NFHS Voice: Respect Everyone
November 4, 2019
By Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director
Case studies have revealed that kids want to participate in high school sports because they are fun. Being a part of a team gives them an identity, a sense of self-worth and, in some cases, a reason for engaging in academics. They are included, accepted and feel like a valued member of a community.
This describes the ideal and the goal of high school sports. Fortunately, that atmosphere exists at a majority of the 19,500-plus high schools within the NFHS family. And since it is the desire of high school leadership throughout the country that these ideals continue, we are concerned about the growing decline in respect, integrity and unacceptable behavior in and around high school sports.
Racism is one of our greatest concerns nationwide. We have heard of students posting videos to social media with racist comments. We read about racial comments by team members of nearly all-white schools to opposing players from schools composed of nearly all minority students. There have been cases of white players disrespecting Native American players on the opposing team by addressing them in an unacceptable manner.
This type of behavior could be a reflection of events occurring in our society, or due to lack of a respectful environment at home. Regardless, they are not defensible reasons for the occurrence of these horrible acts within education-based high school sports and activities.
High school sports and activities exist to lift people up, not demean or tear people down. National politics or lack of role modeling by adults at home aside, coaches, administrators and other leaders in high schools nationwide must direct programs with respect, acceptance and dignity and demand the same from the school participants.
More than 50 years ago, Special Olympics began a global movement to break down barriers and end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. Since then, lives have been changed for the better all around the world. Many schools have implemented Unified programs in sports, performing arts and even physical education.
We must do the same for everyone. All student-athletes – regardless of race, religion, political views or gender identity – should be treated equally. As baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson said, “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me. ... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
As schools hire individuals to fill coaching positions, character must be the top prerequisite for the job. They must be guided by honesty, integrity and ethics, and they must be positive role models for students. And this is certainly not a new idea.
H. V. Porter, the first full-time executive director of the NFHS, had the following to say in 1950: “The amount of success (in improving sportsmanship) is largely dependent on the degree to which attention is constantly given to the matter by the school staff.”
We certainly agree with Mr. Porter but also believe that everyone must pay attention.
The NFHS has several free online education courses through the Learning Center (www.NFHSLearn.com) that can assist in establishing a program that teaches and models respect for self and respect for others. We suggest that “Teaching and Modeling Behavior,” “Sportsmanship” and “Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors” be required courses for everyone working with student-athletes.
High schools must establish a culture that values the worth of every single person – both players on the school’s team and players on the opposing team. There must be a no-tolerance policy regarding behavior that shows disrespect for another individual.
Kids today are looking for a community, and high school sports and activities must be that community that is fun, respectful and supportive of everyone.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her second year as executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS, which celebrated its 100th year of service during the 2018-19 school year. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.
Century of School Sports: These Record-Setters Were Nearly Impossible to Defeat
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 13, 2025
Most days, across Michigan high school sports and athletics at every level, a rare big-time upset is going to grab a bigger headline over yet another win by a usual favorite that comes out on top all the time.
But today, we’re going to celebrate teams that have made winning something of a daily routine over long stretches during the MHSAA’s 100-year run.
For the majority of head-to-head team sports, the MHSAA tracks winning streaks and lists the longest in their respective record books. And while all making those lists are impressive, the longest seem almost inconceivable.
Let’s start with the 192-match winning streak by Marysville from Dec. 10, 1996, through Jan. 15. 2000, the longest by number of victories. That incredible run made up most of the first half of an also incredible eight-straight Class B Finals championship seasons for the Vikings. Three others volleyball teams have won at least 92 straight matches, but none more than 98.
Traverse City Central girls tennis’ 107-dual match winning streak from 1989-2000 is the longest by length of time, and the only other to reach triple digits for total wins – with a seven-year, 71-match run by the Okemos boys tennis team from 1990-97 also reaching toward nearly a decade of similar success.
Several more have approached the 100-consecutive-win milestone. Hudsonville Unity Christian girls soccer won 86 straight games from 2005-08, and actually was 97-0-1 over those four seasons. The Allen Park Cabrini softball team won 80 straight games during the 2006-08 seasons, the Powers North Central boys basketball team won 84 straight games between 2014-17, and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s baseball team became our latest winning streak record-setter with 84 straight victories from May 1, 2021 through May 3, 2023.
Okemos is the one of only two schools with two record winning streaks, having also won 64 straight girls lacrosse games from March 21, 2009, through May 3, 2011. The other is North Central, which also won 41 straight 8-player football games between Sept. 18, 2020, and Sept. 15 2023, with many of the same athletes who played on the record-setting boys basketball team.
