60148 Cover.qxd:241352 Cover
4/23/13
9:59 AM
Page 1
Volume 82, Issue 3
Spring 2013
60148 Cover.qxd:241352 Cover
4/23/13
THE BULLETIN Official Publication of the Minnesota State High School League 2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center, MN 55430-1735 763-560-2262 http://www.MSHSL.org Information within this Bulletin may be reprinted only with the permission of the MSHSL.
Volume 82, Issue 3 Spring 2013 Editorial Staff Editor: Howard W. Voigt Assistant Editor: Ellen Rajkowski Contributing Editors: David Stead Kevin Merkle Lisa Lissimore Craig Perry Jody Redman John Millea Rich Matter Chris Franson Board of Directors Regions 1-2A Scott McCready, St. Charles Regions 3-4A Bob Grey, Montevideo Regions 5-6A Rick Bleichner, Breckenridge Regions 7-8A Mike Kolness, Ada-Borup Regions 1-2AA Mark Fredericksen, Waconia Regions 3-4AA Mike Manning, Rosemount Regions 5-6AA Dan Johnson, Hopkins Regions 7-8AA Tom Conzemius, Sauk Rapids-Rice State School Boards Assn. Roz Peterson, Lakeville Walter Hautala, Mesabi East MN Assn. of Secondary Principals John Hamann, Underwood Erich Martens, Sauk Rapids-Rice Boys Sports Mark Solberg, Cambridge-Isanti Girls Sports Shelly Hotzler, Jackson County Central MN Music Educators Assn. Lane Powell, Fillmore Central Speech Assn. of MN Chris McDonald, Eagan Governor's Appointees Lea B. Olsen, Minneapolis Mike Rusinko, Eden Prairie Laurie Esau, Orono Steve Eklund, Braham
Printed by Carlson Print Group 7490 Golden Triangle Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 The MSHSL Bulletin is published in Fall, Winter and Spring and is designed to meet the needs of the 525 member Schools.
9:59 AM
Page 2
League Office Personnel The Minnesota State High School League Office has been established to provide special services to the member schools. Listed below are the office personnel: Extension / Voice Mailbox Executive Director - David Stead ........................ 480 Executive Assistant - Lynne Johnson ........... 490 Associate Director - Jody Redman ..................... 481 Administrative Assistant - Amie Symens ...... 491 Associate Director - Kevin Merkle ...................... 484 Administrative Assistant - Amanda Johnson 494 Officials Coordinator- Katie Vanderpoel ........ 496 Associate Director - Craig Perry ......................... 482 Administrative Assistant - Susi Hollenbeck ... 492 Associate Director - Lisa Lissimore .................... 483 Administrative Assistant - Sheila Robinson .. 493 Director of Information - Howard W. Voigt .......... 485 Assistant - Ellen Rajkowski ........................... 542 Assistant Director - Richard Matter ..................... 497 Accounting Assistant - Sharon Bahma ......... 541 Ticketing Assistant - Nancy Myers ................ 487 Assistant Director - Chris Franson ...................... 488 Web Site Coordinator - Nancy Etter .............. 551 Graphic Designer - Tracie Bressler ............... 552 Media Specialist - John Millea ............................ 554 Program Specialist - Amy Doherty ..................... 495 Office Manager - Kristi Vesall ............................. 489 Administrative Assistant - Yvonne Walsh ..... 486 Receptionist - Ann Bailey .............................. 540
When calling the League Office (763-560-2262), direct your requests to staff persons as designated: Accounts Payable .............................................................. Sharon Bahma Accounts Receivable ......................................................... Yvonne Walsh Activity / Late Registrations ................................................ Chris Franson Activity Section Assignments ............................................. Chris Franson Administrative Regions ........................................................... Dave Stead Archive Information ........................................................ Howard W. Voigt Athletic / Activity Director Advisory Committee ................... Kevin Merkle Board of Directors Information ............................................... Dave Stead Camps and Clinics .................................................................. Craig Perry Charter Officials Associations .............................................. Kevin Merkle Chemical Rule Interpretations ................................................ Craig Perry Cooperative Sponsorship ................................................. Lynne Johnson Debate & Music Judges ...................................................... Chris Franson Debate Judge & Music Judge Registrations .......................... Nancy Etter ExCEL Program ................................................................. Lisa Lissimore Fine Arts Rules Interp. (Debate & Music) .......................... Chris Franson Fine Arts Rules Interp. (One Act & Visual Arts) ................ Chris Franson Fine Arts Rules Interp. (Speech) ........................................ Chris Franson Gender Equity ......................................................................... Dave Stead General Information on MSHSL ............................................. Dave Stead Hall of Fame ....................................................................... Lisa Lissimore Insurance ................................................................................. Rich Matter Interstate Sanctions ................................................................ Dave Stead League Publications ...................................................... Howard W. Voigt Marketing and Promotions ................................................. Lisa Lissimore Membership Information ................................................... Lynne Johnson News Media Services .................................................... Howard W. Voigt Non-School Competition ......................................................... Craig Perry Office Management ................................................................. Kristi Vesall Officials Program .................................................................. Kevin Merkle One Act Play Judge Registrations ......................................... Nancy Etter One Act Play Judges .......................................................... Chris Franson PSAs and TV Visuals ..................................................... Howard W. Voigt Registration of Officials ................................................. Katie Vanderpoel Results and Records ..................................................... Howard W. Voigt Rulebooks, Supplies, Awards ............................................ Yvonne Walsh Rules Interpretation Meetings ....................................... Katie Vanderpoel School Eligibility ...................................................................... Craig Perry Speech Judges .................................................................. Chris Franson Speech Judge Registrations ................................................... Nancy Etter Sports Medicine Advisory Committee .................................... Craig Perry Sportsmanship Program .................................................... Lisa Lissimore Spotlight on Scholarship Program ..................................... Lisa Lissimore Student Ejections ..................................................................... Ann Bailey Student Eligibility .................................................................... Craig Perry Supplemental Allowances ...................................................... Kristi Vesall TEAM UP Advisory Committee .......................................... Jody Redman TEAM UP Program ............................................................. Jody Redman Ticket Assistant ..................................................................... Nancy Myers Triple “A” Award .................................................................. Jody Redman Web Site Development ....................................................... Chris Franson Web Site Assistance ............................................................... Nancy Etter
Activity Rule Interpretations, Coach Incidents Reports, and Activity Advisory Committees
The MSHSL Logo is a registered mark of the organization and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the League.
Schedule of Board of Directors Meetings October 4 ................................. MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center December 6 ............................. MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center January 24 ............................... MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center April 11 ..................................... MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center June 3 ...................................... MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center Representative Assembly Meeting TBD ................ Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park
Adapted Athletics (Bowling, Floor Hockey, Soccer, Softball) ... Rich Matter Alpine Skiing / Boys’ & Girls’ .................................................. Rich Matter Badminton / Girls’ .............................................................. Lisa Lissimore Baseball ................................................................................. Kevin Merkle Basketball / Boys’ ................................................................. Kevin Merkle Basketball / Girls’ ............................................................... Lisa Lissimore Cheerleaders ....................................................................... Jody Redman Cross Country Running / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................ Lisa Lissimore Dance Team / Girls’ .............................................................. Kevin Merkle Debate ................................................................................. Chris Franson Football .................................................................................. Kevin Merkle Golf / Boys’ & Girls’ ................................................................. Dave Stead Gymnastics / Girls’ .............................................................. Jody Redman Ice Hockey / Boys’ & Girls’ ..................................................... Craig Perry Lacrosse / Boys' & Girls’ ......................................................... Rich Matter Music ................................................................................... Chris Franson Nordic Ski Racing / Boys’ & Girls’ .......................................... Rich Matter One Act Play ....................................................................... Chris Franson Robotics ................................................................................ Amy Doherty Soccer / Boys’ & Girls’ ........................................................ Jody Redman Softball / Girls’ .................................................................... Lisa Lissimore Speech ................................................................................ Chris Franson Swimming and Diving / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................... Lisa Lissimore Synchronized Swimming / Girls’ ........................................ Lisa Lissimore Tennis / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................................................ Craig Perry Track & Field / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................................. Jody Redman Visual Arts ........................................................................... Chris Franson Volleyball / Girls’ ................................................................. Jody Redman Wrestling ................................................................................. Craig Perry
Inside This Issue Dave’s Dialogue
What Now? Remarks to ‘The Best of the Best’ .......................................................................................... 2
News and F eatures Features
Deitz, Reichl, 3 Brockpahler, Stroh Earn Triple A Awards
League Website Popular Winter Destination ......... 7 Daring Greatly By Embracing Failure .......... 8
ExCEL Students Bringing Hope to Those in Need.... ....................................... 9 Why We Play Conference Aimed at Coaches ....... 14 Dozen Headed to St. Louis 12 Baker’s for National Robotics Championships
Athletic Activities
Safety Needs To Be Top Priority ........................................................... 23
Financial Education Survey Coming to Schools ........................ 15 Darwitz, Wendell Dominate National Girls’ Hockey Records........... 16
Rest: The Forgotten Component of Training ....................................... 24 For Johanna Olson, Every Second Counted ........................................ 26 Your Purpose: Changing Lives and Making a Difference .................... 28
Officials
Registration Opens in May ......... 30 Is The Joy of Officiating In Your Heart? ............................. 32
29
League Honors Officials and Their Associations
Also
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes ........................ 34 Spring 2013 Calendars of Meetings and State Events ................................ 36
www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
1
Dave’s Dialogue
What now? By Dave Stead Executive Director
A
cademics, Arts and Athletics, Triple A if you will, may well be the hallmark program of the Minnesota State High School League. Twenty-five years ago League staff and the Board of Directors chose to honor students in our member schools who exemplify the educational aspects of League-sponsored and member school initiatives deemed to be most important in our local and in a global society. We have long known that student-athletes and fine arts participants (1) have higher grade point averages (2) miss less school and (3) have fewer discipline problems. Education-based activities support the academic mission of our member schools and truly reflect the values of leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork, and winning and losing learned through participation. They build self-confidence and enable each person to develop the skills necessary to become a productive member of a community. In support of those values, Mark Fredericksen, president of the League Board of Directors and Waconia High School principal,
addressed this year’s Triple A honorees. His comments reflect the positive message demonstrated in every high school in Minnesota as school communities support education-based endeavors. Here are Mark’s remarks:
The best of the best By Mark Fredericksen President, Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors
O
n behalf of the Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors, I want to congratulate each and every one of you for being selected as your Region’s Triple A recipient. And, I also want to give special congratulations to all the parents here today; you’ve done a great job! Thanks, too, to the sponsors of the Triple A luncheon — Fairview Health Services and AAA Minnesota. Our member schools truly appreciate everything these two wonderful organizations do to support the MSHSL and these very deserving students. John Hamann, vice president of the Board of Directors from Underwood, and I are both high school principals. We were talking before the luncheon began and we were admiring the list of accomplishments and achievements of today’s honorees. We were also a little surprised with all the similarities we shared with them. So Mr. Hamann and I started a list of our accomplishments. Let me see . . . we were both seniors in high school (Mr. Hamann took notes). I think that does it! Needless to say, you 32 honorees are an incredibly unique and talented group of young women and men. During the past four years, I’ve had an opportunity to present medals at virtually every MSHSL state tournament. And while it’s been a tremendous honor to share the stage with all of the tournament champions, I can honestly tell you that the Triple A award is the most prestigious and the most meaningful award the League presents. For each of you to demonstrate excellence in Academics OR Arts OR Athletics is noteworthy, but to excel in all three is very rare. You truly represent the best of the best; in essence, the very best that this state has to offer. Your list of awards, honors, and accomplishments is impressive. Each one of you exemplifies the well-rounded, high-achieving student-athlete and fine arts participant every school craves. Your parents are justifiably proud of you. As school leaders we’re proud of you, and you have every right to be proud of yourself and your accomplishments . . . so far. But, there’s still a nagging question: “What now?” Today is clearly a day of celebration and recognition of a job well-done. But I believe the Triple A award is much more than
2
congratulations on the culmination of your high school career. Instead, I hope you join me in viewing this award as simply the starting point of a life of service to others and the beginning of a legacy of good. Nobel Prize winner Albert Schweitzer said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” And the guy at the drive through said, “You want fries with that burger?” Yes, these are some very different views on the theme of service, but there is a common thread. That thread is the knowledge that we’re constantly surrounded by opportunities to serve others, in ways both large and small. And those opportunities exist, regardless of where your future leads or which career path you may choose to follow. As I reflect on your résumés and look at you, I see future doctors, lawyers, business and community leaders, teachers, spouses and parents, and perhaps even a high school principal or two. So my challenge to you is to find ways to give back to others; not to make service just a sidelight, but the focal point of your life. And in the end, I guarantee that your success will ultimately be judged not so much by what you make, but by what you give. According to Albert Einstein, “Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living;” and I’m not about to begin arguing with Albert Einstein. You truly are an incredible group. You are talented, smart and ambitious, and the possibilities in your future are limited only by your own imagination. Together you represent our very best hope for the future; not based on what you’ve accomplished so far, but by what lies ahead. So, back to that nagging question, “What now?” . . . I hope your “What now?” continues to create good in the world and service to others as you enjoy life’s journey and make a difference for those whose lives you touch. Congratulations and good luck.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features
Brockpahler, Deitz, Reichl, Stroh earn Triple A Awards F
our Minnesota high school “The Triple A Award is one of the most coveted awards students were honored with the Minnesota State High School presented to students in Minnesota. Since its inception in League Academics, Arts and Athletics Award — Triple A Award — during an 1988, more than 12,000 students have represented their on-court ceremony at the 2013 State school as nominees in the Triple A program.” Boys’ Basketball Tournament on March 23. The four students who received this year’s award were Katianne Katianne Brockpahler Brockpahler of Sebeka, Ted Deitz of Alexandria, Allison Reichl of St. Sebeka High School — Region 6A Cloud Apollo, and Steffan Stroh of Underwood. Each student will G.P.A. 4.0 receive a four-year, $1,000 scholarship from the Minnesota State High Band, choir, volleyball, basketball, softball School League. Established in 1988, the award, popularly known as the Triple A Katianne Brockpahler is ranked number one in her class and has Award, recognizes and rewards high school seniors from across the taken nine different College in the Schools classes. She has received Allstate for their achievements in the classroom, the arts and athletics. Conference honors in all three of her sports: volleyball, basketball and To qualify for the award, students must have a “B” or better grade softball. In both basketball and softball, she has earned All-Conference point average and participate in League-sponsored athletic and fine awards in two seasons and has been a state tournament participant. arts activities. League member schools are invited to nominate two Not limiting her awards to athletics, she has received numerous students, one boy and one girl, for the award. Award recipients are superior ratings in both band and choir. An assistant principal explains selected through a multi-level process involving the League’s that Katianne’s quick wit, ease of conversation and contagious administrative regions and a committee of athletic, fine arts and personality make her a great leader in any situation or environment. educational leaders. “I have many leadership qualities. I have been in Student Council “The Triple A Award is one of the most coveted awards presented since seventh grade, was the Student Body Secretary-Treasurer in 10th to students in Minnesota,” explained Jody Redman, associate director and 11th grades, and I am currently the Student Body Co-President and of the Minnesota State High School League. “Since its inception in Senior Class President. I am the current National Honor Society 1988, more than 12,000 students have represented their school as President and Choir President. I believe all of these qualities have made nominees in the Triple A program.” me a very well-rounded individual.” Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, the Institute for Athletic Medicine, and AAA Minnesota sponsor the Triple A Awards program, Ted Deitz which is now in its 25th year. For more information about the program, Alexandria High School — Region 8AA visit the League website and click on the Recognition tab or call the G.P.A. 4.0 League office at 763-560-2262. Band, choir, football, basketball Following are brief profiles of the 2013 Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award winners, plus all of the finalists – all of whom share Ted Deitz has been named to both the All-State Band and the Alltheir thoughts on participating in high school activities. State Choir for two years. His musical honors also include a Best of Site award in choir performance and two superior ratings in both band and choir. Ted also holds All-State honors in athletics, being named All-State and All-Conference in football. In the winter season, he is on the basketball team, and within the classroom, Ted takes advanced placement and College in the Schools classes. The school principal praises that Ted is unquestionably the strongest Triple A candidate that he has worked with in his more than 20 years in education. “Academic, athletic and arts activities aside, I am also very involved in leadership and mentoring programs at our high school and local church. I’m proud of my association with our local organization called SLAM! (Serve, Lead, Act, Motivate), a mentoring program for students at the middle school. We have organized many events, including assemblies, class visits, and retreats to mentor making good lifestyle decisions.”
