Thank You from Second Half
January 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Next week will mark the one-year birthday of Second Half, our place to tell your high school sports stories.
And I thank you for helping us to such a great start.
We knew what we hoped to accomplish starting this site a year ago, but we've learned quite a bit during a relatively short time. Although we continue to pursue the mission of being home of the state’s best high school stories and a daily stop for fans, we’ll continue to experiment to figure out what you'd most like to see and how best we can continue to pass along the great things happening in MHSAA athletics.
A few things to call to your attention as we move ahead:
- First and foremost, we strive to tell your stories – hoping to hit every sport and all regions of our state – and have some intriguing ones coming up as we get into the second half of the winter season. Stay tuned.
- Second Half is the home for the “Battle of the Fans II.” We have visits to Buchanan and Vandercook Lake next week, followed by Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Zeeland East the week after. We’ll announce the winner Feb. 22. All will be found here first.
- We've revamped our video page (see menu across the top of this screen) and will be adding more videos more regularly in the year to come.
- After a brief hiatus, we’ll next week bring back “High 5s” featuring two athletes and a team that have done great things this season.
- What you’re reading now is the first of a weekly “First Pitch” blog that will allow us to post more of the quick hits we run across in our regular travels. Make sure to continue checking out the twice-weekly blog by Executive Director Jack Roberts, as well as the Viewpoints and SAC Sound-Offs supplied regularly by our friends from the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and the members of our Student Advisory Council, respectively.
- We began providing in-depth statewide coverage – both previewing and then postgame reporting – of our Finals in every sport this fall, and hope to become your first and fastest source for the stories behind our championships.
We’re always looking for ideas both for stories or any other features you’d like to see – and feel free to send them directly to me at [email protected].
And again, thank you again for coming to our site today. We look forward to seeing you more in the year to come.
In Memoriam: Vic Michaels (1954-2025)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 30, 2025
The hearts of the MHSAA and countless others in the school sports community are heavy after the unexpected death Monday of Catholic High School League director Vic Michaels, also a longtime and devoted member of the MHSAA’s Representative Council. He was 71.
Michaels was inducted into the CHSL Hall of Fame in 2024 as a “Legend” – a title carrying prestige that certainly described his contributions to school sports on a statewide level as well.
After a decorated 17-year career as a coach, teacher and administrator at Center Line St. Clement, Michaels joined the CHSL office as associate director in 1995, and then assumed the role as leader of the league in 2003 when then-director Tom Rashid left to become associate director at the MHSAA.
Michaels also joined the Representative Council in 2003, representing non-public schools and serving as the Council’s secretary-treasurer. But his impact was much more far-reaching than titles could explain. As MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl told the Detroit Free Press in coverage of Michaels’ 2024 CHSL recognition, “I’m not sure there’s been anyone who’s been more important to the MHSAA over the last 40 years than Vic Michaels,” and called him one of the key builders of the MHSAA over its first 100 years as that milestone was celebrated in 2024-25.
Especially over the last decade, as numerous Council and MHSAA staff members have retired or move on from school sports, Michaels has supplied vital context and institutional knowledge especially as a long-serving member of the Executive Committee, which considers eligibility decision appeals and other issues that must be addressed on a frequent basis. He provided a calm voice of reason and advocacy, not only for students he represented from nonpublic schools but for athletes, coaches and administrators from all 1,500+ high schools and junior high/middle schools that make up the MHSAA membership. And serving as treasurer, he filled another crucial role in making sure the MHSAA stood on solid ground financially even amid the challenge of COVID-19 and while expanding its numbers of sponsored tournament sports and students served.
Michaels attended Detroit St. Phillip High School, and after St. Phillip closed, was part of the final graduating class at Detroit St. Ambrose in 1972. He attended and played college basketball at Detroit Institute of Technology and earned his teaching certificate from University of Detroit Mercy.
He coached junior varsity at Dearborn St. Alphonsus and Redford St. Mary before beginning a tenure in 1978 at St. Clement where he taught, served as athletic director and assistant principal and won more than 300 games as the school’s boys and girls varsity basketball coach, earning statewide “Coach of the Year” awards leading both programs during the 1980s.
Michaels and his wife Linda were married 46 years, and he also is survived by his sons Marc and Brad, their wives and grandchildren.
As the CHSL noted in its memorial to Michaels, “Vic dedicated his life to Catholic education, interscholastic athletics, and the young people entrusted to his care. His leadership of the CHSL was marked by integrity, vision, humility, and an unwavering belief that athletics are an extension of the classroom — meant to form the whole person in faith, character, discipline, and service. … His decisions were thoughtful, his counsel wise, and his love for the educational athletics unmistakable.”
PHOTO MHSAA Representative Council member Vic Michaels, far right, with the assistance of MHSAA Student Advisory Council member M'Khi Guy from Muskegon, presents Warren De La Salle Collegiate coach Dan Rohn the finalist trophy after the 2023 11-Player Football Final at Ford Field. (Photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)