Also from the Upper Peninsula, Carney-Nadeau’s girls basketball teams of 1989-91 held on to their record of 78 consecutive wins despite a 76-victory pursuit by Pittsford from 2015-18. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice won the first 13 Division 1 boys lacrosse championships, and the early years of that run included a 29-game winning streak during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
The record holders in boys soccer and 11-player football require a little bit of explanation. While Genesee Christian owns the boys soccer winning streak record of 33 from 2015 and beginning of the 2016 season, Detroit Country Day easily outpaces the rest for longest unbeaten streak in that sport having gone 69-0-10 between 1991-94.
Hudson football also remains legendary for its record streaks of 72 straight wins (including playoffs) from 1968-1975 and 81 straight during the regular season from 1968-1977 – although that playoff era streak included only one playoff win, as the Tigers won their Semifinal in 1975 but fell to Ishpeming in the inaugural Class C title game. The longest football playoff streak built entirely during the playoff era belongs to Ithaca, which won 69 straight games beginning with its opener in 2010 and ending in the 2014 Division 6 championship game as the Yellowjackets pursued what would have been a fifth-straight title in that division.
The lack of winning streak lists in wrestling and ice hockey are a noticeable gaps in this collection. Those lists hopefully will be constructed in the future.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
May 6: 200+ Representatives Fill All-Time Council Roster - Read
April 29: MHSAA Programs Prioritize Health & Safety - Read
April 23: Patches Signify Registered Officials' Role in MHSAA Story - Read
April 16: Student Advisory Council Gives Voice to Athletes - Read
April 9: State's Storytellers Share Spring Memories - Read
April 2: Sharp Leadership Synonymous with MHSAA Success - Read
March 25: Athletic Directors Indispensable to Mission of School Sports - Read
March 18: 2025 Finals Begin Next Half-Century of Girls Hoops Championships - Read
March 11: Boys Basketball's Best 1st to Earn MHSAA Finals Titles - Read
March 5: Everything We Do Begins with Participation - Read
Feb. 25: Slogans & Logos Remain Unforgettable Parts of MHSAA History - Read
Feb. 19: MHSAA Tickets Continue to Provide Fan-Friendly Value - Read
Feb. 11: We Recognize Those Who Make Our Games Go - Read
Feb. 4: WISL Conference Continues to Inspire Aspiring Leaders - Read
Jan. 28: Michigan's National Impact Begins at NFHS' Start - Read
Jan. 21: Awards Celebrate Well-Rounded Educational Experience - Read
Jan. 14: Predecessors Laid Foundation for MHSAA's Formation - Read
Jan. 9: MHSAA Blazes Trail Into Cyberspace - Read
Dec. 31: State's Storytellers Share Winter Memories - Read
Dec. 17: MHSAA Over Time - Read
Dec. 10: On This Day, December 13, We Will Celebrate - Read
Dec. 3: MHSAA Work Guided by Representative Council - Read
Nov. 26: Finals Provide Future Pros Early Ford Field Glory - Read
Nov. 19: Connection at Heart of Coaches Advancement Program - Read
Nov. 12: Good Sports are Winners Then, Now & Always - Read
Nov. 5: MHSAA's Home Sweet Home - Read
Oct. 29: MHSAA Summits Draw Thousands to Promote Sportsmanship - Read
Oct. 23: Cross Country Finals Among MHSAA's Longest Running - Read
Oct. 15: State's Storytellers Share Fall Memories - Read
Oct. 8: Guided by 4 S's of Educational Athletics - Read
Oct. 1: Michigan Sends 10 to National Hall of Fame - Read
Sept. 25: MHSAA Record Books Filled with 1000s of Achievements - Read
Sept. 18: Why Does the MHSAA Have These Rules? - Read
Sept. 10: Special Medals, Patches to Commemorate Special Year - Read
Sept. 4: Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships - Read
Aug. 28: Let the Celebration Begin - Read
PHOTOS Clockwise from top left: Allen Park Cabrini catcher Amanda Chidester celebrates her team's 2007 softball championship. (2) Genesee Christian's Caleb DuPree (11) controls possession as Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep's Kawika Singson pursues during their 2015 championship match. (3) Shaleene Glombowski sets for Marysville during the 1998 Class B Final. (4) The 1995 Okemos boys tennis team takes a photo after clinching another Finals championship. (5) Carney-Nadeau's Jill Wetthuhn drives against Fowler during the 1990 Class D Final.