The 2013 Triple A Award winners (L-R): Katianne Brockpahler of Sebeka, Steffan Stroh of Underwood, Ted Deitz of Alexandria, andAllison Reichl of St. Cloud Apollo.
www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
See Triple A on Page 5
3
2013 Academics, Arts & Athletics Award Finalists REGION 4A
REGION 5A
REGION 3A
REGION 6A
REGION 2A
REGION 7A
REGION 1A
Jillian Krier Byron
Jacob Johnson Cotter
REGION 8A
Hannah Goemann United South Central
Grant Becker Fairmont Area
Rachel Cheadle Fulda
Melanie Luikart St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Francesco Di Caprio Maxwell Whitehead St. Paul Academy and Summit School Murray County Central
Noelle Elvehjem Mora
Adam Martin Pine City
Katianne Brockpahler Sebeka
Steffan Stroh Underwood
Amy Bianco Ely
Isaac Coil Moose Lake
REGION 1AA REGION 7AA REGION 3AA
REGION 6AA REGION 4AA
Nick Brehmer Austin
Tyler Bentow GreenbushMiddle River
REGION 8AA REGION 2AA
Christina Monson Albert Lea
Courtney Kirkeide GreenbushMiddle River
Carolyn Osdoba Mankato East
Gordon Moore Worthington
Sonja Hedblom Eagan
Daniel Spika Eastview
Allison Cordes Roseville Area
Calvin Carlson St. Paul Central
REGION 5AA
Kaley Shagen Osseo
Matthew Fruzyna Spring Lake Park
Allison Domingues Robbinsdale Armstrong
Lucas Ray Robbinsdale Cooper
Rebekah Meyer Chisago Lakes Area
Luke Heine Cloquet
Allison Reichl St. Cloud Apollo
Ted Deitz Alexandria
News & Features Triple A ................................................................................ continued from Page 3 Allison Reichl St. Cloud Apollo High School — Region 8AA G.P.A. 4.225 Orchestra, swimming and diving, Nordic skiing, track and field
Hannah Goemann United South Central High School — Region 2A G.P.A. 4.0 Band, choir, speech, cross country running, basketball, track and field
Allison Reichl is a National Merit Semifinalist who has enrolled in advanced placement and College in the Schools classes. Her guidance counselor says that in her 30 years in education, she would be hardpressed to provide a better example of the ideal student as Allison. In athletics, Allison is in swimming and diving, Nordic skiing and track and field. In the arts, Allison has been a State Visual Arts Festival participant and has earned superior and excellent ratings in orchestra. Her counselor continues by saying that Allison has earned her accolades in a quite, unassuming manner and that she will be a positive force in the years to come. “I have strived to not only be a great sports captain and enthusiastic class president, but to simply be a positive influence as a human being — and that is the most essential part of leadership. I hold myself to a high standard of behavior, and I feel that my compassion, inclusiveness, responsibility, and strong moral compass have made me a special role model for other students.”
“I have always given athletics my utmost effort and dedication, and have practiced steadfast loyalty and support to my teams and teammates. Last winter I suffered an injury playing basketball that not only ended my basketball season, but suspended my track season as well. After surgery I slowly worked my way back to full health, expending a lot of sweat and tears to regain the strength I once had.”
Steffan Stroh Underwood High School — Region 6A G.P.A. 3.969 Band, choir, one act play, speech, football, basketball, track and field Steffan Stroh is the state discus champion and the state runner-up in shot put. He holds three All-Conference awards, two All-State awards, and two State Meet appearances in track and field. In football, he has been named All-Conference twice, All-State once, and has played in the state tournament. Steffan also plays basketball. He is involved in all of the artistic pursuits that his schools offers: band, choir, one-act play, and speech. He has been awarded two excellent ratings in band performance. In the classroom, Steffan has enrolled in advanced placement, PSEO and College in the Schools courses. A teacher says that Steffan lives life with passion and vigor, and that his commitment to the school is evident in everything he does. “I am present in the school gym, weight room, and on the fields not only to improve myself, but to lead by example, showing that success is achieved by hard work and determination. As a three-sport athlete for more than four years, I have learned to set goals, and more importantly, strive to achieve those goals. Ultimately, goal setting will help me in college, my career, and my personal life to be successful.” Jillian Krier Byron High School — Region 1A G.P.A. 3.94 Band, choir, volleyball, gymnastics, track and field “In a day and age where specialization is becoming the norm, I prefer to be well-rounded. I embrace the challenge of attaining elite status in all my activities, all while maintaining excellence in the classroom. I do not regret being involved in all of my activities because it has allowed me to contribute to my school as much as possible. I have learned through hard work, dedication, and time management that I am still able to achieve my dreams.” Jacob Johnson Cotter High School — Region 1A G.P.A. 4.01 Band, one act play, cross country running, swimming and diving, basketball, track and field “I have challenged myself with many rigorous and advanced placement classes that I feel will allow me to be better prepared for college curriculum. I feel as though I perform best in these challenging classes. The more difficult the class, the harder work, the better I do.”
Grant Becker Fairmont Area High School — Region 2A G.P.A. 3.737 Band, choir, speech, soccer, hockey, tennis “During my varsity soccer career, I have set every individual record for scoring in our school’s history. My junior year of soccer our team set the record for the most wins in a single season, and we set a school record for most goals in a single season. This year we made it to the first section championship game in school history.” Rachel Cheadle Fulda High School — Region 3A G.P.A. 3.92 Band, choir, speech, volleyball, basketball, softball “The greatest achievement – and the most rewarding as well – would be to know that I made a difference. Through my actions, I would like to be able to see that I was uplifting to those with whom I came in contact. Even if at graduation I am still uncertain if I have achieved this, I will be able to say that I did the best I could and am proud of the efforts I have made.” Maxwell Whitehead Murray County Central High School — Region 3A G.P.A. 3.98 Band, choir, speech, visual arts, football, basketball, track and field “Being involved in so many activities is very time consuming, and I have learned to manage my time well. Even though there are times when I feel overwhelmed, I remember how much fun these activities actually are. I do not do them just because I am good at them; I participate in the activities because I enjoy doing them. Everything is important to me, no matter how much time or effort it takes.” Melanie Luikart St. Paul Academy and Summit School — Region 4A G.P.A. 3.9 Orchestra, cross country running, Nordic skiing, track and field “I was awarded the Science Magazine Award by my school. A lab partner and I had conducted an experiment in chemistry class that attempted to separate grayanotoxin from azaleas and see if the toxin was also present in azalea hybrids. The experiment was more involved than we had anticipated, and we had to dedicate time to it outside of class. However, we eagerly approached each step and celebrated every success.” Francesco Di Caprio St. Paul Academy and Summit School — Region 4A G.P.A. 3.78 Choir, orchestra, visual arts, soccer, track and field “Excelling academically at St. Paul Academy is a careful balancing act. In combination with extracurricular participation and out-of-school activities, the load can seem very overwhelming. Much of my first two See Triple A on Page 6
www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
5
News & Features Triple A ................................................................................ continued from Page 5 years in high school consisted of me figuring out how to succeed in the system without sacrificing my interests or my sanity. My junior year was the culmination of my self-teaching and hard work.” Noelle Elvehjem Mora High School — Region 5A G.P.A. 4.112 Band, choir, visual arts, volleyball, basketball, softball “A smile on my face while working hard helps things move along much faster than they would with a bad attitude. In a few years, though I hate to admit it, my athletics and fine art achievements are not going to matter as much as they do now. What is going to matter is the attitude I have and the difference I make applying the lessons I am continuing to learn.” Adam Martin Pine City High School — Region 5A G.P.A. 3.99 Band, choir, one act play, speech, football, basketball, baseball “I was inducted into the National Honor Society in 10th grade and was elected by my peers as president during my senior year. Involvement in NHS has led me to volunteer at the local nursing home, Pine City Elementary School, Relay for Life, and cleaning up highways in the area.” Amy Bianco Ely High School — Region 7A G.P.A. 3.862 Band, speech, cross country running, Nordic skiing, track and field “I believe that one’s high school education is fostered not only in the classroom but also through extracurricular activities. Serving on the student council executive board as vice president, and currently president, I have made it my goal to promote unity and support to all students in our school. We have worked diligently to promote school spirit and school pride through many varied activities.” Isaac Coil Moose Lake High School — Region 7A G.P.A. 3.7 Band, choir, one act play, football, basketball, track and field “Academics have always been my main focus in school, because knowledge and perseverance are two things that everyone uses for a lifetime. A lot of what you learn in school will help you to become a very successful and reliable person in life. Academics is the core of life, it helps determine your pathway for the future.” Courtney Kirkeide Greenbush-Middle River High School — Region 8A G.P.A. 4.013 Band, choir, volleyball, basketball, track and field
Christina Monson Albert Lea High School — Region 1AA G.P.A. 4.095 Choir, one act play, cross country running, basketball, track and field “I’ve participated in varsity cross country and track since seventh grade. Through these years, I have developed a passion for running. My ability paired with the disciplined lifestyle of an elite runner, allowed me to achieve titles as high as state champion. More valuable than any recognition I have received is the camaraderie with teammates and other competitors making similar sacrifices to put their best foot forward.” Nick Brehmer Austin High School — Region 1AA G.P.A. 3.92 Choir, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis “I am in that bittersweet time of my life where I cannot wait for college, but I am also disappointed to leave my high school years behind. I have had so much fun and wish to do more. I just can’t wait to go to college and continue on with all of my passions, and see what field of study really grabs my attention and where it will all lead me.” Carolyn Osboda Mankato East High School — Region 2AA G.P.A. 4.159 Band, orchestra, swimming and diving, basketball, softball “It’s very fulfilling to succeed in challenging classes. It has been my goal for as long as I can remember to challenge myself whenever possible. Academics have certainly provided me an opportunity to work towards this goal. In my AP classes, I learn from outstanding teachers that provide me with a wealth of knowledge as well as the experience of learning with classmates that are just as motivated as me.” Gordon Moore Worthington High School — Region 2AA G.P.A. 3.9794 Band, choir, orchestra, speech, cross country running, track and field “High school helped transform me from a somewhat shy, awkward middle schooler to, by my senior year, homecoming king. This was a great honor, and I got there by being myself and earned the respect of my peers. I have become a leader in the school, someone who people genuinely look up to, and I could not be more humbled or happier.” Sonja Hedblom Eagan High School — Region 3AA G.P.A. 3.958 Band, swimming and diving, Nordic skiing, track and field
“Athletics have played a huge part in my high school career, teaching me valuable lessons like sportsmanship, commitment, and teamwork. As I strive to improve myself every day in whatever sport season it is, I remind myself that what I put into my workouts and games is important in molding who I am as a person.”
“I think Dr. Seuss had a simple yet wonderful insight into how to live life when he said, ‘You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.’ It has always been my mission to keep my eyes wide open; I love exploring questions and reaching out to those around me. … I continue to explore the world with open eyes and have experienced wonderful opportunities as a result.”
Tyler Bentow Greenbush-Middle River High School — Region 8A G.P.A. 3.767 Band, choir, one act play, visual arts, football, basketball, baseball
Daniel Spika Eastview High School — Region 3AA G.P.A. 3.966 Band, choir, cross country running, basketball, tennis
“I want to be a positive role model in my school and community. I always try to stay as involved as I can, not only with school work, fine arts, and sports, but also by staying active in my community; it has taught me how to effectively manage my time. I am grateful for a school and community that support these efforts.”
“Each year I participate in Adopt-a-Highway with my cross country team. We clean up a large stretch of road each fall. I also am part of Adopt-a-Family every Christmas. The cross country team and I donate money, shop and deliver gifts to a needy family.” See Triple A on Page 7
6
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features Website popular winter destination Winter is the busiest time of the year on the League website. During February and March the League website had: ● 9,330,672 page views from 1,931,509 user visits (680,381 unique). ● 3,099,511 of those page views were a bracket. ● 35 percent of the traffic came from a mobile device. During just the four days of the boys’ hockey tournament the League website had: ● 1,445,401 page views from 359,037 user visits (190,349 unique). ● 574,307 of those page views were a bracket.
● 157,000 or 43 percent of those visits originated from a mobile device. So far during the 2012-13 school year, the League website has been utilized for: ● Online meetings watched by 47,302 coaches and officials. ● Delivery of CER courses completed by 11,375 coaches. Since the League website first offered concussion training, 25,898 coaches have completed the course, as well as 7,560 registered officials and 4,572 lower-level officials.
Triple A ................................................................................ continued from Page 6 Allison Cordes Roseville Area High School — Region 4AA G.P.A. 4.0 Band, choir, orchestra, cross country running, basketball, track and field
Allison Domingues Robbinsdale Armstrong High School — Region 6AA G.P.A. 4.0 Band, choir, orchestra, cross country running, Nordic skiing, track and field
“I have learned I really enjoy working with youth. I am a coach for kids from ages 4-15 in the sports of t-ball, soccer, and track and field. I have assisted with a youth traveling basketball team for three years. Seeing many of these kids outside of the programs, I realize how I am now the role model and can have a positive influence by my actions and words.”
“I cannot imagine my life without running and trumpet. They have helped me to become a more responsible and dedicated individual, both in my studies and in my community. These activities will be a cherished part of my life no matter where I end up, and they will help me discover who I want to be.”
