finco
Jackson - Jeff L. McDaniels
Jackson - Jason C. Smith
Jackson - Randy R. Straub
Jonesville - Brian P. Stroble
Kalamazoo - Steven J. Bradstreet
Kalamazoo - Julie A. Cain-Derouin
Kalamazoo - Christopher G. Caldwell
Kalamazoo - Robert N. Cole Sr.
Kalamazoo - Mike E. Daugherty
Kalamazoo - Douglas G. Davidson
Kentwood - Dave C. Rost
Kentwood - Craig S. Workman
Kimball - Scott L. DesJardin
Kingsford - Greg J. Hendricks
Kingston - Tammy S. Brzezinski
Lansing - Terry R. Bernath
Lansing - William F. Burmeister
Lansing - Dawn M. Carson
Lansing - Nichole M. Fisher
Lapeer - James R. Farrand
LaSalle - Donald L. Jones
Livonia - Krista Hobbins
Livonia - Michael E. Sensoli
Lowell - Barry Hobrla
Ludington - James D. Bowen Jr.
Ludington - Les W. Johnson
Ludington - John E. Shay
Ludington - Paul R. Spaniola
Macomb - Douglas A. Crenshaw
Macomb - Joseph T. Latorre
Macomb - Richard T. Paperd
Macomb - Jeffrey J. Zielinski
Madison Heights - Joseph F. Young
Marinette - Al D. Mathy
Marlette - Susanne M. Burton
Marshall - Randy L. Blum
Mattawan - Paul P. Eggers
Mattawan - Chuck Rawsthorne
McBain - Paul Shaarda
Middleville - Jeffrey J. Kenyon
Midland - William A. Larson
Milan - Gary A. Blackford
Milford - John M. Cecil
Milford - Norman Kawaelde
Millington - Byron W. Drew
Monroe - Kenneth J. Bausman
Monroe - Michael G. Gaynier
Monroe - Christopher M. Haut
Monroe - Mark E. Leach
Morenci - Ryan W. Kast
Muskegon - Jeffery A. Dunn
Muskegon - Brad A. Swain
Muskegon - Michael S. Taylor
Muskegon - Leonard T. Vargas
Nashville - Steven L. Hopkins II
New Boston - David J. Sichterman
Novi - Donald A. Fralick
Oak Park - Jason F. Haluscsak
Owosso - Frank D. Tew Jr.
Paw Paw - Chad M. Szymczak
Pinckney - Michael L. Rose
Pittsford - John T. Hoeft
Plymouth - Paul E. Woodard
Port Huron - Jesus E. Castillo Jr.
Ravenna - Ken J. Punter
Reading - Eugene L. Miller
Redford - Michael R. Jackson
Redford - Michael Ross
Richland - John P. Nadzam
Richland - Anthony J. Vanlerberghe
Richmond - Gary R. Niebauer
Riverview - William M. Ellington
Riverview - Dominic Frontera
Rochester Hills - Robert T. Bobbitt
Rogers City - Cory A. Davis
Romulus - Donald L. Hamilton
Roscommon - Rodney C. Patterson
Roscommon - Stephen M. Reinke
Roseville - Michael J. Iwasko
Royal Oak - Michael M. Beaulieu
Saginaw - Robert (Terry) DeLand
Saginaw - Guy A. Marcoux
Scotts - Ruben D. Rosalin
Shelby Township - Beth M. Karle
Shelby Twp - Cary A. Stearnes
Shepherd - Gerald F. DeVall
Spring Arbor - Erika L. Raffin
St Louis - Kurt W. Ballien
Sterling Heights - Steven A. Matthews
Sterling Hts - Darron E. Bell
Sturgis - Darrell D. Peugeot
Sunfield - Bruce L. Elliott
Swartz Creek - Scott M. Lovely
Taylor - Michael T. Sarandrea
Toledo - Gregory S. Shoffer
Traverse City - Billie D. Drake
Traverse City - Edward N. O'Brien
Traverse City - Alan J. Waisanen
Troy - Craig R. Smith
Unionville - Douglas E. Coon
Waterford - Laurence K. Campbell
