Parents Master Art of Schedule Juggling
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2016
If it’s Tuesday, it must be volleyball — or is it soccer or maybe swimming?
Time to check the calendar, the phone app or the white board.
To keep up with two or more students involved in different sports in the same season, families have devised their own ways for keeping track of schedules.
The Carpenters, who have sons Matthew and Alex at Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, use several calendars, including a master schedule in the kitchen.
The Perkins, whose daughters Lauren and Audrey attend Mattawan High School, rely mostly on the phone app Cozi to keep schedules straight.
For the parents, it’s a question of logistics and juggling, which sometimes takes a lot of creativity.
“We have electronic calendars and paper calendars to look at every morning,” dad Tim Carpenter said. “We talk about who’s going where and who’s going to do what at the start of each day to figure it out.
“I keep a sports calendar to share with all the family so they can see the different things going on. If we are ever home at night without a game, it’s a strange feeling.”
Besides the composite kitchen calendar, “We also have our iPhone calendar so we both can see one another’s calendar at the same time,” mom Julie Carpenter said.
“It’s pretty much Monday through Saturday, some game or practice. Sunday it’s Mass, groceries and laundry.”
The Perkins use a phone organizer app called Cozi.
“We try to get all the schedules in there so everybody knows where everybody else is,” mom Valerie Perkins said. “I usually have a white board on the kitchen counter that I update weekly, and it kind of tracks who’s got what when.
“The girls’ meets are on opposite days. Like Audrey will have something on Monday, Wednesday and Lauren has Tuesday and Thursday. Occasionally they both have Saturdays. Then we divide and conquer, for sure.”
With five children, the Carpenters try to split time evenly between all the activities.
Matthew, a senior, is Hackett’s soccer goalkeeper and Alex, a sophomore, plays junior varsity football. Oldest son, Josh, a sophomore at Michigan Tech, plays broom ball – and while his parents don’t travel to watch him play, the games are webcast during the winter.
The activities won’t end soon. Bennett, a sixth grader and Bethany, a third grader, both at St. Augustine in Kalamazoo, also are involved in sports.
The Carpenters try to attend all of their children’s games together, but sometimes that is not possible.
In that case, “We usually base it on who’s closer,” Tim Carpenter said. “If there’s one game south near where I work in Portage (at MANN+HUMMEL), I’ll usually go to that.
“If Julie (who works at Borgess-ProMed Physician Pediatrics in Richland) has only seen one of Alex’s games and I’ve seen two, she’ll go to Alex’s. We try to keep it even.”
Both parents were introduced to new sports once their sons got involved.
“(Our sons) haven’t done tennis or golf,” Julie Carpenter said. “Soccer’s got more action and excitement; basketball is similar. Skiing was neat because it’s such a close-knit community. Cross country was fun because it was a very team environment.
“I had not seen cross country before, but when Josh started cross country it was really exciting because we thought ‘OK, how much can you get out of cross country as a spectator?’ It was pretty exciting for us just to run from spot to spot. They’re such a close-knit group of kids.”
Whether there are five children or two, as in the Perkins family, parents face the same dilemma: trying to juggle work, practices and events.
“We usually try to trade off so we get an even mix of seeing the girls,” said Valerie Perkins, who works at Bronson Urology in Kalamazoo. “Sometimes Rob’s schedule dictates that. Sometimes it’s who’s ever closest.”
Rob Perkins, who works at TRW in Mattawan, said sometimes there’s a glitch.
“When they give us advance warning of what’s going on and it doesn’t change, then I can work around it,” he said.
“The only time it gets frustrating is when something changes at the very last minute, or maybe it was always the same and the girls’ stories change at the last minute,” he added, laughing.
Neither parent was familiar with the sports their daughters chose.
“With dive, Lauren started in eighth grade, so it evolved from a summer camp and she really enjoyed it,” Rob Perkins said. “We kind of fell into Kyle Oberhill, who’s the diving coach for (Kalamazoo College) and he manages the facilities for Western (Michigan University).
“He’s just really easy-going. (Lauren) excelled in it right away. As a freshman, she broke the school record. That kind of kept her motivated to keep going.”