Calvin Carlson St. Paul Central High School — Region 4AA G.P.A. 4.29 Band, football, basketball, swimming and diving, baseball “I participated in the high school French exchange program during my sophomore year. We hosted a French exchange student in the fall of 2010, and I was hosted by his family in France in the spring of 2011. When I entered high school, I took French 3 my freshman year and skipped French 2. This class was a struggle for me at first, but I worked hard and came to enjoy learning the French language.” Kaley Shagen Osseo High School — Region 5AA G.P.A. 3.918 Orchestra, soccer, cross country running, Nordic skiing, track and field “Math is my favorite subject. The rush of discovery is why I love math and why I view math tests as a race; in a limited space of time I must solve a set number of problems, each of which only has one right answer. Like the ‘runner’s high’ that I experience when skiing, solving complex math problems gives me an adrenaline rush. This rush occurs because math challenges me to push my mind to its limit.” Matthew Fruzyna Spring Lake Park High School — Region 5AA G.P.A. 3.94 Band, football, basketball, wrestling, track and field “During a football game in my junior year I suffered a serious knee injury, torn MCL, which I overcame and was able to wrestle my junior year and then played football this year. In the summer our football team has a weight lifting program that we attend, where I earned the Ironman Award three years in a row because I didn’t miss a single day of lifting.”
www.MSHSL.org
Lucas Ray Robbinsdale Cooper High School — Region 6AA G.P.A. 3.613 Band, choir, orchestra, cross country running, swimming and diving, lacrosse “There is a more developed personality within me, not just a person who enjoys participating in many kinds of activities and challenging myself, but also that I love helping and teaching people, and giving back to the next generation, which are large parts of my life.” Rebekah Meyer Chisago Lakes High School — Region 7AA G.P.A. 4.0 Choir, one act play, basketball, track and field “In track and field, I have achieved all-conference awards in relays, the 400-meter dash, and long jump. This last year, I was on the 4x100and 4x400-meter relays that set new school and conference meet records. In addition to being conference champs, our 4x400-meter relay team competed at the state meet. I look forward to being this year’s team captain and aspire to lead my teammates through another successful season.” Luke Heine Cloquet High School — Region 7AA G.P.A. 4.116 Band, visual arts, cross country running, football, Nordic skiing, tennis, track and field “Excellence in three ‘A’s’ is rare. Excellence in four ‘A’s’ is rarer. Single handedly creating the Northland Frisbee Invite, the Upper Midwest’s first Ultimate Frisbee tournament, my actions not only exemplify my practice of the four A’s – art, academics, athletics, altruism – but actively fostered those ideals in others. … I donated all proceeds – every dime – to The REACH Mentorship Program, a charity serving local disadvantaged youth.”
Spring 2013 Bulletin
7
News & Features
Daring greatly by embracing failure By Jody Redman Associate Director “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
I
risks take the athlete out of his or t takes courage for students to When did students learn that mistakes her comfort zone to the land of show up every day in this uncertainty, where there is a good public arena called high school and failure are negative and should be chance that failure will occur. Our athletics. It takes courage to be the response to their efforts, to their students who wait for their turn to avoided, that somehow they should risks and their failures and to their get into the game, to take the last achieve without failure? willingness to leave their comfort shot, or to be put into the game to zone will either encourage students throw one pitch with the bases to try something new or convince them to stay locked in a risk-free loaded. It takes courage to show up and try a new skill, knowing mistakes comfort zone. will surely occur, to enter into a public arena where failure is inevitable, The late motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is an event, not and to move outside of one’s comfort zone. a person.” Yet at times our response to students when they make a Roosevelt captures the essence of showing up in the second line of the mistake is communicated with arms outstretched in disbelief, a scrunched above quote: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly…” up angry expression, and screams that center on our disappointment, disapproval and disgust. Our response makes it very clear that the failure We want students to enter into the arena and strive valiantly. We want is the person. In the book Top 20 Teachers, the authors’ state, “It is them to fully engage in the opportunities that are being provided to them. because of the frequency and likelihood of these responses that people fear There is so much to be gained, but this can only happen if we provide failure and mistake making. As a result, they fear moving outside their them with a safe place where they can show up and try. Trying is natural. Trying is attempting something new; it is the struggle Comfort Zone and handicap their learning and potential.” We have a choice — to be the coach or the critic. We either find value to overcome difficulties; it is striving for something more. A willingness to in failure and mistakes and our students grow — we coach. Or we try is what puts our athletes into the arena. But as Roosevelt said, with respond with negativity and the students on our team remain locked in trying comes failure: “…there is no effort without error or shortcoming…” their comfort zone, where they won’t take risks, they play it safe, and Think about how much time it requires to master a skill. The skill learn nothing — we criticize. development of our students occurs when they try and fail, and then try Our awareness of how we respond to a student who makes the choice and fail again, sometimes hundreds of times. Students who show up are to show up is essential to keeping him in the arena “…so that his place going to fail. Sometimes this failure is met by a critic whose judgment is shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor discouraging. We need to celebrate, not discourage this process of trying defeat,” said Roosevelt. and failing. Performing in public takes courage. Traveling down a road not yet When did students learn that mistakes and failure are negative and traveled takes courage. It takes courage to try a new skill and to risk not should be avoided, that somehow they should achieve without failure? Consider a one-year-old who is learning to walk. When she falls down, she knowing or understanding something. It takes courage to show up every day. We ultimately determine if our students will take the leap of faith to doesn’t beat herself up, she doesn’t get yelled at, and she isn’t ridiculed. trust and risk failure simply by how we respond. She falls down and then she gets back up. She tries again, falls down Take some time and reflect on how you respond to your players when again and eventually learns to walk. Did her ultimate success occur they fail and make a mistake. Based on your response to their “error or because the adults watching her effort judged her, screamed at her or shortcoming,” is it acceptable for your athletes to take risks and stretch gave her a sarcastic eye roll filled with disapproval? Just the opposite is themselves or, based on your typical response, is it far better if they stay true. They cheered her on and encouraged her to try and try again. safely tucked inside their comfort As coaches we have limitless zone? opportunities to provide messages We have a choice — to be the coach or Daring greatly means risking to the young people on our teams. the critic. We either find value in failure failure by stepping into the arena, Much of our athletes’ willingness to getting into the game when others risk trying something new is and mistakes and our students grow — choose to sit it out, and choosing determined by how we respond to move outside one’s comfort their efforts: the point guard’s risk we coach. Or we respond with negativity to zone to try something new. When to drive the lane with the left hand you create an environment where instead of the dominant right; the and the students on our team remain students feel comfortable and gymnast’s risk to throw a double fly-away instead of the lay-out flylocked in their comfort zone, where they embrace mistakes and failure, the athletes on your team will follow away; or the goaltender who takes won’t take risks, they play it safe, and Roosevelt’s lead, will dare greatly the risk to leave the comfort of the blue-painted crease to challenge and will show up. learn nothing — we criticize. the oncoming shooter. All of these
8
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features
ExCEL students bringing hope to those in need By Lisa Lissimore Associate Director
T
hey’re out there — students from the League’s 535 member schools making a big impact serving the needs of others in their community. They’re tutoring students, assisting seniors, cleaning cemeteries, and coaching youth sports. They’re teaching, mentoring, leading school supply drives, and organizing activities for kids in homeless shelters. They’re cleaning highways, landscaping parks, stocking food shelves, and fundraising for worthy causes. They’re linked in service — changing lives every day. They are the 2013 ExCEL Award winners. On March 16, the Minnesota State High School League and its broadcast partner, KSTC-TV Channel 45, honored this special group of student leaders during ceremonies at the State Girls’ Basketball Tournament. “Every year, for the past 17 years, we’ve have given ExCEL (Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership) Awards to students who go beyond the classroom and the fields of competition to improve the quality of life for others,” I said to the recipients and their families. I manage the awards program. “ExCEL award recipients understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve. Your approach to volunteerism inspires others to make service a central part of their lives.” Nearly 4,000 students have been recognized through the ExCEL Award program. Three-hundred and eight were nominated by their schools this year. ExCEL Award recipients, 32 in all, were selected through a multi-level process that involves League member schools and an independent panel of judges from schools throughout Minnesota. Like the groups before them, the 2013 ExCEL award receipts are engaged in life-changing projects that build stronger, healthier and safer communities. Here’s a look at who they are and the things they do. Jacob Alex Rosemount High School School Activities: Student Council, Student Ambassador, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Peer Tutoring Athletics: Soccer, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Debate, Speech Community Service: Youth sports coach, church volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, city commission participant Mackenzie Bade Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial High School School Activities: Knowledge Bowl, Academic Decathlon, Student Council, National Honor Society, Spanish Club Athletics: Volleyball, Softball, Cheerleading Fine Arts: Choir Community Service: Assisted living facility volunteer, Adopt-aHighway volunteer, retreat leader, American Cancer Society volunteer, animal shelter volunteer, service trip Carly Brandt Mounds View High School School Activities: DECA, Science Olympiad, School Mentor, National Honor Society, Volunteer Club Athletics: Gymnastics, Track and Field, Cross Country Running, Swimming and Diving Fine Arts: Band, Visual Arts, Speech Community Service: Youth Advisory Board, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, Salvation Army volunteer, hospital volunteer, camp counselor, senior living facility volunteer Special Mention: Carly is the president of the Hands on Twin Cities Youth Advisory Board, a metro area volunteering advocacy group.
www.MSHSL.org
They’re out there — students from the League’s 535 member schools making a big impact serving the needs of others in their community. Brooke Borchardt Zimmerman High School School Activities: National Honor Society, DECA, Link Leader Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Visual Arts Community Service: Youth sports coach, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, church and elementary school volunteer Barrett Carlson New Ulm Cathedral High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, School Mass Leader Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track and Field, Cross Country Running Fine Arts: Band Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout service volunteer, camp lifeguard, United Way volunteer, park maintenance volunteer, church volunteer, youth sports coach Brandon Fabel Norwood-Young America High School School Activities: Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society, Student Council, Advisory Council, FFA, Peer Tutoring Athletics: Football, Basketball, Golf Fine Arts: Band, Choir, Speech Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout service volunteer, church volunteer, youth sports coach, Feed My Starving Children volunteer Special Mention: Brandon spent nearly 500 hours cleaning up an old cemetery in his community, including removing brush, trimming trees and cleaning gravestones. He also catalogued and archived all of the information found in the cemetery, including mapping, photographing and recording the data. Bailey Grussing Adrian High School School Activities: Knowledge Bowl, Spanish Club, Math League, National Honor Society, Student Council, Partners in Prevention Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Softball Fine Arts: Band, One Act Play, Speech Community Service: Church volunteer, youth sports coach and volunteer, Sunday School teacher, food drive volunteer, Youth Mentor See ExCEL on Page 11
Spring 2013 Bulletin
9
Jacob Alex
Mackenzie Bade
Brooke Borchardt
Carly Brandt
Barrett Carlson
Brandon Fabel
Rosemount
Lake CrystalWellcome Memorial
Zimmerman
Mounds View
New Ulm Cathedral
NorwoodYoung America
Bailey Grussing
Beth Holland
Hayley Johnson
Paxton Jordahl
Joshua Kimball
Mitchell Kollodge
Bethany Kozak
Adrian
Morris Area
Willow River
Hutchinson
Waseca
Albany
White Bear Lake Area
Marshal Landrum
Parry Larson
Zoe LeClair
Greg Mork
Kayla Nickles
Megan Norby
Obiora Obikwelu
St. Paul Como Park
NorwoodYoung America
Eagan
Mora
Braham
Nevis
Irondale, New Brighton
Abby Obright
Leah Pinault
Ryan Ruberg
Shelby Schiefelbein
Matthew Schmit
Carly Sigurdson
Courtney Sill
Underwood
Mound Westonka
Rushford-Peterson
Kimball Area
Jackson County Central
B O L D , Olivia
Wabasha-Kellogg
Andrew Smith
Hunter Smith
Connor Smythe
Lauren Summers
Aaron Thompson
Henning
Zimmerman
Park Rapids Area
Janesville-WaldorfPemberton
Underwood
News & Features ExCEL .................................................................................. continued from Page 9 Beth Holland Morris Area High School School Activities: Robotics, FFA, Business Professionals of America, Sportsmanship Conference, Anti-Bullying Program Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field, Softball Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Church performer and volunteer, Adopt-aHighway volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, agriculture education volunteer, service trip, youth sports coach Hayley Johnson Willow River High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Student Council, Math League, LifeSmarts Challenge, Anti-Bullying Committee, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Church volunteer, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, youth sports coach and volunteer, blood center volunteer, March of Dimes volunteer, American Diabetes Association volunteer Paxton Jordahl Hutchinson High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Math League, Business Professionals of America, Key Club, Link Crew Athletics: Football, Wrestling, Baseball Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Church performer and volunteer, service trips, Sunday School assistant, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, food shelf volunteer, youth sports coach and volunteer Joshua Kimball Waseca High School School Activities: Student Council, National Honor Society, Link Crew, Marching Band, School Musical, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Athletics: Cross Country Running, Tennis, Baseball, Football Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Youth sports coach, service trip, Vacation Bible School teacher, community musician Mitchell Kollodge Albany High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Peer Tutoring, Math Team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Athletics: Football, Cross Country Running, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band Community Service: Youth math team coach, church volunteer, library volunteer Special Mention: Mitchell founded the elementary school Math Masters team, which is part of a statewide math challenge and competition. He is the current coach of the team. Bethany Kozak White Bear Lake Area High School School Activities: Ambassadors Program, Leadership Club, State History Day Athletics: Cross Country Running, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band Community Service: Church volunteer, apple orchard volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, Dress for Success volunteer, Special Olympics volunteer, sport events volunteer Marshal Landrum St. Paul Como Park High School School Activities: National Honor Society, National History Day, Broadcast Production, Student Showcase Athletics: Cross Country Running, Nordic Ski Racing, Track and Field Fine Arts: Visual Arts Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout volunteer, VFW volunteer, sport events volunteer, youth sports volunteer
www.MSHSL.org
Parry Larson Norwood-Young America High School School Activities: Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society, Marching Band, School Musical, Student Council Athletics: Cross Country Running, Track and Field, Cheerleading Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Elementary summer school assistant, American Cancer Society volunteer, church volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, youth sports volunteer, Friends of the Mississippi River volunteer Zoe LeClair Eagan High School School Activities: Science Club, Marching Band, French Club, Student Government, National Honor Society, Peer Tutoring, Leadership Seminar Athletics: Tennis, Basketball, Nordic Skiing, Lacrosse Fine Arts: Speech, Debate, Band, Choir Community Service: Nursing home volunteer and performer, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Awareness volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, Foreign Exchange Program volunteer Greg Mork Mora High School School Activities: Marching Band, Student Council, National Honor Society, German Club, Anti-Bullying Program Athletics: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Orchestra Community Service: Youth sports volunteer, sport event volunteer, Sunday School teacher, Foreign Exchange Program volunteer, church volunteer, homeless shelter volunteer Kayla Nickles Braham High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Theater, Student Council, Peer Tutoring, SADD, Link Crew Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Church volunteer, youth sports coach, sport event volunteer, Special Olympics volunteer, Military Families aide Megan Norby Nevis High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Chemical Health Fair, Student Council, Peer Tutoring, Leadership Conference, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, youth mentor, church volunteer, service trips, youth sports coach, Sunday School teacher, sport events volunteer Special Mention: On one of Megan’s two church mission trips, she traveled to a “Skid Row” area in California, which has one of the highest populations of homeless people in the nation. She and her group served the homeless population, distributing sleeping bags, blankets, toothbrushes and other necessities. Obiora Obikwelu Irondale High School School Activities: Student Council, Mock Trial, Step Team, School Musical, Peer Mentoring, Diversity Club, Future Educators Club, School Photography Athletics: Football, Track and Field Fine Arts: Choir, Band, One Act Play, Speech Community Service: Service trips, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, food program volunteer, youth tutor, church performer, Second Harvest Heartland volunteer
Spring 2013 Bulletin
See ExCEL on Page 13
11
News & Features
Baker’s dozen headed to St. Louis for national robotics championships
T
hirteen teams based in Minnesota have qualified for the FIRST national championship robotics tournament that will be held in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, April 24-27. The competition involves robots that flip flying discs to score points, as well as scale pyramid structures on the playing field. ULTIMATE ASCENTSM is played by two competing alliances on a flat, 27 x 54-foot field. Each alliance consists of three robots. They compete to score as many discs into their goals as they can during a two minute and 15 second match. The higher the goal in which the disc is scored, the more points (2, 4 or 6) the alliance receives. The match begins
with a 15-second Autonomous Period in which robots operate independently of driver inputs. Discs scored during this period are worth extra points. For the remainder of the match, drivers control robots and try to maximize their alliance score by scoring as many goals as possible.
