The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
MHSAA a great help for kids
PUBLISHED: April 17, 2008
As long as I have covered high school sports in Michigan I have been in contact with the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and the people who work for that organization.
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They have been great in dealing with the media and even better in working with the coaches and athletic directors for the various schools and sports. When I realized last week that this organization was in jeopardy of going bankrupt due to the recent lawsuit with the change of seasons I became concerned.
Currently this team runs the state playoffs and offers countless advice and information for every sport that it runs and covers during the seasons. They hire officials and they run the finals of all the major sports.
I can remember on more than one occasion going out to Bailey Park in Battle Creek to watch the finals and semifinals of the baseball and softball tournaments. They take care of the gates and all the press and even have a big barbeque for the press.
I know free food is not what this is all about but if you know anything about the press free food is a way to our heart and definitely to our stomach. So again I got worried when I heard that the MHSAA was in some sort of financial trouble.
I have also been to the state tournaments for girls' basketball, boys' basketball and boys' soccer. They run a very good shows and have always taken care of me. I would hate to see how someone else would run these tournaments.
Let me back up a minute and explain where this trouble came from. Several years back some parents from the Grand Rapids area sued the organization because they felt it was unfair that high school volleyball in Michigan be played in the fall instead of the winter. After several years of appeals it was finally ruled that several of the sports would switch seasons.
Now the group that brought the lawsuit and eventual won it wants to be paid for all the legal expense. This amount could be in excess of $7 million. The MHSAA had insurance in the matter but it covers far less than this amount. I am not a lawyer, just a journalist, but it seems that this group that won the lawsuit should not be allowed to get damages.
In talking to local athletic directors they really do not know what to expect. Ypsilanti High Athletic Director Michael McIntosh says he doesn't expect this decision to put the MHSAA out of business but he also isn't quite sure what will become of all this.
Rod Fisher the AD at Belleville says he doesn't know a lot about the lawsuit because it was primarily the former AD Mike Colletta who knew about the lawsuit. Fisher said they are mainly a wait and see stance to find out what will become of this issue.
I wasn't even covering sports in Michigan when this lawsuit was first introduced. But over the years I just like any other prep reporter have covered this or became interested in it. I can't tell you how many times I have talked to various coaches and athletic directors about this issue.
Never once did I hear anyone say the MHSAA should just give in and quit the lawsuit. I also never thought it would come to this were they lost the battle and had to pay all the expenses.
I have spoke and interviewed the group's Executive Director John "Jack" Roberts and on many occasions talked with the Communication Director John Johnson. They have always been helpful and always been for the best interest of high school sports in Michigan.
I can't imagine covering sports without them and without the MHSAA. It will truly be a sad day in Michigan if they end up going bankrupt and eventually out of business.
Dave Merchant is a staff writer for Heritage Newspapers. He can be reached at 1-734-697-8255 or dmerchant@heritage.com.
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