Oberhill also had a workshop for parents to explain the intricacies of competitive diving, and that helped. Audrey, meanwhile, took on another sport new to her parents when she started playing volleyball in seventh grade.
“We didn’t know much about it, but the important thing to know about it is she enjoys it,” her dad said.
Rob Perkins said it would be much easier if volleyball and dive were not in the same season, but there is an upside.
“I would say, generally speaking, being in sports certainly builds their self-confidence, keeps them occupied.”
Their mother said she can see a positive influence of sports on their girls.
“I think sports have definitely improved them,” she said. “They’ve learned how to become leaders and work as a team, and I really appreciate that.
“I can see it develop in both of them over the years. Both are captains of their teams.”
And both sets of athletes said it’s important to see their parents at their games.
“It gives me more confidence,” Alex Carpenter said, “and makes me feel good that they want to see me play.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Mattawan parents Rob and Valerie Perkins cheer on their daughter Lauren during a recent swimming & diving meet. (Middle top) The Carpenters, clockwise from top left: Tim, Julie, Alex and Matthew. (Middle) The Perkins daughters, Lauren (left) and Audrey. (Middle below) Matthew, the Hackett soccer goalkeeper, looks to pass after gathering up a loose ball. (Below) Lauren Perkins dives during a meet. (Lauren Perkins head shot by Becky Anderson Photography, all other photos by Pam Shebest.)
Flashback 100: One Last Look Back as We Turn Focus Toward Future
July 10, 2025
We hope you’ve enjoyed this school year's retrospective on some of the most iconic athletes and personalities who began their journeys in MHSAA sports. While we’ve done our best to highlight a diverse range of individuals across various sports and professions, a single year simply isn’t enough to capture every standout story.
Michigan high schools have produced an incredible array of talent — and the following, in addition to those we've wrote about over the last 10 monrths, are just another glimpse of that legacy:
- Kirk Gibson (Waterford Kettering) – The 1988 National League MVP also played a pivotal role in the Detroit Tigers’ 1984 World Series championship and starred in football as well at Michigan State.
- Jake Long (Lapeer East) – Selected as the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008, he's among a distinguished list of Michigan high school alums to go early in the draft, including Braylon Edwards (Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher, No. 3 in 2005), Carl Banks (Flint Beecher, No. 3 in 1984), Jerome Bettis (Detroit Mackenzie, No. 10 in 1993), and Tyrone Wheatley (Dearborn Heights Robichaud, No. 17 in 1995).
- Jeff Daniels (Chelsea) – Before becoming a renowned actor with credits like The Newsroom, Escanaba in da Moonlight, and Dumb and Dumber, Daniels was a high school baseball player.
- Lisa Byington (Portage Northern) – A trailblazing broadcaster, she serves as the play-by-play voice for the Milwaukee Bucks and regularly appears on CBS during NCAA Basketball Tournaments.
- Kristin Haynie (Mason) – She was first athlete to play in both the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship and the WNBA Finals in the same calendar year.
- Jalen Rose, Voshon Lenard, and Howard Eisley – This trio of NBA professionals once shared the court at Detroit Southwestern, making it one of the most talent-rich high school teams in state history.
- Jim Abbott (Flint Central) – Born without a right hand, Abbott defied the odds to pitch for 10 seasons in Major League Baseball.
- Earl Morrall (Muskegon) – He was named NFL MVP in 1968 and enjoyed a long and successful pro football career.
- Charlie Gehringer (Fowlerville) and Hal Newhouser (Detroit Wilbur Wright) – Both legends of Major League Baseball, each captured MVP honors during their Hall of Fame careers.
- Kate Markgraf (Detroit Country Day) – A champion at every level of soccer, she earned titles in high school and college, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a FIFA World Cup victory.
- Allison Schmitt (Canton) – One of the most decorated American swimmers of all time, Schmitt has earned 10 Olympic medals.
- Jason Richardson (Saginaw Arthur Hill) and Charles Rogers (Saginaw) – Both were drafted among the top five in their respective college sports (Richardson to the NBA in 2001, Rogers to the NFL in 2003) and faced off against each other as part of one of the state's most historic basketball rivalries.
- Staying with the city of Saginaw, Draymond Green (Saginaw) won a basketball championship in high school (2007) and then four in the NBA (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) after being drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Golden State Warriors.
