NFHS Voice: Time for Teachable Moments
September 6, 2019
By Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director
Welcome to another year of educational opportunities through high school sports and other activity programs in our nation’s schools. These programs provide many teachable moments not available in the classroom, and we look forward to making an impact on the more than 12 million young people involved in these vital activities.
Many states opened their high school football seasons during the final weekends of August. Thousands of other high school students will be involved in volleyball, cross country, field hockey, soccer and other sports this fall. And then there are those boys and girls involved in speech, debate, music and other cocurricular activity programs.
The NFHS distributed its most anticipated news release of the year earlier last week – the Annual Sports Participation Survey. The number of boys and girls involved in high school sports has been spiraling upward annually since 1988 – an amazing 29 consecutive years. However, due to several factors, the 2018-19 figure dipped to 7,937,491, which is the third-highest total in the 50-year history of the survey.
We have been aware for some time that the number of kids involved in youth sports has been declining. In addition, a decline in the number of public school students has been predicted for a number of years, so there simply may be fewer students in schools.
Understandably, the focus will be on the sport of football. While there were no states with significant drops in boys 11-player football, most states reported slight declines, which amounted to 30,000 participants nationally. However, a comparison of the figures from the past two years indicates that the average number of boys involved in 11-player football on a per-school basis dropped from 73 to 70, which would include freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams.
In some cases, schools are starting and/or increasing programs in 6-player, 8-player and 9-player football as participation numbers were up in all three versions of the game. And participation by girls in 11-player football has doubled in the past 10 years to 2,404 participants last year.
The survey confirmed that schools are not dropping the sport of football, which is great news. We continue to work with our state associations and groups such as USA Football to reduce contact and teach proper tackling skills at the youth level to increase the interest level as kids reach junior high school and high school.
While we hope that the numbers will return in football, we are pleased with the continued growth in several other sports, including volleyball, soccer and lacrosse. Since 2012, participation in girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse has increased 19 percent with a combined 213,452 participants in 2018-19. Girls and boys soccer has gained 70,668 participants since 2012 (a nine percent increase) and now has a combined 853,182 participants.
Seemingly, schools have something for everyone as the survey indicated participation by high school students in 70 different sports, as well as numerous adapted and Unified sports for students with disabilities. Schools are providing opportunities in bowling, badminton, flag football, archery, Ultimate Frisbee, bass fishing, crew and many, many others.
Ultimately, the goal of the NFHS and its 51-member state associations is to ensure that all students have an opportunity to enjoy healthy participation, achievement and good sportsmanship in education-based activities. We are excited about these opportunities as another school year begins.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is beginning 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: Slogans & Logos Remain Unforgettable Parts of MHSAA History
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 25, 2025
Logos and slogans are meant to stick in your mind – and the MHSAA has created several that have become synonymous with the story of school sports.
When was the first time you saw the MHSAA logo? For me, it was on a ticket to watch my school at the 1993 Girls Basketball Semifinals at Kellogg Arena.
And I thought “Good Sports Are Winners” was just something everybody said about all things sportsmanship. I had no idea it headlined as the first of now several memorable MHSAA statements meant to do precisely what it did inside my teenage head – bury itself in our minds so we would hopefully recall the importance of being a good sport whenever we heard it.
The MHSAA’s “Century of School Sports” have really included only about a half-century of this type of messaging and branding. But no matter if you’ve spent your time with us as an athlete, coach, administrator, official, fan or a combination of those roles, some of what follows should jog your memory – and hopefully stir up plenty of good ones as well.
- Good Sports Are Winners!
Jack Roberts was hired as the MHSAA’s fourth full-time executive director in 1986. His first hire was John Johnson as one of, if not the first-of-a-kind communications director at a high school athletic association in the nation. One of their first undertakings was a campaign to improve sportsmanship – and “Good Sports Are Winners!” became their first and perhaps still most recognizable phrase.
- Sportsmanship Begins At Home
- We Need You To Be A Good Sport!
Sportsmanship is an idea that never graduates, but it also needs to be reintroduced frequently as generations of families make their ways through middle school to high school graduation. These were two more messages meant to encourage appropriate behavior at sporting events.
- Help Wanted: Just Whistle
- You Can Be A Referee
Recruiting and retaining game officials also is an annual drive, and these became part of the slogan-sphere over the last 15 years as those efforts increased due to decreasing numbers. “Be the Referee” became a weekly segment of the “This Week in High School Sports” five-minute show that airs on radio stations all over the state during the fall and winter seasons, and they always end with the call out “You Can Be A Referee” to enlist those who might be interested.
- We Are The MHSAA
This carried a certain boldness when read over the microphone at tournament events, and summed up neatly what being part of the MHSAA was all about. Paraphrasing: “We are … Coaches … administrators … and officials. … We are your school. We promote and protect the privilege of interscholastic competition. We make rules and follow them as a condition of membership. … We Are The MHSAA.”
- Promoting The Value – And Values – Of Educational Athletics
This sums up the MHSAA’s work and remains perhaps the favorite of all slogans used to describe it. We believe educational athletics have value – to participants, to their communities, and to society as a whole because of the adults they help produce. We also believe that educational athletics are reliant on specific values – sportsmanship, scholarship, safety and scope.
Those are the messages you’ve likely heard. But producing an identifiable image with the MHSAA and its work has been just as important – and below are explanations behind some of the familiar logos you see at the top of this page.
- First Logo: A Traditional Emblem (Last Used in 1987-88)
The first MHSAA logo featured the seal from the state flag, with “Michigan High School Athletic Association” surrounding it. It appeared on medals and official documents through the 1987-88 school year.
- The Round Logo: A Recognizable Symbol
In 1988, the MHSAA introduced a circular logo featuring Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas within a red border, with "MHSAA" prominently displayed.
- The Championship Logo: A Mark of Excellence
During the early 2000s, the MHSAA introduced a “championship” logo initially for tournament merchandise. Over time, it became the standard for all championship-related materials.
- The Modern MHSAA Logo: Evolving with Time
Debuting in 1987 – and designed by a pair of Sterling Heights Stevenson students as part of a contest – the modern logo introduced the bold "MHSAA" lettering with an interwoven "S" designed to convey motion and energy. Over time, its contours softened while maintaining its distinctive look. Initially, "Michigan High School Athletic Association" appeared beneath it, but in recent years, the text was removed for a cleaner, more streamlined design.
- The Centennial Celebration Logo
To mark its 100th anniversary, the MHSAA introduced a centennial logo, honoring its history. This commemorative design reflects a century of commitment to student-athletes and school communities.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
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