The match ends with robots attempting to climb on pyramids located near the middle of the field. The robot earns points based on how high it climbs. The 13 Minnesota teams represent students from the following member school districts: Becker, Duluth, Eagan, Eden Prairie (two teams), Edina, Frazee, New Brighton, Prior Lake/Savage, St. Cloud, St. Peter, Two Harbors, and Woodbury. The Minnesota State Robotics Tournament is scheduled for May 18 at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus.
Right: The robot shooting flying discs at the Feeder Station. Below: The robot shooting flying discs at the Pyramid.
12
Spring 2013 Bulletin
Photographs by Ian Jamieson / KING TeC 2169 Robotics Team
The KING TeC Team 2169 drivers (L-R: Andy Huynh, Alex Passofaro, Paul Hines, Maxwell Pitkanen) reacted with enthusiasm after the announcement that they had won the Colorado Regional, qualifying the Prior Lake/Savage-based robotics team for the national championships.
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features ExCEL ................................................................................. continued from Page 11 Abby Obright Underwood High School School Activities: National Honor Society, SADD, Student Council, Peer Tutoring, Math League, Service Club Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Golf Fine Arts: Choir, Band, Speech Community Service: Youth sports coach and volunteer, church volunteer, Homeless Awareness volunteer, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, food program volunteer, community landscaping volunteer Leah Pinault Mound Westonka High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Literature Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Athletics: Cross Country Running, Track and Field Fine Arts: Orchestra, Band Community Service: Music teacher, sport events volunteer, coat drive volunteer, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, church volunteer, Sunday School teacher, missionary aide Ryan Ruberg Rushford-Peterson High School School Activities: FFA, SADD, School Carnival, Marching Band Athletics: Cross Country Running, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band Community Service: Church volunteer, 4-H volunteer, Adopt-aHighway volunteer, food shelf volunteer Shelby Schiefelbein Kimball Area High School School Activities: Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society, Student Government, Mock Trial Athletics: Volleyball, Softball, Basketball manager Fine Arts: Band, Choir, Speech Community Service: Minnesota Beef Ambassador, 4-H volunteer, church volunteer, Sunday School teacher, food shelf volunteer
Hunter Smith Zimmerman High School School Activities: DECA, National Honor Society, School Board, Link Crew Athletics: Football, Wrestling, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band Community Service: Youth sports coach and volunteer, church volunteer, highway cleanup volunteer
Connor Smythe Park Rapids Area High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Spanish Club Athletics: Football, Swimming and Diving Fine Arts: Choir Community Service: Service ExCEL — Excellence in Community, trips, church volunteer, youth sports coach, sport events Education and Leadership is a unique volunteer, Salvation Army bell awards program that honors high school ringer
juniors who are leaders in their schools and who have made community service a central part of their lives.
Matthew Schmit Jackson County Central High School School Activities: Student Council, FFA Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout volunteer, blood drive volunteer, Kids Against Hunger volunteer, church volunteer, bike trail improvement volunteer Carly Sigurdson BOLD High School School Activities: Peer Tutoring, National Honor Society, Math League, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Softball Fine Arts: Choir Community Service: Church volunteer and performer, youth sports coach and volunteer, nursing home volunteer, service trip Courtney Sill Wabasha-Kellogg High School School Activities: Math Team, School Musical, SADD, Student Council, Leadership Committee, Peer Helpers Athletics: Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Golf Fine Arts: Band, Choir Community Service: Hospital and health care center volunteer, youth sports volunteer, church volunteer, blood drive volunteer, Toys for Tots volunteer
www.MSHSL.org
Andrew Smith Henning High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Student Council, SADD, Knowledge Bowl, Marching Band, School Musical Athletics: Football, Basketball, Golf Fine Arts: Choir, Band, Speech Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout volunteer, park landscaper, church volunteer, Sunday School teacher, youth sports volunteer Special Mention: Andrew organized and led a project to landscape the community’s Veterans’ Memorial Park. His project included overseeing a team of 10 workers, moving crushed rock, planting trees, and laying pavers around the newly erected flagpoles.
Lauren Summers Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School School Activities: National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, Science Club, Band Council, History Club, School Musical, Leadership Conference Athletics: Basketball, Volleyball, Golf Fine Arts: Choir, Band, Speech, One Act Play Community Service: Church performer and volunteer, 4-H volunteer, youth sports coach, Meals on Wheels volunteer, youth mentor, winter clothing drive volunteer, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, special needs camp aide Special Mention: Lauren volunteered at a camp for children with mental handicaps. The children need one-on-one aides throughout the day, and Lauren was given the responsibility of being paired with a special camper throughout the week. Aaron Thompson Underwood High School School Activities: School Musical, Student Council, Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society, Peer Tutoring, Service Club Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track and Field Fine Arts: Band, Choir, Speech Community Service: Boy Scout and Eagle Scout volunteer, 4-H volunteer, youth recycling volunteer, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, nursing home volunteer, Salvation Army bell ringer Special Mention: Aaron spearheaded a project to beautify the lawn outside his church so it could be used as a gathering place. He fundraised with local businesses, designed and built picnic tables, and trained young Boy Scouts to build bird feeders.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
13
News & Features
Why We Play conference aimed at coaches
L
eadership from the Minnesota State High School League, Minnesota State High School Coaches Association and the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association are collaborating to offer the Why We Play…A Coaches Conference. The conference is open to all coaches, but it is specifically intended to assist League member high schools’ veteran head coaches in meeting the provisions of state statute MS 122A.33—Head Coach Licensure. The cost of the Why We Play conference is $99 and will provide coaches who must meet MS122A.33—Head Coach Licensure with both the in-person instruction and the online NFHS licensing codes needed to complete the 60 clock hours of instruction required by the statute. This is a cost savings of $71 and is only being offered at the Why We Play…A Coaches Conference on both August 1 and 7. Registration for all three of the Why We Play conferences is available through the League’s Coaches Clipboard Page. Space is limited, so early registration is suggested. Athletic administrators (who do not need to meet MS122A.33— Head Coach Licensure) are also invited and encouraged to attend the general sessions of the conference at no cost. Conference details and registration information was included in your MNIAAA Conference attendee packet.
The traditional Head Coaches Course will continue to be offered by the League at regional sites in June, July and August. Coaches may register for these courses through their Coaches Clipboard page to meet the in-person requirement. The cost to register for the traditional Head Coaches Course is $170. There will not be a reduced fee for these courses. The dates for several upcoming Head Coaches Courses have been confirmed and are listed below. The location for many of these courses is yet to be identified. Once the location is determined the course will be added to the Coaches Education Schedule available online. Head Coaches Course Schedule: ● Thursday, June 20: Hopkins High School & one additional location TBD ● Saturday, June 22: Locations TBD ● Saturday, July 27: Locations TBD ● Friday, August 23: Locations TBD ● Saturday, August 24: Locations TBD
The conference is open to all coaches, but it is specifically intended to assist League member high schools’ veteran head coaches in meeting the provisions of state statute MS 122A.33—Head Coach Licensure.
14
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features Clay Target League has 114 high school teams representing 195 schools for 2013 spring season
T
he Minnesota State High School Clay Target League announced that 114 high school teams representing 195 schools and 3,400 student-athletes are participating in the 2013 spring season. Led by the support of their schools and hundreds of volunteer coaches, thousands of student athletes will be trapshooting weekly in April and May at shooting ranges throughout Minnesota. “This is the fifth consecutive year that the league has doubled in teams, schools and athlete numbers,” said Jim Sable, executive director of the MSHSCTL. “In 2012, there were 57 teams and 1,500 student athletes participating. With this kind of growth, trapshooting continues to be Minnesota’s fastest growing high school sport.” MSHSCTL’s program attracts studentathletes to participate in shooting sports while creating a virtual competition among high schools throughout Minnesota. Shooting practices and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school’s location. A true team scoring system is used in three shooting performance categories — top score,
top 50 percent performer’s average score, and overall team average score. The numbers of athletes on a team are used to define the conferences that teams compete within. Scores are submitted and compared with other school’s performances to determine the earned points for a team and then posted on the League’s website. The season culminates with the state tournament at Alexandria Shooting Park in Alexandria
June 7-9 where individual and team champions will be determined and recognized. On December 6, 2012, the Minnesota State High School League approved a presenting partner state tournament with the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League for June 2014. “Trapshooting will be recognized as a sport like all other high school sports,” Sable said, “thus making Minnesota the first state high school athletic association in America to host a sanctioned high school trapshooting state tournament.” The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and the independent provider of shooting sports as an extra curricular coed activity to high schools for students in grades six through 12 who have earned their Firearms Safety Certification. The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League has three priorities — safety, fun and marksmanship — in that order. For more information about the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League, visit www.mnclaytarget.com.
Survey on financial education coming your way
N
one other than Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, said it best when capturing the importance of teaching young people an understanding of the basic financial tools they will need to succeed in life: “The number one problem in today’s generation and economy is the lack of financial literacy.” The Minnesota State High School League and Wells Fargo, the League’s premier corporate partner, have a goal to do something about that problem. And it’s going to start by seeking the help of high school educators with a brief survey. That survey, which is aimed at high school business and math teachers (or others at high schools who teach students about the basics in financial management), is to determine what’s being taught and what information can be provided for students to better their understanding of basic financial education. The survey will be sent to schools in early May and teachers will have approximately two weeks to respond. The survey will
www.MSHSL.org
be less than 10 questions and take just a few minutes to complete. Its major focus will be on determining if curriculums in high school focus appropriate time and attention on: ● Managing a checking or savings account ● Money management and budgeting ● Responsible use of credit ● Planning for college ● Other topics that teachers believe are appropriate. “We all know how vital it is in today’s world for students to have a real grasp of handling their money and the tools necessary to manage it responsibly,” said Sue Walker of Wells Fargo. “Our goal is to first survey educators in high schools. We hope to understand their needs and provide the right tools and resources we have at our disposal to educate students to make the right choices when it comes to managing their money.” These tools will be helpful throughout high school, post-high school and beyond. “As we begin our second decade of working with Wells Fargo as our premier corporate partner, we share the belief that
“Our goal is to first survey educators in high schools. We hope to understand their needs and provide the right tools and resources we have at our disposal to educate students to make the right choices when it comes to managing their money.” it’s our duty to lead students down the path to financial literacy,” said Lisa Lissimore, League associate director. “With Wells Fargo and its financial knowledge and expertise, we are confident we can play a role in educating students. And we’d like educators to help us develop the proper tools in the right format for schools. That’s an important first step.” Educators can look for the survey soon. “We hope to implement this program in the fall,” Lissimore added. “We are eager to hear from math and business teachers to make sure we move in the right direction.”
Spring 2013 Bulletin
15
News & Features
Darwitz, Wendell dominate national girls’ hockey records John Millea / MSHSL
By John Gillis
A
cursory review of the girls’ ice hockey section of the National Federation of State High School Associations’ online multimedia National High School Sports Record Book reveals that it is dominated by two extraordinary Minnesota players — Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell. Darwitz and Wendell, who completed their respective high school careers in 2000, are collectively listed 20 times in the Record Book. Darwitz holds the national career records for goals (316), assists (152) and points (468), while Wendell holds the top spots for goals in a season (110), goals in a game (8), points in a season (165) and points in a game (11). Darwitz played hockey for Eagan High School, while Wendell played for Park Center High School, both suburban Twin Cities schools. Despite their relatively close proximity, the two met just once in high school in their teams’ opening game of the 1999-2000 season at the Eagan Civic Arena. In that watershed midNovember contest that was touted as the showdown between the north suburban star (Wendell) and the south suburban star (Darwitz), Wendell scored seven goals to help lead her Park Center team to a 10-4 victory over Eagan. Darwitz, who was nursing an injured hip, scored twice for Eagan. Played before a packed house, the game lived up to the hype as the two star players
Krissy Wendell (left) and Natalie Darwitz ahve been both opponents and teammates on the ice. played fast-paced and physical games against each other. “I don’t think many people know that we actually played against each other in high school,” Wendell said. “It was very early in the season, and it was played in a packed arena with lots of excitement. I do remember thinking it was weird because we had already been teammates on the U.S. team and we hadn’t played against each other before. I think that’s the only time we have ever been on opposing teams. “I also think the media hyped
“I don’t think many people know that we actually played against each other in high school. It was very early in the season, and it was played in a packed arena with lots of excitement. I do remember thinking it was weird because we had already been teammates on the U.S. team and we hadn’t played against each other before. I think that’s the only time we have ever been on opposing teams.” 16
up the rivalry far more than Natalie and I thought of it as a rivalry. We enjoyed playing on the same team far more than we did playing against each other — at least I did. We are very differentstyle players, and thankfully we played with each other more than against each other.” “If you ask Krissy and me, it was just another game,” Darwitz said. “The communities were excited, the rink was packed and it was fun. We’re competitors, but also good friends who played on the same U.S. national ream. I knew it was going to be a fun game, although we ended up losing. The best thing about it is it was great for girls’ hockey – it got a lot of newspaper and television coverage. People who didn’t normally come out to watch a girls’ hockey game came out and watched that game. We put a good product on the ice.” Both Darwitz and Wendell grew up playing hockey with boys. In addition, Wendell played in the 1994 Little League World Series as the only female on the Brooklyn Center team and the first female starting catcher in Little League World Series history. The duo came along at exactly the right time, as the Minnesota
Spring 2013 Bulletin
State High School League’s Representative Assembly approved adding girls’ hockey in March 1994 and it became a League-sponsored activity with the 1994-95 school year. During that inaugural season, more than 1,000 Minnesota high school girls competed in hockey on 24 varsity and 12 junior varsity teams. The first MSHSL girls’ hockey tournament, which was held February 24-25, 1995, at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood, Minnesota, drew 6,155 spectators. Both players helped lead their respective high school programs to great state tournament success. Darwitz played in three state tournaments with the best finish a runner-up placement to Hibbing/Chisholm High School. Wendell led Park Center to the state tournament twice, including a 6-0 win in the title game over Anoka High School as a senior. For both of them, playing in the state tournament was a memorable experience. “Playing in the state tournament is what every Minnesota kid dreams about when they think of high school hockey,” Wendell said. “It’s such a fun tournament with so much See Records on Page 17
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features Records .............................................................................. continued from Page 16 history and tradition. I think there’s something special about having your entire school supporting you and bringing so much school pride. Just playing in the state tournament is great, but being able to end your high school career with a state championship is really special and such a special memory.” “Growing up in Minnesota, watching the boys’ hockey state tournament on television every March instilled in me how great it is and what a special moment it is to be in the tournament,” Darwitz said. “Although we never won the girls’ state hockey title, for my high school to go the state tournament three times in four years was a tremendous experience.” In recognition of their many accomplishments during their storied high school careers, both players received numerous accolades. In separate seasons, both were named Metro Player of the Year by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Wendell was chosen Minnesota’s Ms. Hockey following her senior year. Following high school, Darwitz and Wendell both played for the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team. They teamed up to lead the Golden Gophers to backto-back NCAA women’s hockey national championships in 2004 and 2005. Wendell, a 5-foot-6 forward who shoots left-handed, was a co-captain of the Gophers team and scored the game-winning goal in the 2005 Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship game against the University of Wisconsin. She followed that with a hat trick against Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Harvard, and was the NCAA scoring runner-up to Gophers teammate Darwitz. Similar to high school, Wendell’s and Darwitz’ names also appear several times in the NCAA Record Book. During the 2004-05 season, Wendell set the NCAA single-season record for short-handed goals with seven, and had the career record for short-handed goals of 16 when
Wendell (left) and Darwitz were cover girls in 2000 during their high school heydays. she graduated. Wendell currently ranks seventh in career points with 237. In 2005, she became the first player from Minnesota and the first from the WCHA to win the Patty Kazmaier Award, which recognizes the nation’s top Division I women’s hockey player. Darwitz, a 5-3 center/wing who shoots right-handed, began skating at the tender age of five. She currently holds the NCAA records for most points scored in a season (114) and for most assists in a season (72), and ranks third in career assists with 144. Her career points total of 246 ranks fifth all-time, and her career average of 2.49 points per game ranks second. In 2005, she led the nation as she averaged 2.85 points per game. During her three years at Minnesota, Darwitz helped lead the Gophers to back-to-back national championships, scored the winning goal in her final game with 1:08 to play versus Harvard
(4-3), won the Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 NCAA Women’s Hockey Championship Frozen Four, and was named U.S. Women’s Player of the Year. Both have played extensively at the international level. Wendell started with the U.S. National Team at the Three Nations Cup in 1998, and in 2005, led all players in scoring with nine points as the United States won its first gold medal at the Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships. She was a member of the silver medalwinning U.S. team at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, and played on the bronzemedal squad at Turin in 2006. Darwitz was on the same Olympic squads with Wendell in 2002 and 2006, and also was a member of the silver-medal team in 2010 in Vancouver. She earned medals at eight Women’s World Championships and at 10 Women’s Four Nations Cup competitions.