And the legacy continues. Olympic gold medal dreams are alive in track & field standouts like Taylor Manson (East Lansing), Hobbs Kessler (Ann Arbor Skyline), and Grant Fisher (Grand Blanc), who are already well-accomplished on the worldwide stage.
So, who’s next?
Who will be the next MHSAA athlete selected on draft night? Hoisting an MVP trophy? Standing atop the podium as a champion?
We don’t know yet — but as we close the book on the first 100 years of MHSAA history, we can’t wait to see what the next century will bring.
Previous "Flashback 100" Features
June 23: Hutchinson's Dominance Starts as Multi-Sport Divine Child Standout - Read
June 10: Wagner's Dream of Going on Tour Realized - with Greta Van Fleet - Read
May 23: Tarpley's Legendary Run Began as Portage Central's Miss Soccer - Read
May 16: Scane’s Record-Setting Lacrosse Run Began at Cranbrook Kingswood - Read
May 8: Duckett's High School Domination Extended to Shot Put Circle - Read
May 6: MHSAA Titles Just Start for NCAA Champion, Olympian Stark - Read
May 1: Legendary Actor Played Multiple Sports Roles at Country Day - Read
April 23: Legacy Program Provided Start for Pioneering NBA Official Schroeder - Read
April 11: Rice's Championship-Winning Ways Started at Flint Northwestern - Read
March 28: Youngquist's Times Still Among MHSAA's Fastest - Read
March 18: After 40 Years, Coles' Shot Remains Among Century's Most Famous - Read
March 7: Walled Lake Northern's Hellebuyck Reigns as NHL's Elite Netminder - Read
Feb. 27: Zeerip's Mat Stats Remain Rarely-Challenged Chart Toppers - Read
Feb. 21: Before TV Stardom, Kerwin Excelled as All-State Skier - Read
Feb. 14: Detroit Central Star Voted into Pro Football Hall of Fame - Read
Feb. 6: Multi-Sport Star Look Becomes Super Bowl Officiating Legend - Read
Jan. 31: Johnson Family Put Magical Stamp on Michigan High School Hoops - Read
Jan. 24: Future Hall of Famers Face Off First in MHSAA Class A Final - Read
Jan. 17: First-Ever WNBA Draft Pick Rocked at Salem, Won Titles at Tennessee - Read
Jan. 10: Despite Launching Before 3-Point Line, Smith Still Tops Scoring List - Read
Jan. 3: Edison's Jackson Earns Place Among State's All-Time Elite - Read
Dec. 20: Future Olympian Piper Leads Grosse Pointe North to Historic Heights - Read
Dec. 13: The Other Mr. Forsythe in Michigan School Sports - Read
Dec. 6: Coleman's Legendary Heroics Carry Harrison Through Repeat - Read
Nov. 29: Harbaugh Brothers' Football Roots Planted in Part at Pioneer - Read
Nov. 22: 8-Player Football Finals Right at Home at Superior Dome - Read
Nov. 15: Leland Career Helps Set Stage for Glass' International Stardom - Read
Nov. 8: Future Baseball Pro Led Escanaba's Legendary Football Title Run - Read
Nov. 1: Michigan High School Baseball Trio Provide World Series Voices - Read
Oct. 25: Before Leading Free World, Ford Starred for Champion GR South - Read
Oct. 18: Mercy Links Legend Becomes World Golf Hall of Famer - Read
Oct. 11: Fisher Races to Finals Stardom on Way to U.S. Olympic First - Read
Oct. 4: Lalas Leaves High School Legacies on Ice & Pitch - Read
Sept. 27: Tamer's History-Making Run Starts in Dexter, Continues to Paris - Read
Sept. 20: Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing - Read
Sept. 13: James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read
PHOTOS Clockwise from left: Taylor Manson sprints for East Lansing, Hobbs Kessler wins a race for Ann Arbor Pioneer, Jason Richardson plays in a Class A Basketball Final for Saginaw Arthur Hill and Allison Schmitt swims a championship race for Canton. (Manson photo courtesy of the Lansing State Journal; Kessler photo by RunMichigan.com. Others are MHSAA file photos.)