UP Power
November 29, 2016
About five hours after leaving the Michigan High School Athletic Association office building late in October, I pulled into the parking lot of Munising High School on the edge of Lake Superior. It was just after 7 p.m. on this Thursday evening, I saw that there were many cars in the parking lot, and I guessed that there was a high school volleyball game about to be played.
Indeed. It was the last regular season match of the season, and senior night. I was greeted warmly by the match referee and the school's two veteran administrators. And one of Munising's senior players, a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, interrupted her warmups to jog over to welcome me. After the match, we hugged and posed for pictures together. Between the greeting and the posing, I enjoyed a marvelous evening of educational athletics.
There was plenty of cheering, and never a "boo." Not once did I hear a complaint about officiating. In fact, on two occasions the Munising coach corrected officials' calls that resulted in a point being awarded to his opponent.
For a time, every player on the floor for Munising had played more than one sport that season. Every one of the six played tennis as well as volleyball, and one of them also ran cross country this season. At the same time, the other team's participants included two girls who were also playing on their school's 8-player football team this past season.
Here the multi-sport student-athlete is not an endangered species; it's an essential fact of life. Here a school sports event draws the community together in good spirit and sportsmanship. Here is the power of school sports.
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.