Today, Wendell is married to Red Wing native and former University of Minnesota men’s hockey star John Pohl, and they are parents of three young daughters. John is head girls’ hockey coach at Cretin-Derham Hall High School and Krissy assists him. Darwitz is the head girls’ hockey coach at Lakeville South High School and a private skating instructor. She enjoys boating on the lakes in her native Minnesota, but also likes to surf in Southern California and Mexico with her boyfriend. Although both successfully played hockey at the highest possible levels, their high school experiences still hold a special place. “I think there is something special about representing the town in which you grow up in and playing with teammates you’ve known almost your entire life,” Wendell said. “At the high school level, the sport is still very pure. Every level that you climb, the competition gets even tougher and at times can be more stressful and the emphasis to win gets greater. In high school, you can just enjoy the experience without all of the pressure to always win. And, of course, it’s nice to be able to play in front of all your family and friends.” “Playing at the high school level is definitely special,” Darwitz said. “I tell the girls I coach to not look past today playing high school hockey. I tell them it’s one of the best experiences of their lives. There’s nothing better than representing your school and your community, and there’s nothing quite like cross-town rivalries. We are very fortunate in Minnesota to have that experience and to have that great tradition in hockey. If I could do it, it would be awesome to be able to go back to play it again.” John Gillis is the associate director of publications and communications of the NFHS. Reprinted with permission from the NFHS website (www.nfhs.org/ content.aspx?id=8307).
“Playing at the high school level is definitely special. I tell the girls I coach to not look past today playing high school hockey. I tell them it’s one of the best experiences of their lives. There’s nothing better than representing your school and your community...” www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
17
News & Features Theismann, Billups headline NFHS Hall of Fame Class of 2013
F
our individuals who excelled as high school athletes, including former Washington Redskins’ all-pro quarterback Joe Theismann and current Los Angeles Clippers’ guard Chauncey Billups, headline the 2013 class of the National High School Hall of Fame. Joining Theismann and Billups as athletes in the 2013 class are Harrison Dillard, who helped Cleveland (Ohio) East Technical High School to three state track championships before winning four gold medals at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games, and Kristin Folkl Kaburakis, who helped her St. Louis (Missouri) St. Joseph’s Academy teams to four state volleyball championships and four state basketball titles in the early 1990s before an outstanding twosport career at Stanford University. These four individuals, along with five high school coaches, two officials, one administrator and one individual in the
performing arts, will be inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame June 27 at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. High school coaches slated for induction this year: Ed Aston, who retired in 2011 after 37 years as girls’ swimming coach and 33 years as boys’ swimming coach at Cheshire (Connecticut) High School; Chuck Koeppen, cross country running and track coach at Carmel (Indiana) High School for 37 years before retiring in 2008; Chuck Lenahan, who is in his 42nd year as football coach at Plymouth (New Hampshire) Regional High School; Mike Messere, lacrosse coach at Camillus (New York) West Genesee High School for the past 37 years; and James Tate, who has coached cross country running and track at Mobile (Alabama) St. Paul’s Episcopal High School for the past 34 years.
Jerry Kimmel, a basketball official from Kentucky who recently retired after 56 years as an active official and assigner for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, and Haig Nighohossian, a soccer official from Granite City, Illinois, who is in his 39th year as an active official with the Illinois High School Association, are this year’s honorees in the Officials category. Ronnie Carter, who retired in 2009 after 23 years as executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, is this year’s inductee in the Administrators category, and Richard Floyd, who is retiring this year after 50 years in music education, including 29 years as director of music for the University Interscholastic League in Austin, Texas, is this year’s honoree in the Performing Arts category. Theismann was a three-sport
star at South River (New Jersey) High School and led the football team to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group III championship in 1966 with a 9-0 record and 24 touchdown passes. He quarterbacked the University of Notre Dame to a No. 2 national ranking in 1971, and he won a Super Bowl and Most Valuable Player honors during his career with the Redskins. Billups was a four-time allstate selection and three-time Mr. Basketball at Denver (Colorado) George Washington High School. He averaged 23.8 points per game for his career and helped his team to state championships as a sophomore and junior in 1993 and 1994. Billups is in his 16th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), highlighted by six years with Detroit when he helped the Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship.
Kentucky high schools share NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award
L
ogan County High School in Russellville, Kentucky, and Magoffin County High School in Salyersville, Kentucky, have been selected the 2013 recipients of the National High School Spirit of Sport Award by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics. Logan County High School, located in the western part of the state, and Magoffin County High School, located 281 miles to the east in the Appalachian Mountains, have not traditionally been common opponents or rivals in sports, nor have they generally had much in common. That all changed on March 2, 2012, when an EF3 tornado spun up in the rural Appalachian valley between the mountains and descended upon the tiny town of Salyersville around 11:40 p.m. It touched down and began a 49-mile path of destruction through four counties. In the process, scores of buildings, businesses and homes were destroyed. Both the middle school and the high school were condemned following the storms. That was the day before the scheduled Kentucky High School Athletic Association 15th Region girls’ basketball game between Magoffin County and Paintsville High School. After much discussion, the game was moved
www.MSHSL.org
Park’s Tate the League nominee The Minnesota State High School League nominated Caitlin Tate, the starting goaltender for the girls’ hockey team at Park of Cottage Grove. She was born without a right hand. League Media Specialist John Millea profiled her in a feature that was published in the 2013 State Girls’ Hockey Tournament program. That feature follows on the next three pages. to Monday night, just two days before the start of the state tournament. Before a very small contingent of Magoffin County fans, many of whom now owning only the clothes on their backs, the Lady Hornets defeated Paintsville 49-40. Magoffin County coach Scott Castle had become the inspirational leader as team members fought back emotions to try to enjoy the regional win, proudly proclaiming “One team. One goal. One Promise. We are Magoffin.” While that was in and of itself both very moving and inspirational, it merely set the stage for what was to follow. Two days later at the KHSAA Sweet 16® girls’ state basketball tournament in Bowling Green, Magoffin County was pitted against
Spring 2013 Bulletin
Ashland Blazer High School from the 16th Region, a much larger school and its geographic neighbor located in an area that was also devastated by the tornado. Prior to the game, the two teams gathered at center court for a moment of silence and then celebrated survival. After trailing in the second half, Magoffin County came back to win 63-59. Logan County coach Scot McAlister was in the stands that night and was inspired watching the undersized but feisty Magoffin County team upset Ashland Blazer. As a result, he decided to offer his facility to Magoffin County as a “home away from home” in which it could practice, seek refuge or just get away. When the Lady Hornets arrived at Logan County, they were amazed to be greeted by 300 student-athletes who had organized a pep rally and a pizza party in their honor. Giving up their own time and at their own expense, the Logan County students drove 30 miles from Russellville to Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, where they filled one of the end zones with students dressed in the Magoffin County school colors. Throughout the game, the Logan County contingent enthusiastically supported Magoffin County with voracious cheers and chants that they had practiced both at school and en route to the game. The emotion in the arena was electric. See Spirit on Page 22
19
News & Features
Continued Next Page
20
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
News & Features
See Tate on Page 22
www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
21
Athletic Activities Minnesota volleyball players raised $42,650 for breast cancer research The following note was sent to several League staff members. In 2012, Minnesota high school volleyball teams were ranked No. 7 in the country for their Dig Pink® fundraising! They raised a total of $42,649.92 for The Side-Out Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for breast cancer research through the sport of volleyball. When student athletes share their limited free time with others in order to make a difference in the lives of those around them, it is not only impressive, it is inspiring, and we wanted to share this accomplishment with you. The top Minnesota fundraising teams in 2012 were: Tomahawk Conference — $14,022.70; Randolph High School — $3,364.00; Hastings High School — $2,600.00; Breckenridge Senior High School — $2,577.13; Mounds View High School — $2,323.00; North Branch High School — $2,245.90; White Bear Lake Area High School — $1,596.35; Yellow Medicine East High School — $1,563.03; Belgrade-BrootenElrosa High School — $1,425.00; Martin Luther High School, Northrop — $1,401.70. Middle schools, high schools and colleges nationwide raised a total of more than $1.1 million for Side-Out’s Dig Pink initiatives in 2012 (and the funds continue to come in)! In addition, 10 students were recognized with scholarship and/or community service awards through the Side-Out Ambassador Program. We look forward to another wonderful year in 2013! Thank you for fostering an environment where players are encouraged to build both physical strength and strength of character. Julie Matthews, Special Projects Coordinator Side-Out Foundation (www.side-out.org)
Spirit ................................................................................... continued from Page 19 Although Magoffin County lost that game to Lincoln County, Logan County’s selfless involvement became the big story of the tournament. Since that game, the students from both schools have stayed in touch and forged lifetime friendships as individuals who might have otherwise never seen each other again.
Nine months later, the Magoffin students decided that they wanted to pay back the Logan County girls’ team by coming to its first home game. On December 1, busloads of Magoffin County students made the fivehour drive from Salyersville to Russellville. Only a few Logan County school administrators
were aware of Magoffin County’s impending arrival at their game. As they poured into the gym that night, it was very apparent the impact it had on McAlister, who was moved to tears. “When you do the right thing like we did in March, you really don’t expect anything in return,” he said.
Although Logan County was not able to win that game, the players’ and fans’ hearts were enriched by the visit from their new friends. Using their own prerehearsed cheers, the Magoffin County students supported Logan County.
Tate ..................................................................................... continued from Page 21
22
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Athletic Activities
Safety needs to be top priority By Kevin Merkle Associate Director
T
here are many aspects involved in a high school educational activity programs. Close attention needs to be given to coaching, finances, facilities, equipment, practices, conditioning, X’s and O’s, etc. Care must be taken to make sure that attention is given to all of these areas. However, there is nothing more important than risk management and the safety and well being of the participants. Safety needs to be the Number One priority. ADs and coaches must place an emphasis on the area of risk management, making sure that facilities are safe; that practices are conducted with safety of the athletes in mind; and that you have an upto-date Emergency Action Plan — a plan that administrators, coaches and students know and understand. Other key pieces include the rules of the games and how athletes are trained. Rules I have had the opportunity to be involved in the rules-making process at the national level. The number one concern in making and changing rules is safety. I’m not sure that all rules are written to protect the safety of participants as well as they could be, but that is the goal. Minnesota has been a leader in helping to make changes at the national level in football and hockey; we have been at the forefront of adopting rules in regard to concussion and concussion training; we are the leaders in Emergency Action Planning; and we continued to enforce the “jewelry” and other equipment rules.” Some rules are not necessarily popular, but necessary to insure the safety of participants. Facilities and equipment While always restrained by finances, we all do what we can to make facilities safer for student-athletes. Great improvement has been made in how fields are built and maintained; lighting and padding in gyms; depth of swimming pools, improvements in padding and equipment in such sports as gymnastics and track. More and more artificial turf fields are being used, which, when maintained properly, can provide safer playing conditions. Preparation, training and practice We continue to made great strides in the training of our athletes. Improved off-season conditioning programs; more strength training; improved stretching and warm-up procedures; more knowledge about nutrition; increased use of athletic trainers, etc. With all of that has been and is being done, there is always the need for improvement. Look for changes in the following areas. Rules changes Minnesota will continue to experimenting with the onside kick rule in football, with the main purpose to make this particular play safer. We will continue to experiment with the rules in hockey to continue to make the game safer. We are considering a change in Dance Team rules that will shorten the length of the dances and the number of kicks in the High Kick division. This is being done for the safety and well being of athletes. There will additional training and information for coaches in a variety of sports on proper ways to train athletes, and to teach skills and techniques safely. Practices The League Sports Medicine Advisory Committee is working on a set of procedures and recommendations in regard to practices. Guidelines and recommendations are being developed on length of practice, number of practices in a day, amount of rest between practices, as well as proper acclimatization and conditioning. Some coaches and schools may already have sound guidelines and/or policies in place, but we know that there are other situations where the well being of the students is not the highest priority. Situations in which practices last for 3-4 hours, or there are three practices in one day. We look forward to receiving these recommendations and sharing those with our member schools in the near future. Football We will be releasing recommendations later this spring (which may become policy in the future) in regard to the amount of physical
www.MSHSL.org
Leaders must keep up with research, trends and new information in the area of risk management, the training and conditioning of athletes, and injury prevention. contact that can occur during the summer. Currently we have the most liberal rules in the nation, by allowing coaches to have contact with kids and conduct practices — with no restriction — seven days a week during the months of June and July, with the exception of the nocontact week around July 4. We have researched what is being done in other states and what are acceptable standards and based on that information, will be recommending guidelines and/or policies in regard to the number of days of practice to acclimatize to weather and equipment; and the number of days of practices when person to person contact is allowed. I’m not sure that coaches are out of line with current practice, but we know that there has been expansion in the number of practices and the amount of physical contact and both League staff and the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association feel there is a need for guidelines and policy in this area. At the national level there is also discussion in regard to how many practices, with full contact, should be allowed in one week. Participation limits Lastly, and again with football, we are looking at the rules in regard to the use of school equipment during the summer and the safety implications of that use, as well as the number of quarters a student should participate during a week or during a given three day period. Our current participation rules are seasonal limits, which work, but there are no policies that keep football players from participating in multiple games in one day or games on consecutive days. With the knowledge that we now have in regard to concussions and brain injuries this area needs attention. Regulations in these areas are necessary if we truly keep safety as our highest priority. Biggest impact at local level League staff will continue to work at the state and national level to minimize risk to student-athletes, but more important is what is done at the local level. Coaches and administrators have direct control in regard to the safety and well being of participants. Leaders must keep up with research, trends and new information in the area of risk management, the training and conditioning of athletes, and injury prevention. Athletes must be taught the skills to allow them to play safely and must be trained to play according to the the rules of the game. Leaders must constantly be vigil in their concern for the safety of athletes. Take a reasonable approach in finding the best ways in which to provide opportunities for your students, making sure that the opportunities are offered with the safety and well being of the participants in mind. Keep safety as the Number One priority.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
23
Athletic Activities Rest: The forgotten component of training By William O. Roberts, M.D., M.S.