Waterford - Matthew R. Tilley
Wauseon - Ken D. Baumgartner
Weidman - Timothy W. Todd
West Bloomfield - Gary Devine
West Bloomfield - Alain Moore
White Lake - Ryan T. Negoshian
Whitehall - Kurt J. Huizenga
Williamston - Daniel L. Grooms
Wixom - Michael P. Fischer
Wyoming - Frederick S. Adrian
Wyoming - Jeffrey M. Hudson
Zeeland - Derk D. Teusink
30 YEAR OFFICIALS
Ada - Mike Terwilliger
Allegan - John M. Bishop
Ann Arbor - Jon M. Keith
Battle Creek - Malcomb K. Crawford
Bay City - Mark A. Bauer
Bay City - Rollin P. Fawcett
Big Rapids - Jeffrey S. Jennings
Boardman - Lynette S. Angood
Brownstown Township - Peter J. Bean
Buchanan - Randy L. Bicard
Burton - Darrick J. Puffer
Byron - Gregory A. Finch
Byron Center - Marvin J. Heasley
Casco Township - John E. Ward
Cedarville - LeRoy J. Pieri
Clark Lake - Mark G. Snyder
Clawson - Richard O. Szalma
Constantine - Dale W. Wentela
Dearborn - Mike E. Unger
Dearborn Heights - Phil L. Shannon
Eaton Rapids - William DeFrance
Escanaba - Gary D. Buckley
Farwell - Douglas J. Haggart
Flint - Joe H. Wheeler
Flushing - Steven J. Berriman
Flushing - Clarence E. Turner
Frankenmuth - Joe Ricard
Frankfort - Michael R. Fought
Frederic - Randall L. Holecheck
Gaylord - Ralph L. Galbraith
Gibraltar - Brian F. Herman
Grand Blanc - Brian J. Parr
Grand Rapids - Sharon K. Dekleine
Grandville - Geoffrey R. Goodyear
Grayling - Robert G. Gingerich
Grosse Pointe Woods - Tom C. Elsey
Holland - Michael D. Bos
Ida - Gary M. Miller
Ithaca - James J. Wideman
Jenison - Thomas A. Kragt
Kalamazoo - Loren L. Heun
Kalamazoo - Charles E. Kinnane
Lake Isabella - Kevin L. Fountain
Lake Leelanau - Glenn E. Huntley
Lake Orion - Lyle G. Sanderson
Lansing - Ronald R. Smoker
Livonia - Michael Wynn
Marquette - Barry C. James
Mason - Clinton M. Chadwell
Midland - Steve V. Weiger
Millington - Timothy P. Walter
Muskegon - Michael R. Cribbs
Muskegon - Matthew E. Preston
Nashville - Michael P. Meade Sr.
Negaunee - Glen Nelson
New Boston - William D. Spiecker
Newaygo - Raymond R. Bauer
Newberry - Rob J. Depew
Olivet - Douglas A. Thering
Owosso - Scott A. Schooley
Owosso - Robert K. Stinson
Pickford - Gregory M. Ledy
Pigeon - Catherine J. Dayak
Plymouth - Mike A. Kavulich
Portage - John J. Creek
Portage - Gregg D. Langley
Portage - John M. VanElk
Reading - Brian J. Hinkley
Romulus - Bill J. Miller
Roseville - Darin M. Gilbert Sr.
Royal Oak - Thomas Eschmann
Saginaw - Carl D. Miller
Saginaw - David A. O'Dell
Saginaw - Calvin L. Robinson
Sault Ste Marie - Billy R. Norton
Sawyer - Scott A. Ponegalek
Scottville - Benjamin E. Nelson
Shelby Township - James F. Plutschuck
Spring Arbor - Brad L. Buter
St Ignace - Gary L. McDonald
Standish - Rod L. Russell
Three Rivers - Kevin R. Tavernier
Traverse City - Roger D. Heeres
Traverse City - John T. Irwin
Traverse City - James D. Szur
Traverse City - Curtis A. Wolf
Vicksburg - Warner C. Offord Jr.
