
This Week in High School Sports: 3/25/16
March 25, 2016
This final edition of "This Week In High School Sports" for 2015-16 leads off with a feature on the Girls Basketball Finals, passes out two Game Balls and finishes with closing commentary.
This Week In High School Sports will lead each show with feature stories from around the state from the MHSAA’s Second Half or from network affiliated stories and interviews. "Be The Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating, highlights the middle of the show and is followed by a closing "Perspective."
Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.
Past editions
March 18: Rockford/Sparta gymnastics, only Basketball Final decided on halfcourt shot - Listen
March 11: Hesperia multi-sport athlete Mark Workman, coaches who teach the right lessons at the key moments in high school sports - Listen
March 4: Newberry basketball standout Taylor Bryant, March Magic memories from 1956 and 1976 - Listen
Feb. 26: Grand Rapids South Christian girls basketball, kindness from a group of our officials - Listen
Feb. 19: East Lansing basketball standout Brandon Johns, a 60-year-old basketball tournament record - Listen
Feb. 12: Benton Harbor girls basketball standout Kysre Gondrezick, respecting the National Anthem - Listen
Feb 5: Lake Fenton wrestler Trent Hillger, good-bye to a legendary coach - Listen
Jan. 29: Sturgis bowling teams, poor sportsmanship in professional football - Listen
Jan. 22: Holland record-setter Demetrius Lake, Michigan's original pitching ace - Listen
Jan. 15: Battle of the Fans V, new concussion threat in school sports - Listen
Jan. 8: Women in Sports Leadership conference, getting and giving respect - Listen
Dec. 25: Battle of the Fans V, taking a we over me attitude into 2016 - Listen
Dec. 18: MHSAA concussion reporting findings, record book submissions - Listen
Dec. 11: Constantine boys basketball, School Broadcast Program at Ford Field - Listen
Dec. 4: Highlights of 41st MHSAA Football Finals, River Rouge football - Listen
Nov. 27: Bronson volleyball, why we give thanks - Listen
Nov. 20: Canton/Saline Football Regional Final, old football records - Listen
Nov. 13: Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals, why Districts are called Districts - Listen
Nov. 6: Powers North Central football, random act of sportsmanship - Listen
Oct. 30: Benton Harbor's football turnaround, Football Playoff memories - Listen
Oct. 23: Selection Sunday Primer, live online playoff games on FoxSportsDetroit.com and MHSAA.TV - Listen
Oct. 16: Leland volleyball and boys soccer thrive, basketball coach-official communication - Listen
Oct. 9: Kensington Lakes Activities Association football, local impacts of the MHSAA Football Playoffs - Listen
Oct. 2: High school teams giving back, parents' expectations for childen to go pro - Listen
Sept. 25: Otsego’s girls cross country team, MHSAA School Broadcast Program - Listen
Sept. 18: Constantine quarterback Matt Hasbrouck, day-to-day life for referees - Listen
Sept. 11: Mount Morris volleyball's Tabit twins, the truth about specialization - Listen
Sept. 4: Engadine/Brimley football, Good-bye to "a few good coaches" - Listen
Aug. 28: Ithaca football, MHSAA Health & Safety initiatives - Listen

Century of School Sports: 'The Mitten' Becomes Sought-After Symbol of MHSAA Greatness
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 10, 2025
The MHSAA championship trophy – often referred to as “The Mitten” – has become perhaps one of the most iconic and enduring symbols of this organization over the last 25 years, most frequently greeting visitors strolling past a school’s trophy case or serving as the centerpiece of celebration photos over the final month of every sport season.
More than 2000 MHSAA trophies are presented to teams every school year, the great majority to District, Regional and Finals champions at the high school level.
There actually have been several versions of MHSAA trophies awarded over the last century – probably more than we can tell about, since our knowledge of the first 30-40 years especially is reliant on photos of winning teams holding their awards, and trophies that have been returned to us after a school has closed or those artifacts have made their ways into yard sales or second-hand stores.
Our early trophies take on a few specific designs – there are traditional cups, later columns affixed to bases with inscriptions celebrating champions, or metal statuettes representing their respective sports. Later versions incorporated a combination of those features, for example a square or rectangular wooden plaque affixed to a base with a statuette (or two, or even three) decorating the trophy. The 1974-75 version was especially notable; celebrating the 50th year of the MHSAA, those trophies included a large county map of Michigan and the state seal.
During the mid-1980s, the MHSAA made another move to a unique design among its trophies – a circular award affixed to a base by a wooden arm at a 45-degree angle. Then came a return to a more traditional squared-off pedestal and statue before the 1989-90 move to a triangular plaque – which in theory could be hung up in a trophy case as something of a space-saver. But that idea didn’t seem to gain traction – which in part led to the creation of the inaugural version of “The Mitten” awarded today.
That first rendition made its debut during the 1992-93 school year. What started out as an artistic wooden representation of the state’s peninsulas evolved at the start of 2009-10 into the current more map-accurate version of the state’s land masses affixed to a black background. The only noticeable change since has been the addition this 100-anniversary year of a medal at the top celebrating that milestone.
How beloved has “The Mitten” become?
During the 2008-09 school year, our students let us know. With the MHSAA Trophy & Medal Committee deliberating on a possible two design – and two proposals that did not include the wooden state version in the mix – then-Executive Director Jack Roberts presented the possibilities to the MHSAA’s Student Advisory Council.
In resounding fashion, the Advisory Council said keep “The Mitten” – and it remains the symbol of achievement for thousands of MHSAA Tournament champs every school year.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
June 3: MHSAA's Move to TV, Now Internet, 60 Years Old & Growing - Read
May 27: Upper Peninsula Helps Make Michigan's School Sports Story Unique - Read
May 20: From Nearly A to Z, Schools Repped by 221 Nicknames - Read
May 13: These Record-Setters were Nearly Impossible to Defeat - Read
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