E
ven God knew the importance of a weekly day of rest, according to Genesis. “And on the seventh day God … rested.”
Most training programs provide for a day off in each seven-day cycle, a week or so off every three months, and a month off each year. Whether the sport uses arms or legs, or both, the muscles need a regular break from training to perform at peak. One of the advantages of growing up in snow country before the advent of indoor facilities was the natural break that Mother Nature gave us on the shoulder of winter; that time is long gone for most high school athletes. High school athletes often play two or three sports in school (Minnesota athletes average 2.35 sports per academic year), but some also play on community or regional teams in addition to competing for the school. Other high school athletes limit themselves to one sport, but train and compete year around. Both kinds of athletes can get caught in an overtraining situation without enough rest in their conditioning and competition plan. To get the most out of your athletes, it may be necessary for coaches to take their athletes’ out-of-school activities into account when setting up individual training programs. An overtrained or injured athlete will not help your team. In addition to training rest, athletes need sleep; and in the high school age group, lots of it. Adolescent sleep requirements are generally in the 9- to11-hour range, and in some studies less than 15 percent of adolescents get more than 8.5 hours of sleep a night. Some of the high school athletes that I see in the office are trying to get by on 4-5 hours of sleep a night.
24
Most training programs provide for a day off in each seven-day cycle, a week or so off every three months, and a month off each year. Whether the sport uses arms or legs, or both, the muscles need a regular break from training to perform at peak. The pressures of school, sports, social activities, and family often force high school athlete into sleeping patterns that limit the hours needed to get an adequate volume of sleep each night. This day-to-day fatigue increases stimulant use, increases errors, decreases reaction times, and likely makes training less effective. What can coaches do? ● Know your athletes’ schedules and activities. ● Know your athletes’ other sports. ● Individualize training to accommodate conditioning outside of your sport. ● Encourage adequate sleep. ● Do not use “double sessions” unless the second session is purely skill-building. ● Watch for drops in training performance and effort. ● Watch for fatigue, depression, and overall “burnout.”
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Athletic Activities Adapted sports a chance to compete as a team By Jeff McGonigal
W
hen I was principal at Coon Rapids High School I made it a point to stop in to watch the competitions involving our adapted sports teams. Walking into the gym always put a smile on my face because the Coon Rapids kids recognized me and were excited that I was there. Afterwards, they would seek me out in the halls to talk about how the game went. Their parents and family members were there to cheer them on, proud to see their kids enjoying a spirited competition and doing their best to win. And win they do. Adapted sports give students with physical or cognitive impairments an opportunity to join with their peers in a team activity that is as valuable for them as sports are for our other teams. Though the students on an adapted sports team come from each of our high schools, they unite as one, the AnokaHennepin Mustangs. They are able to build friendships with students across the school district who are in similar circumstances. When a student in a wheelchair sees other students who use wheelchairs, there’s the feeling of “I am not the only one in a wheelchair and we’re going to use them to compete!” They also have an opportunity to get the sense of playing a role in something that is bigger than each of them as individuals. Team activities provide that important experience for students. In January, the U.S. Department of Education directed all school districts offering athletic programs and receiving federal funding to accommodate or adapt for students with disabilities. School districts across the nation are now scrambling to learn more
about the new requirement and what they must do to comply. Locally, school districts are doing the same, but we are in a much more positive position than most other states. Way back in 1984, a number of area school districts created the Minnesota Adapted Athletic Association (MAAA). The Minnesota State High School League held the first tournaments for adapted sports in 1993. There are now four sports available for students with disabilities including indoor soccer, floor hockey, indoor softball, and bowling. Minnesota schools are in the forefront for creating such opportunities. They see the value it provides our young people. Minnesota schools enthusiastically support all MAAA programs. Despite such positive strides, challenges still exist. In many cases, districts combine athletes to create the numbers needed for a sporting activity to take place. Doing so is much easier in the Twin Cities than in rural Minnesota. The MAAA and its participating districts are currently trying to find ways for these rural districts to create teams and participate. Since January’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Education, Anoka-Hennepin has completed its winter floor hockey season. Saturday, March 16, I attended the final day of the Minnesota State High School League’s State Adapted Floor Hockey Tournament. As
Adapted sports give students with physical or cognitive impairments an opportunity to join with their peers in a team activity that is as valuable for them as sports are for our other teams. has been the case for a number of years, the event was hosted by Bloomington Jefferson High School. Teams from Anoka-Hennepin not only qualified for the tournament, but also competed very well on their big day. Other area teams from Fridley, Centennial, Circle Pines, Columbia Heights, Spring Lake Park, and Osseo school districts competed as well. The spring season will bring indoor softball. Home games for Anoka-Hennepin’s Mustangs are played at the Andover Community Center. The state tournament for indoor softball will be held at Coon Rapids High School later this spring. Please consider attending an adapted game supporting any school or team. I am confident you will come away seeing the value of these programs. Schedules are available at www.maaaconference.org. Jeff McGonigal is associate superintendent for the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Reprinted with permission from ABC Newspapers.
Fan enjoys League’s adapted tournaments The following note was sent to Executive Direcor Dave Stead. Dave, You and your staff are to be commended for a wonderful adapted floor hockey state tournament at Jefferson High School this past weekend. We have attended these state tournaments in all adapted sports for the past five years and this was one of the best, primarily due to the outstanding play of the competing teams in CI and PI. What a fantastic job our schools and coaches are doing in sports with students who have disabilities! It just makes me so proud of Minnesota. Under your leadership, we are the gold standard in this nationally. We follow the Robins PI team from Armstrong High School so we were elated at their ultimate championship in a game that had all the excitement of any state championship in any sport; competitive, outstanding play from two fine teams. It was good to see WCCO Channel 4 do a very complete piece on their 10 p.m. news. This is the kind of exposure needed yet often lacking. Although I am not a parent of an adapted athlete (my children graduated years ago), we are nonetheless inspired by what they overcome to compete. Our only complaint was the parking at Jefferson. There were so many people for the Saturday games that many of us could not find a place to park, needing to go into adjacent neighborhoods! Thank you and kudos to you. Ann Ahlquist
www.MSHSL.org
Spring 2013 Bulletin
25
Athletic Activities For Johanna Olson, every second counted Photographs by Jill Rosell / www.jillrosellphotography.com
By Mackenzie Lobby
T
wo days before 33-year-old Johanna Olson lost her 15year battle with brain cancer, her older sister, Marney, leaned over her hospice bed and whispered, “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.” It was a tradition, something the sisters had said to each other for luck on the first of each month for as long as they could remember. It was particularly important to say on the first day of the year, and it was Jan. 1, 2013. Even in these hard moments when it seemed luck wasn’t on her side, Johanna joked that it could have been much worse if those propitious words hadn’t been uttered. And while Johanna’s body, once strong and swift, was finally succumbing to disease, no one who knew her would have been surprised to hear that she still considered herself lucky. Olson hailed from a small town in northern Minnesota, the product of parents who were marathoners and outdoor enthusiasts. Growing up Nordic skiing, hiking and swimming in the area lakes with her parents and sister and eating her grandmother’s homemade lefse, she once jokingly likened her upbringing to “A Prairie Home Companion.” The boisterous, snowy blonde looked the part. Her running career began in seventh grade for Wadena-Deer Creek High School, during which she qualified for the state cross country meet. By the end of her prep career, she’d earned five other state meet berths, and tallied three runner-up finishes. Division I schools lined up to recruit the young runner out of the North woods, but she insisted on blazing her own trail. Boundless talent Two years earlier, Marney had enrolled at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and since then Johanna had been on coach Betsy Emerson’s radar. When Johanna visited campus with her sister as a sophomore, Emerson remembers being struck by the high-schooler’s easygoing confidence and vibrancy. “Here came in this little blondie with a smile on her face and her letter jacket weighed down with patches and medals,”
26
Johanna Olson won the 2000 NCAA Division III cross country title while a senior at Iowa’s Luther College, on the third anniversary of her first brain surgery. enthusiasm that made her five at the conference meet in the Emerson said. “I remember someone everyone just wanted to 5,000 meters that spring, doctors keeping my fingers crossed that be around. discovered the tumor had grown Johanna might consider Luther.” By the end of junior year, back early in her sophomore year. Despite the allure of full-ride Olson had led her team to a Continuing with her full-time scholarships and big league conference championship, was an schoolwork, Olson drove to the programs, the budding runner All-American and had received Mayo Clinic five days a week for was drawn to the Division III six weeks of radiation treatments, the prestigious Honda Inspiration liberal arts school with a strong Award. Finally able to ride the which left her weak and academic reputation. Emerson wave of momentum, Olson never nauseous. Her teammates took identified her as a rare talent lost a race during her senior year. turns making the 140-mile when Olson finished second at On a snowy day in Spokane, roundtrip with her. It was then the conference meet and led her Wash., she capped off that season that doctors confirmed her team to qualify for regionals by running away from the rest of condition would be chronic. It during her freshman year. the field and winning the 2000 wasn’t a matter of if the tumor In the sport of running, NCAA Division III cross country would reappear, but when. momentum is key, both literally title on the third anniversary of Undaunted, Olson returned to and figuratively. Riding high on her brain surgery. the team and began rebuilding the success of her first collegiate “Johanna just never thought, her fitness. An inspiration to both season, Olson vied to earn a spot ‘I’m not going to be able to do her teammates and to running on the starting line at nationals. this.’ It was always, ‘I’m going to rivals, she made a comeback that It took her seeing several work really hard to get where I was nothing short of spectacular. black spots on her way to biology want to be,’ “ said her sister, Not only would she be faster than class and a piercing headache Marney. she had been before, but the one day to drastically alter those That winter, she would also force of her drive seemed to plans. A few days after the anchor Luther’s distance medley scoop up those around her and conference championships, Olson relay on the indoor track, propel them to be better too. made an appointment to see a receiving the baton in last place “Johanna brought out the best doctor about her symptoms. The during the race for the national in her teammates,” Emerson diagnosis that came back was title, but still managing to seize said. “I could go one by one and stunning: a Grade II glioma, a the championship. Upon tumor in the parietal and occipital describe how much better each graduation, Olson was a sevenathlete became during the time lobes of her brain. Surgery was time All-American, three-time they ran with her.” necessary. Immediately. academic All-American and an Her teammates say that it Though Olson bounced back NCAA post-graduate scholar. wasn’t just her against-the-odds sooner than most expected, story but her unrelenting allowing her to finish in the top See Johanna on Page 27
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Athletic Activities Johanna .............................................................................. continued from Page 26 Just the beginning The collegiate running scene was not the end of the road for Olson, who had a growing number of clean scans under her belt. Two years after graduating from Luther, she bumped up her training mileage, eliciting a finish in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 27 seconds at the 2003 Twin Cities Marathon. Not only was she the third American to cross the line, the time also qualified her for the following year’s Olympic trials, where she would place 44th in 2:46:59. Training as a full-time graduate student in exercise and sports science at Oregon State, she again qualified for the trials in 2008. “Seeing how she prepared for it was just the next level mentally and physically,” remembers Robyn Wangberg, one of her teammates from Luther who trained with Olson in Corvallis, Ore. Off a 2:43:39 trials finish, Olson signed up for the 2008 Twin Cities Marathon the following fall. It was around that time, after a decade of good health, that Olson began experiencing peculiar symptoms. There were instances when she sensed she had a third arm and other days when her head just hurt. A scan confirmed her fears: The tumor had returned. When she was able to begin running several months after again having surgery, she noted in her blog a sense of wholeness, writing, “I used to try to say running was not who I was, but yesterday I happily realized, it is who I am, or at least a huge part of me.” Olson simply refused to stop moving forward in life or with running. Having sought treatment in the Twin Cities, she headed back west to take a job as the exercise physiology lab coordinator at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. After just over a year of spotless scans, an MRI showed that once again, the tumor was back. This led to her third brain surgery, on Sept. 20, 2011, along with a regimen of oral chemotherapy. Dreaming of another finish line Olson soon decided she needed a new goal. She called her parents and asked them if they would consider participating with
www.MSHSL.org
“Johanna brought out the best in her teammates. I could go one by one and describe how much better each athlete became during the time they ran with her. ”
Despite her battle with brain cancer, Olson never counted herself as anything but lucky. her in the 2012 Twin Cities Marathon in the coming fall. Instead of running, however, she proposed that they “ralk.” Olson would draw up a training plan and they would run 4 minutes and walk 1 minute all the way from downtown Minneapolis to the state capitol in St. Paul. “Johanna always got that runner’s high, even when she wasn’t running Olympic trials times,” Marney said. “She had the same love for it no matter what.” While she hoped the marathon would be a celebration of the conclusion of chemo, her low blood counts that summer meant putting the treatments on hold. In the meantime, she continued to train, biked nearly everywhere and learned to surf. When Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, arrived, 15 other marathoners joined Olson, all donning blue “Team Joha” shirts at the start line of the Twin Cities Marathon. As 11,000 runners were unleashed on the streets of Minneapolis, the team was cheered on by spectators proudly wearing the blue shirts all along the 26.2-mile course. They came from Massachusetts, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and all corners of Minnesota. While Johanna had touched many, the sum of these parts didn’t come into focus until everyone congregated on marathon morning. “People yelled her name all along the way and jumped in the race with us,” her mom, Jane
Bagstad, said. “It was the last big thing we were able to do together.” For Olson it was always about fighting for minutes on the clock. Every step counted and each second mattered; time spent being anything but joyful was wasted. For her last marathon, she savored each moment. Finishing in 5:09:54, the minutes on the clock took on new meaning. It wasn’t until the day after Christmas that doctors determined the tumor had spread
and all treatment options were exhausted. As her family converged on her hospice room in Bend, she was surrounded by photographs of her favorite places to run. It was in the mountains of Sun Valley, on the craggy paths of Bend, and along the calm lakes of northern Minnesota. When she ran, it was hard for Johanna to ever feel anything but lucky. Reprinted with permission from the Feb 20, 2013, edition of ESPN W — http://espn.go.com/espnw.