Warren - Kenneth J. Kaschalk
Waterford - Gillie A. David
Wayland - Richard T. May
West Bloomfield - Sheldon G. Larky
West Bloomfield - Lamont Simpson
Westland - Terrence E. Madigan
Wyoming - Gary A. Kuipers
Wyoming - Thomas J. Oosterbaan
Wyoming - Alan D. Woodcox
Zeeland - Carey M. Strykowski
40 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Don C. Fry
Alma - Bruce M. Moss
Almont - Thomas H. Abraham
Battle Creek - Joseph L. Kurti
Belding - Robert A. Youngs
Benton Harbor - Eleanor V. Dorow
Bristol - David J. Blough
Brooklyn - Thomas W. Crampton
Brown City - Richard Lee
Burton - Rosalie A. Howell
Burton - Steven A. Johnson
Clinton Township - Stephen D. Stuckey
Clio - Dale E. Sneller
Davison - Douglas C. Dillon
Davison - Randy Hutton
Detroit - Patricia E. Jones
Detroit - Bertha M. Smiley
DeWitt - John C. Hoekje
Farmington Hills - John D. Scott
Fenton - Richard D. Massa
Frankenmuth - Dennis Krafft
Galesburg - Wayne C. Patterson
Gladstone - David P. Gagnon
Gowen - Lennda J. Brown
Grand Haven - David B. Parsons
Grand Rapids - Tommy Chambers
Hazel Park - Ronald R. Nagy
Highland - Deborah S. Heck
Imlay City - Jeff M. Weingartz
Ionia - Paul D. Carmichael
Iron Mountain - John J. Sacchetti
Iron Mountain - Doug A. Schupp
Ironwood - Jeff D. Haapoja
Jackson - Douglas J. VanArsdalen
Kalamazoo - Kirk G. Hart
Kalamazoo - Christine M. Juszczyk
Lambertville - Thomas C. Williams
Lansing - George D. Runciman
Lansing - Bryan L. Smith
Macomb - Dennis M. Steele
Mancelona - Robert W. Sanders
Manistee - Tom L. Guenthardt
Muskegon - Jeffery A. Burr
Negaunee - Philip M. DeGabriele
New Buffalo - Jack P. Kennedy
Northville - John M. Fundukian
Norton Shores - Richard L. Anderegg
Norton Shores - Jim Tate
Petersburg - Richard A. Ley
Plymouth - Thomas J. Poma
Port Huron - Ray S. Cornwell
Posen - Frank Wozniak
Rapid River - Jeffrey A. Schram
Saginaw - Charles S. Sherman
Saginaw - Suzanne R. Swanton
Saginaw - William Turner
Sebewaing - Paul K. Geiger
Shelby Township - Michael L. Hessen
St Clair - Garth E. Jones
St Clair Shores - Roy W. Vorhees
St Louis - Michael R. Allen
Sturgis - David R. Cherry
Trenton - Max Monas
Troy - Joseph E. Thilman
Troy - Dennis W. Wedell
Warren - Kenneth C. Baker
Warren - Larry R. Leeper
Williamston - Michael A. Nestell
45 YEAR OFFICIALS
Battle Creek - Charles M. Hobbs
Blissfield - Darrell W. Polter
Bloomingdale - Clyde Line
Brighton - Bruce D. Ritter
Colon - Lloyd D. Teller
Davison - Patrick J. McKenna
Farmington - Raymond A. Cranston
Fremont - Ronald E. Mousel
Grand Rapids - Michael J. Cronkright
Grand Rapids - Tom J. Essenburg
Grand Rapids - Bryan P. Lillis
Howell - James L. Downs
Iron Mountain - Kenneth E. Marchetti
Ithaca - John P. Raducha
Lansing - Daniel J. Jimenez
Plymouth - Brian F. Foust
Saginaw - John B. Musulin
Spring Lake - William J. Fritsma
Spruce - Leslie L. Miller
St Clair Shores - George Mihalic Jr.
St Joseph - Frederick A. Fenrick
Taylor - Alphonse P. Ruffner
Tekonsha - Brian C. Briegel
Warren - Thomas J. Lieckfelt
Westland - James J. McPartlin |
Wyoming - Robert L. Stewart
50 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - James I. Kerekes
Alto - Paul L. VanOveren
Battle Creek - James P. Hayes
Caledonia - James P. Uyl
Florence - Dennis R. DeMerse
Grand Blanc - James Lott
Grand Rapids - Kenneth H. Terpstra
Haslett - Rodney H. Horton
Jenison - Frank P. Scalabrino
Middleton - Jim G. Niemiec
Negaunee - Roland K. Koski
Rochester Hills - Cecil R. Haggard
Rochester Hills - Walter E. Popyk
Rockford - Larry M. Taylor
Trenton - Arthur E. Wegienka
Ubly - Jerome J. Messing
West Bloomfield - Alan K. Kaczander
PHOTOS: (Top) Michael Gentry signals a change of possession while Detroit Country Day players cheer during this past season's Division 4 Final. (Middle) Gentry keeps an eye on the action as a side judge alongside back judge Nicole Randolph at Ford Field.