Past MHSAA standouts to Compete with World's Elite at Winter Olympics
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
January 29, 2026
The XXV Winter Olympic Games start Friday, Feb. 6 with games taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Ninety-three countries are sending more than a combined 3,500 athletes to compete for 195 medals, with a handful of former MHSAA athletes hoping to land on the podium.
The Team USA men’s ice hockey team will be backstopped by Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Award winner as the NHL’s top goalie after playing at Walled Lake Northern and graduating in 2011. Joining him on the ice will current Detroit Red Wing Dylan Larkin and Columbus Blue Jacket Zach Werenski. Larkin played soccer and golf at Waterford Mott before going to play hockey at the University of Michigan and in the NHL. Werenski played on the JV boys lacrosse team for one season at Grosse Pointe North.
The women’s ice hockey team features 2014 North Farmington grad Megan Keller – who played softball and basketball while in high school, in addition to travel hockey.
Nick Baumgartner will be participating in his fourth Winter Olympiad. He qualified in snowboard cross in 2010, 2014 and won Olympic gold in 2022. The 2000 graduate of West Iron County High School played football, wrestled, and ran track.
Boyne City graduate Kaila Kuhn (2021) is headed to her second Olympics. She finished eighth in freestyle ski aerials in Beijing in 2022 and is looking to improve on that this year. She ran track her senior year at Boyne City. Her father, Chris, coached the ski program at Boyne City from 2017-2025, and her older brother Quinton skied for the Ramblers.
Figure skater Emilea Zingas, a 2020 graduate of Grosse Pointe South, played JV girls lacrosse while participating on the varsity figure skating team.
And finally, while they didn’t participate in MHSAA-sponsored sports, figure skater Evan Bates (Ann Arbor Huron 2007) was on the figure skating team and snowboarder Jake Vedder (Pinckney 2016) was on the school-sponsored snowboarding team.
PHOTOS (Top) Connor Hellebuyck poses for a photo while playing at Walled Lake Northern. (Middle) This tribute at Boyne City High School celebrates Olympians Kaila Kuhn, class of 2021, and Cary Adgate, class of 1971. Adgate was a two-time Olympian in alpine skiing, competing in 1976 and 1980. (Photos courtesy of the respective schools.)
Choose the Right Sports Medicine Expert
July 7, 2020
By Christina Eyers, Ed.D., AT, ATC
Henry Ford Health System
If you're an athlete, chances are you'll require specialized care from a health professional during your career.
Confused about the differences between athletic trainers, sports medicine physicians and exercise physiologists, among other experts? You're not alone!
Each of these professionals has different levels of training, expertise and certifications, but the care they provide often overlaps. That's one reason why they often work together.
Sports Professionals Defined
Caring for athletes isn't always clear-cut. In fact, most athletes require a full team of professionals working in concert to stay at the top of their game. Yet confusion remains about which professionals you need to see for training, injury prevention, and recovery and treatment after an injury.
Each type of professional has its own set of experience, training and certifications. Here’s how they measure up:
· Sports medicine doctor: Sports medicine physicians are typically trained in orthopedic surgery, primary care or emergency medicine. These professionals have medical degrees as well as specialized training in sports medicine, including the prevention and treatment of injury. In addition to caring for conditions ranging from concussion to head colds, sports medicine physicians also focus on helping people return to sports safely and effectively after illness or injury.
· Athletic trainer: Athletic trainers take care of athletes from prevention through rehabilitation. In collaboration with a physician, these professionals offer insights that help minimize risk and prevent injuries. They evaluate athletes and provide immediate care and treatment, sometimes even on the sidelines. They also provide rehabilitation and reconditioning after an injury or illness.
· Exercise physiologist: Exercise physiologists study the effect of exercise on the muscular, cardiovascular, and sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. They examine functional capacity and strength due to endurance training or strength training. These professionals may also test athletes for VO2max (your oxygen volume while training) and body composition (the ratio of fatty mass to lean mass).
· Physical medicine and rehab physician: These professionals treat a variety of medical conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons. They take the whole body into account to pinpoint problems and enhance performance without surgery.
· Physical therapist: Physical therapists diagnose and treat individuals of all ages with conditions that limit their ability to move and perform daily activities.
Other Specialized Professionals Who Care for Athletes
In addition to the health care professionals described above, athletes may meet with a host of experts, including:
· Nurses and medical assistants
· Occupational therapists
· Cardiologists
· Neurologists
· Behavioral health specialists
· Dietitians
· Complementary medical practitioners, such as acupuncturists and chiropractors
None of these individuals are "fitness professionals," a term nearly anyone can use to describe a range of professional activities. Rather, these sports medicine experts are part of a comprehensive team that includes at least one physician. They are each licensed by the state to provide specialized care to athletes.
Personal trainers, on the other hand, focus on helping people find their way around the gym, hold them accountable to achieve their goals and help new exercisers and seasoned fitness enthusiasts stick to a workout regimen.
If you're an athlete, you need a team of health professionals who can provide comprehensive care to reach your highest potential.
Christina Eyers, Ed.D., AT, ATC, is the Director of Athletic Training & Community Outreach with Henry Ford Sports Medicine.
Want to learn more? Henry Ford Health System sports medicine experts are treating the whole athlete, in a whole new way. From nutrition to neurology, and from injury prevention to treatment of sports-related conditions, they can give your athlete a unique game plan.
Visit henryford.com/sports or call (313) 972-4216 for an appointment within 24 business hours.