Johanna Olson’s final dream came true when she, her mother, her father and supporters known as Team Joha completed the Twin Cities Marathon together last fall, alternating running and walking.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
27
Athletic Activities
Your purpose: Changing lives and making a difference By Craig Perry Associate Director As athletic administrators, we each have a résumé that reflects a lifetime of commitment to the greatness that is high school athletics. Whether we are in our first, 21st or 41st year, we all have a lifetime résumé. Every day we have the opportunity to create and support change that will last a lifetime. Our daily canvas is painted with both tiny strokes of achievement and bold strikes of major accomplishments. We work with coaches, student-athletes, parents and the school community. We cheer the small and large victories equally, victories not measured by the scoreboard but instead measured by student growth and achievement. Every day, we get to change lives. Think about that statement — every day we get to change lives. And we change lives by championing the values of participation. We champion the values of education-based athletics. We know the true value of high school athletics is really about a commitment to be selfless, not selfish. The true value of education-based athletics was very prominent at the recent MNIAAA annual conference in St. Cloud. The theme of the conference “Making a Difference Begins With You” was evident at the first general session and prominent throughout the conference. Speaker after speaker reminded all of us about the importance of high school athletics. General session speakers, workshop presenters and the MNIAAA Board of Directors had a unified message to deliver: With solid, strong leadership from the athletic directors, a collaborative and supportive staff working at the school, and an emphasis on connectivity and community we can fulfill our purpose. And that purpose is the development of high school students. We all know and recognize the development benchmarks of successful athletic programs: high student-participation rates; highly educated and motivated coaches who daily grow athletes to their full potentials; educated and motivated athletic directors who lead their coaches to grow to their full potentials; recognition that athletic participation enhances the academic mission of schools; acknowledgement that participation in community service projects develops students into contributing members of society; understanding that sportsmanship awards and community service projects demonstrate the desired outcomes and growth in students; and the realization that coaching staff stability is the constant that provides the stability; the foundation of program. High schools that use these benchmarks to measure their programs truly value education-based athletics. However, when I speak to my colleagues across the state of Minnesota and across the nation, the message is that we are worried these benchmarks are not always supported or incorporated. Specifically, we fear the value of education-based athletics is not shared by today’s students. ● We know and understand the greatness of high school athletics and we champion the values of education-based athletics, yet we feel something has changed and we fear we are championing a cause not equally share by school communities and parents. ● We see the values we grew up with, the values we champion, but not like we used to and, sadly, in some instances we cannot see them at all. ● We worry that the lens we use to view the benefits of educationbased athletic are not shared by the students and parents of this generation. ● We fear they have chosen a different view through a different lens and their focus is quite the opposite of what we know is truly the strength of high school athletics. Essentially, we are worried this generation may have lost its way, not entirely, but enough that a refocusing is needed. We have heard the labels over the last couple of decades: Generation X, Generation Next, or the Generation of Me. Regardless of the labels, we worry that the students have lost their way, perhaps focusing on the wrong things, not the valued things. Are they spending too much time focusing on the outcome, the final
28
Every day that you and your coaches approach the canvas and color it with subtle touches and broad strokes of support, encouragement, and humor — applied fairly and consistently—we know that you are changing lives. result on the scoreboard? Conversely, are they willing to spend the correct amount of time on the process — focus on their development as complete students and complete athletes? With year-round private training, sport specialization and the demise of multi-sport athletes, can we still reach them with a focus on character traits and values that best mold and develop tomorrow’s leaders today. In the simplest sense, we worry this generation can be summed up with a single statement: They believe in “Me,” not “We,” where they have everything, think they have nothing, and continue to ask for more. This statement begs the question — what do today’s high school students really value. The responses in a recent student survey conducted at St. Anthony Village High School are incredible and welcoming. The students were asked to share their views about participation and to rank the importance of Character Education, Sportsmanship and Winning among other topics. Here is what they had to say about their athletic and activity programs: ● 75 percent rank Character Education in the athletic/activity programs as Important (44 percent) or Very Important (31 percent); ● 87 percent rank Sportsmanship as Important (25 percent) or Very Important (62 percent); ● 51 percent indicated Winning is Important (29 percent) or Very Important (22 percent). These students placed a high emphasis on their development and they appear to have a great perspective on winning. Refreshing isn’t it, to see that all is not lost on today’s students? These responses confirm the value of education-based athletics. When we emphasize character education and sportsmanship with our coaches who motivate and encourage, our coaches who are skilled in their sport specific discipline, are approachable and who are equally respectful and respected we know students will be best prepared for life. Making a Difference or Changing Lives — it starts with you. Your importance in the development of coaches and students cannot be underestimated; the value you have in your students’ lives cannot be compared. Every day that you and your coaches approach the canvas and color it with subtle touches and broad strokes of support, encouragement, and humor — applied fairly and consistently—we know that you are changing lives. You change lives today and every day, creating tomorrow’s leaders today and we champion their selfless efforts.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Officials
League honors officials and their associations Minnesota Prep Photo / MNPrepPhoto.com
By Kevin Merkle Associate Director
G
ame officials are extremely important — without them we cannot have games. For many years the League has recognized individual officials for years of service. In 2010 a more extensive awards program, sponsored by Wells Fargo, was introduced. At the 2013 State Boys’ Basketball Tournament the League honored four Officials Associations and seven officials.
Association of Excellence Award The most prestigious award is the Association Award of Excellence. This award is designed to recognize and reward one association for their overall quality and the service that it provides to member schools. The winner of the 2013 Association Award of Excellence is the Northwest Association of Umpires. Accepting the award on behalf of the Association was Larry Gallagher. The Northwest Association of Umpires has been serving high school, college and amateur baseball teams for 92 years. The sssociation has exceptional programs for training and developing umpires. It has a well defined mentorship program; a well defined Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics; and members volunteer to assist in training umpires at both the youth and high school level. The association is extremely well organized and takes advantage of the latest technology in assigning and training umpires. Congratulations to the Northwest Association of Umpires on being named the 2013 Association of Excellence. Citation Award The Citation Award is given annually to recognize and reward associations for a specific program that has made a significant impact on the association or the schools and athletes that they serve. This year the League presented three Citation Awards. The first was presented to the Gopher Officials Association for its efforts in training both new and veteran officials. Receiving the award on behalf of the association was Darrel “Bozo”
www.MSHSL.org
Officials were recognized on-court during the 2013 State Boys’ Basketball Tournament. (Front, L-R): Jeff Schmidt, Northwest Umpires Association; George Drouches; Brenda Holmberg; Larry Gallagher, Northwest Umpires Association; Mike Madden; CJ Beaurline, St. Paul Hockey Officials Association. (Back, L-R): Scott Anderson; John Bombach; Kevin Merkle; Don Pankowski; Rick Rud; Jerry Sillanpa, Lake Superior Soccer Officials Association; Darrell “Bozo” Wincek, Gopher State Officials Association. Wincek. Gopher has a formalized program of training for both new and veteran officials that includes classroom training, pre-season on-court or on-field training, plus follow-up observations and feedback from fellow officials. Members have also embarked on a mentoring program that will provide additional feedback and support to new officials. The second Citation Award was presented to the Lake Superior Soccer Referees Association. Receiving the award on behalf of the association was Jerry Sillanpa. The LSSRA was recognized for the pre-season rules meeting BBQ it sponsors for its officials and for the coaches of the teams that the association serves. This is a great opportunity for coaches and officials to build better relationships and to discuss common issues. For more than 10 years the association has also sponsored a Team Sportsmanship Award and a Fair Play Sportsmanship Award to individual players. The third Citation Award was presented to the St. Paul Hockey Officials Association.
Representing the association was C.J. Beaurline. The St. Paul Hockey Officials Association is recognized for its training program for officials. Attendance at a training session is required of every official every year. An animated Power Point presentation is used to review positioning, basic mechanics, rule changes and game situations. All first- and second-year officials are also required to attend an onice seminar. Distinguished Service Award The Distinguished Service Award is presented to recognize those individuals who go “Above and Beyond” in their service to their local officials’ association. Through their leadership and long-term service, they have made a significant impact on the students and schools of Minnesota. While all of those named have been accomplished officials for many years, that is not part of the criteria for this award. This award is about service to their local association. The Distinguished Award recipients were:
Spring 2013 Bulletin
Scott Anderson, Bemidji: Scott has been a registered official for 30 years and was very instrumental in the reformation of the Bemidji Basketball Association 12 years ago. His leadership and service as a trainer and mentor to new officials has allowed the association to become credible, consistent and respected, as he has molded the association “one player at a time.” As a League official Scott always “puts the student athletes first.” John Bombach, Bloomington: John has been an official and a member of the Minneapolis Officials Association for 40 years. John has been on the board for the association, serving as the president, has trained and mentored countless officials and for many years has served as the chair of the Honorary Membership Committee and has provided leadership in organizing social events. John believes that “every game was important to all of the players, coaches and fans; it was their game.” See Awards on Page 30
29
Officials Registration opens in May Officials registration for 2013-14 will open in early May. Registration information will be mailed to currently registered officials the first week in May. If you do not receive information by May 15, be sure to contact the League office. The deadline for returning officials to register without a late fee is July 1, 2013.
Promotional Level Program update
Review rule changes for fall sports
The League continues to move ahead with adoption of the Promotional Level Program for officials. Spring officials will be placed at their initial levels in April. The Officials Advisory Committee has recommended changes in the testing requirement, and in the requirement for coaches’ ratings. That and more information about the application process will be shared later this spring. Late this spring, training clinic attendance will be updated and the date by which you need to be trained will be in the Official’s Corner of the League website. More details will be shared as we move ahead.
Fall sport coaches and officials are encouraged to be aware of the rule changes in their sports. The National Federation has completed the annual process for fall sports and the rule changes can be found on the League website for fall activities or through either your Coaches Clipboard or Official’s Corner pages. Go to your sport on the applicable page and the link to the news release from the NFHS is provided. Look for “Rule Changes for 2013.”
Awards ............................................................................... continued from Page 29 George Drouches, Golden Valley: George has been a registered official for more than 40 years and a member of the Northwest Association of Umpires for 35 years. Since 2001 he has been the president of the association and a board member since 1996. George has been a leader in moving the association forward and improving its organizational structure. He has also been a trainer at numerous training clinics. “George can relate to the difficulties of being an official, while at the same time providing constructive criticism to help officials to improve.” Brenda Holmgren, Clear Lake: Brenda has served on the board of the Minneapolis Officials Association for five years and as a clinician for 10 years. She has mentored officials for more than 20 years and has assisted with
training at numerous basketball officiating camps and clinics. Brenda was recently honored with the 2013 Breaking Barriers Award by the National Coalition of Women in Athletics. “One of the most impressive characteristics of Brenda is her ability to diffuse a potential tense situation with either a coach or a player.” Mike Madden, Maple Grove: Mike has been an official for 44 years and has been the President of the Gopher Officials Association for the past 13 years. He has also served as an evaluator, recruiter and trainer of officials. Mike has also assisted in assigning games and assisted in the development of the annual Gopher Youth Basketball Tournament, one of the first youth tournaments in the metro area started more than 30 years ago.
Mike always said, “We officiate and get paid for doing something that we love, and that we are lucky to have this opportunity.” Don Pankowski, Rochester: An official and member of the Rochester Officials Association for 23 years, Don has served as Vice President for Volleyball for the past 20 years. He has served as the Charter clinician and as the Volleyball assignor for 12 years. He is responsible for the training and mentorship of new officials and has volunteered in providing training for bench personnel and line judges. “Don makes the quality of volleyball officiating his number one priority, and is professional and dedicated both on the court in his administrative duties.” Rick Rud, Lakeville: Rick has been an official and member of the Southern Minnesota Wrestling
Association for 34 years. For the past 24 years he has been the leader of this association and served as the assignor. He is very instrumental in recruiting and is involved in mentoring all new officials. He has been instrumental in building positive relations between officials and the schools of southern Minnesota. “Rick treats our Association as a family and naturally, as anyone would with their family, he takes care of us all.” Congratulations to the associations and individuals who received awards. Thank you for your many years of dedication to high school athletics and your service to the student athletes and the member schools of the Minnesota State High School League.
Players, coaches, fans made game best of the season The following note was sent to Associate Director Kevin Merkle. Mr. Merkle, I would like to commend the Brandon-Evansville and Underwood boys’ basketball teams, coaches, schools, and fans. Jeff Arnold, Eric Hamm, and I officiated a Section 6A boys’ basketball game between these two teams on March 4 in Underwood. Players on both teams played hard, demonstrated excellent sportsmanship, and represented their respective schools very well. The coaches did an excellent job of coaching and asked only respectful questions about a few calls that we made. Fans from both schools cheered for their team and also applauded efforts by both teams. John Hamann, athletic director in Underwood, was an exceptional host, and the scorer and clock keeper both did an excellent job. Officiating this game was my most enjoyable officiating experience of this season! I am not sure what more we could want as officials, and I felt it was important to recognize the players, coaches, fans, and site management. Scott Monson Morris Officials’ Association
30
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Officials Why do you officiate high school athletics? MJ Wagenson, Softball/Basketball Official Pine Island, Minnesota
O
fficiating interscholastic sports is a way for me to provide opportunities for young student-athletes, similar to those that were provided for me through participation in athletics. Sports in many forms are a constant for me. Without those opportunities, I would not be as fortunate as I am to have met so many fantastic people — coaches, officials and participants — nor would I have achieved my goal of having a sport-based career. I have had wonderful role models/mentors and hope that I can provide to aspiring student-athletes the positives of applying teamwork, self-discipline and good sportsmanship through sport participation, into their lives and career choices. Reprinted from the January 2013 issue of High School Today published by the National Federation of State High School Associations. MJ Wagensen in a still frame from a video posted at the League’s Vimeo Channel (www.vimeo.com/channels/MSHSL) that details why so many Minnesotans choose to officiate high school activities.
Too bad one team had to lose this game
Great game followed by unexpected e-mail
To the League: The purpose of this report is to praise the coaches, players, fans and administrations of Pine Island and Dover-Eyota high schools pertaining to a girls subsection final basketball game on Saturday, March 2. The game occurred at what was an absolutely packed Mayo Civic Center Auditorium. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Both teams brought bands and both crowds were extremely positive in supporting their teams. It was truly one of those games that officials do not get to be part of very often. The players played their hearts out, the coaches were unbelievable to work for and used all of their energy to coach their teams. The respect everyone involved had for each other in this contest was an absolute model for high school athletics. As an official one does not get to be part of a special game like this very often. The outcome of the game resulted in Pine Island claiming a 56-55 OT victory over Dover-Eyota via a 3-point basket with only seconds remaining. The only part of this game that was crushing was that one team actually had to lose. Through all of this, the Dover-Eyota girls and coaches were nothing short of amazing in their appreciation of their opponent in a crushing loss. Pine Island was amazing as well in the compassion they showed for Dover-Eyota as well in the loss. If all athletic events could have the impact on officials as this one did, we would have many more officials. A big thank you to all involved for making this a contest I will remember for a very long time in my officiating career.
The following notes were shared with League Associate Director Kevin Merkle.
Marshall Behrens, Registered Official Rochester (on behalf of officiating partners Aric Kittleson and Eric Huntoon)
www.MSHSL.org
Hi Kevin! Brad Sylliaasen, Ryan Weiser and I worked the Section 8AA semifinal on Tuesday night at Concordia between Hawley and Perham. Perham ended up winning the game which was televised by Channel 6 WDAY-TV here in Fargo. Both coaches, Jed Carlson with Hawley and Dave Cresap with Perham, were good all night long. They split games during the regular season with the loss to Perham, Hawley’s only loss on the season. When we got to work on Wednesday morning we had the email below in our inbox. What a class act on behalf of Mr. Carlson! As you know, it’s difficult to get positive comments from the winning coach, let alone the losing coach. I just wanted the MSHSL to be aware of this email. Rock Messerschmidt, Registered Official Hey guys, You guys did a great job last night. The communication with all of the TV stuff was extraordinary. Your judgement was spoton all night as well. It’s not very often that a coach loses and thinks the refs were outstanding. Great job all year. Every time I see you guys on the floor, I know its going to be a good experience for our kids. Congratulations on another successful year and thanks for what you do. Without guys like you, there wouldn’t be high school basketball games. See you next seaso Jed Carlson, Boys’ Basketball Coach Hawley High School
Spring 2013 Bulletin
31
Officials A bang-up job
Within hours, ‘dump-trucked,’ then behind the plate By Bryce Jacobsen
I
t was going to be a hectic afternoon. After working in a fourthgrade class as a substitute teacher, I hopped in my car to pick up my 22-month- old son, Chase. Immediately following that, it was off to a varsity baseball game. My wife would meet me at the game site to take our son. Ironically, the school day was without problems. However, that afternoon there was a major problem. En route to my son’s daycare, I
was stopped at a red light, behind one other car. The light turned green and I proceeded. As I crossed the intersection, all of a sudden out of the right corner of my eye I noticed a big truck grill in my peripheral vision. I slightly gassed it, turned the wheel to the left away from the truck and then pulled my body as close to the wheel and away from what I saw. It wasn’t enough. I had been hit by a small dump truck. Due to faulty air brakes he ran the red light and right into me, sending the tail of my car into the
driver side headlight of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. If it was not for that lastsecond maneuvering I probably would have been T-boned — hit square in the middle of my passenger door and flown through the intersection I was crossing. Essentially, keeping my car in the straight line from where I started and where I ended up, the impact with the Jeep might have saved my life. I immediately heard many people asking me if I was all right. After I realized what had
happened, I was, in fact, completely intact and even more surprisingly nothing more happened than just getting my bell rung. I then called my wife, Sarah, to tell her what had happened and that I thought I was fine. Still not really knowing what truly happened or if I was really OK, I told her I had to call my assigner, Jeff Schmit. I told him what had happened and that I wasn’t sure if I could umpire the game I was scheduled to work in about an hour. See Umpire on Page 33
After getting “dump-trucked” and sustaining the damage depicted above, Bryce Jacobsen drove this car and got behind the plate to call a baseball game.
Is the joy of officiating in your heart? By Larry Gallagher
W
hy do you officiate? I have contemplated that question many times. There are times I did not feel the joy in officiating. However; that feeling has always passed and for some reason I get rejuvenated. I am constantly evaluating why I officiate. There are many reasons, but I have narrowed it down to one large word — significance. What does it mean to be significant? Team sports are made up of two teams competing against one another to determine the winner. The first part of rulebooks speak of the purpose of both of those teams: “The object of each team is to score more runs or points than its opponent.” But there are more than two teams out there when you count the team of officials. The officials’ sole purpose is to officiate the game so that no one team gains an advantage over the other not intended by the rules of the game. Therefore, we can become very significant not only in how well we perform the physical
32
duties, but also the social and psychological parts of our avocation. Significance is an important part of our job. The challenges of making decisions that impact others is very significant to the sporting world. Making decisions in officiating is difficult. It gets the adrenaline flowing and when you make a mistake you feel bad, but you also know that you can recover from messing up at the next opportunity and do the best you can. Being able to recover from a mistake is also one of the challenges we have on our road to significance. The best officials will face adversity. The best ones find a way to make that work for them in the future and develop as officials so they are prepared for the next occurrence and are now up to the challenge because of having overcome the negative experience. Officiating is not for everyone. There are many officials that just do the job and do not find the joy in it because they are either not able to handle the difficult times or they are not mature enough to develop a vision of what is ahead of them as officials.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
If you can find the joy in officiating, you will have unlocked the secret to a long and successful career. When looking for the joy, look inward and don’t expect someone to give it to you. Explore the rulebook, casebooks, mechanics manuals and the opportunity to deal with coaches and players in a healthy manner. Become a joy to be around on the field or court. Find a partner(s) that you can get along with and who will challenge you to always work on your skills and knowledge. How about volunteering in your community to teach officials who are just learning? How about finding a community education class to teach in your community about officiating? Find ways to give back to the officiating community in any way that you can to become significant. That will help to bring you the joy in officiating that I have found. Larry Gallagher of Crystal has officiated high school baseball and basketball, and college baseball since the early 1960s. Reprinted with permission from the November 2012 issue of REFEREE magazine.
www.MSHSL.org
Officials Players, coaches, fans made game best of the season
Pre-game conferences, outstanding communication appreciated by coach
The following note was sent to Associate Director Kevin Merkle. Mr. Merkle, I would like to commend the Brandon-Evansville and Underwood boys’ basketball teams, coaches, schools, and fans. Jeff Arnold, Eric Hamm, and I officiated a Section 6A boys’ basketball game between these two teams on March 4 in Underwood. Players on both teams played hard, demonstrated excellent sportsmanship, and represented their respective schools very well. The coaches did an excellent job of coaching and asked only respectful questions about a few calls that we made. Fans from both schools cheered for their team and also applauded efforts by both teams. John Hamann, athletic director in Underwood, was an exceptional host, and the scorer and clock keeper both did an excellent job. Officiating this game was my most enjoyable officiating experience of this season! I am not sure what more we could want as officials, and I felt it was important to recognize the players, coaches, fans, and site management. Scott Monson Morris Officials’ Association
The following was note was sent to Associate Director Kevin Merkle. Last night (Jan. 3), our team played another highly ranked team in a great high school basketball game. Without question, the packed gym and emotion made it seem like a Region Final. Game was played at a high level, was physical, and had multiple skilled players. The officiating crew of Rick Spencer, Jon McClean, and Steve Brinson should receive high marks on their professionalism and judgment. Two things were evident by their positive actions. First, the pre-game discussion was spot-on, clear, and set the tone for the game. Having just come from an out of state event with no pre-game discussion, I was reminded how fortunate we are to have associations like MSHSL/Gopher who stress the right things like the pre-game talk and officials who carry that activity out in such a first class manner. Second, the level of communication was outstanding during the game from all three officials. While the game was played with high intensity, these three officials communicated to both players and coaches in a direct, positive manner, even in “anxious” moments. I was extremely impressed. David Thorson, Boys’ Basketball Coach DeLaSalle High School
Umpire ............................................................................... continued from Page 32 “You got hit by what, Bryce?” he asked. “How are you? Are you OK?” I told him I had no idea about working the game yet. I just wanted him to know what happened as soon as possible so he could work whatever magic he needed to get the game covered. After the police, ambulance and fire truck all came and left, I discovered my car was drivable. I called Sarah back, reassured her that I was OK and told her I was on my way to pick up Chase. She asked if I told Jeff what happened. I told her I did, and that I still needed her to meet me at my game as we arranged at the start of the day. “You’re not going to work your game, are you?” she asked. “You just got into an accident.”
www.MSHSL.org
I told her I was fine and that Jeff probably wouldn’t expect me to work the game but I felt fine. So I called Jeff and told him I was on my way. He had already talked to the home school’s athletic director and my partner. My partner and I agreed earlier in the week that I would work the plate. When I got there, I felt fine, so I strapped it on. During the pregame conference both coaches asked if the umpire that got in the accident was all right. I said, “1 think I’m OK.” They were both shocked that I still made it. It was important to me that I worked the game. For one, I knew it would be a good game. Also, my partner, who I had never worked with, was in his first year
in our association. We were able to spend time in between innings going over how he can get better on the bases. He really reminded me of myself when I was quite inexperienced but seeking information from colleagues to become better no matter what it took. When I figured out I wasn’t going to be playing higher levels of baseball, I was encouraged by my father to stay involved in the game. I have been very dedicated to becoming a better umpire. Early on, my thinking was to just do a good job in order to not get yelled at so much. Then it became an aspiration to work in the minors some day, maybe even The Show. Well that didn’t work out, but
Spring 2013 Bulletin
I’ve worked hard to attain the level I have in our association. Of course I want the highest level games with the best teams that have great plays and pace, but there is so much more to this great sport. I love umpiring baseball and aspire to be better every day. I consider being a part of the greatest game in the world not to be work. What is the saying? If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. So even on the day when I got dump-trucked, I had to be out there. Bryce Jacobsen of Farmington has worked multiple levels of baseball for more than 17 years. Reprinted with permission from the February 2013 issue of REFEREE magazine.
33
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the December 6, 2012, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Associate Director Lisa Lissimore introduced Roger Cersine, accompanied by his wife Barb, and presented an award to him in recognition of his service as the MSHSL State Rules Interpreter for Boys’ and Girls’ Swimming. 2. Approved the Agenda with the following change: Discussion Item #A – School Membership and Student Eligibility to be discussed following the Committee Reports. 3. Approved Minutes of the October 4, 2012 Board of Directors meeting. 4. Les Zellman, Athletic Director and former MSHSL Board President, St. James, spoke regarding Discussion Item, Football Tournament Format, and requested that the Board revisit the topic of section football. 5. Pat Barrett, Girls’ Basketball Coaches Association representative, Fridley, spoke regarding Action Item Basketball Tournament Format, and their support of the anticipated proposal. 6. Tom Critchley, Boys’ Basketball Coaches Association representative, Roseville, spoke regarding Action Item Basketball Tournament Format, and their support of the anticipated proposal.
7. Received lobbyist’s report including: The Revenue Report has been released; Chairs of Committees have been appointed; Bullying legislation will be a topic this year; and The Legislative Session will start January 8, 2013. 8. Received legal counsel’s report that pending litigation will be discussed in a closed session. 9. ● Staff members reported on the Fall Tournaments. ● Roger Aronson, MSHSL Lobbyist/Special Projects Counsel and Kevin Merkle, Jody Redman and Dave Stead, MSHSL staff, met with Ted Mondale, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, CEO to provide input as plans are drawn for the new Viking Stadium. ● Classification Committee met in October and recommendations from the Committee will be presented later in the meeting. ● Executive Director Dave Stead attended the Mid States meeting in Chicago December 3-4, 2012. ● Office expansion completed. ● The office will be closed starting at 12:00 noon on December 21, 2012 and open on Wednesday January 2, 2013. Member schools have contact information for executive staff.
10. President Mark Fredericksen provided members with a report from the Executive Committee meeting. A number of topics were discussed and specific action was taken as follows: ● Dennis Peterson, Superintendent, Minnetonka Public Schools spoke to the Executive Committee regarding the Girls’ Swimming and Diving State Tournament; ● The MASSP had inquired if the MSHSL would be interested in sponsoring National Honor Society and Student Council. John Hamann spoke with MASSP regarding this topic and reported that MASSP has hired a part-time employee who will be responsible for those two programs and the MSHSL was not requested to move forward with this sponsorship; ● Approved a request for a special cooperative agreement between Cloquet and Fond du Lac Ojibwe School; ● Co-op timelines were discussed and a recommendation will be presented later in the meeting; ● Approved Toyota Advertising Agreement; ● Adapted Bowling and eligibility requirements were discussed;
11. 12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. 18.
19.
● Approved lease agreement with the MSHSL Foundation. Approved the Board of Directors Goals/Initiatives as presented. Approved Football Ad-Hoc Committee recommendation to reduce the enrollment cutoff for 9-man football from 165 to 150 beginning with the 2013-2014 school year. Approved request from the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League to become the Presenting Partner for Clay Target Shooting starting with the 2013-2014 school year. Approved the classification of schools for Competitive Sections recommendation as presented. Approved implementing the independent contractor status to employee status beginning January 1, 2014 Approved the Boys’ & Girls’ Basketball Tournament Format as presented beginning with the 2014 season. Approved the December 6, 2012 Eligibility Committee minutes as presented. Approved the September, October, and November, 2012 financial statements as presented. Approved moving forward
See December 6 on Page 35
Flower exchange by friendly rivals noted Dear Kevin, I am sending you and the Minnesota State High School League this letter in order to recognize an event that occurred during a girls’ swimming meet this past fall. Grand Rapids was hosting an invitational for several teams. It was the last meet of the season before section championships. The teams that were there were pretty even in ability, so the meet was going to be a close one. Two of the teams, Grand Rapids and Hibbing, have developed a good rivalry where the competition is evident at both team and individual levels. They have always pushed each other to do their best during competitions. During the meet, the Hibbing senior swimmers and divers presented flowers to the seniors of Grand Rapids in recognition and appreciation of the competition they had over the years. It was also presented in respect, admiration and camaraderie for all the long hours of hard work they had all endured since starting competitive swimming. Following the meet, I thanked the Hibbing coaches and as many swimmers and divers as I could for doing this; as it showed that tough competitors can still be good friends. I was informed that it was a decision involving the swimmers, coaching staff, and parent support group at Hibbing to do this, with the swimmers initiating the event. The coaching staff then told me that the swimmers got the idea from the swimmers at Duluth East, where the same thing had happened to them during that meet. This was something that went above and beyond sportsmanship, and should be recognized. Congratulations to the Hibbing and Duluth East swimming and diving teams, coaches and parents for “paying it forward” and setting examples for the future. You have enhanced the importance and benefits for what athletics, teamwork, and the Minnesota State High School League stand for! Mike Mattson Registered Official
34
Spring 2013 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the January 24, 2013, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Approved the agenda. 2. Approved Minutes of the December 6, 2012, Board of Directors meeting. 3. Received lobbyist’s report including an update on the current legislative session. No MSHSL bills have been introduced at this time. Some topics being discussed are: security at schools and MSHSL events; bullying; and due process for head coaches. 4. Received legal counsel’s report including negotiating ball contracts; Wells Fargo Premier Sponsor contract and an update on current litigation. 5. Received Executive Directors report including: ● Associate Director Jody Redman indicated that the Triple “A” Awards Banquet will be held on March 23rd, 12:00 noon at the Graves Hotel in Minneapolis. All Board Members are invited to attend; ● Executive Director Dave Stead indicated that Jody Redman will be honored at the Timberwolves game on Friday February 8th by Medtronic in an on-court celebration of “Heroes in the Making.” This is in response to the MSHSL and Jody’s contributions to Sudden Cardiac Arrest education; ● The 2013 Robotics Competition is Ultimate Ascent and Board Members viewed a short video outlining the structure of the competition. Other State Associations have contacted the MSHSL inquiring about the Robotics competition; ● MSHSL “School Board Olympics” and staff presentation at the MSBA
Conference in January; ● Dave Stead will present at the MASSP Conference on January 31st; ● Doug Erickson, MASSP, met with Jody Redman and Dave Stead regarding working MASSP and the MSHSL working together to support Student Council and National Honor Society programs. Board Members will be updated once more information is available. 6. President Mark Fredericksen provided members with a report from the Executive Committee meeting. A number of topics were discussed at the meeting: ● Co-op timelines; ● Why We Play Coaching Conference; ● Application to the MSHSL Foundation to help cover the cost of an MSHSL 100-year Celebration book; ● Requests from member schools to be a lower classification who did not meet the 50% free/reduced criteria; ● Reviewed the choices of the Board Members top Mission Statements and Taglines. The Executive Committee concurred that the current Mission Statement accurately reflects the mission of the League and does not need to be replaced or revised; the tagline chosen is “Education and Leadership for a Lifetime;” ● A special Board Workshop will be held on Friday March 8th, 10:00 a.m. at the Xcel Center to review and approve the new competitive section assignments. 7. Approved the lower classification appeals recommended by the AD’s Advisory Committee. 8. Dave Stead spoke regarding
9.
10.
11. 12. 13. 14.
15.
16.
17.
the Representative Assembly process and indicated that six (6) Regions were in favor of the a submitted lacrosse amendment and nine (9) of the Regions were not in favor. Nine (9) of the regions needed to respond in the affirmative in order for the amendment to be forwarded to the Representative Assembly. Board action is not required and the amendment will not be advanced. Approved Region Consistency Policy revisions necessary in the seeding process to include forfeitures. Approved Penalties for Jewelry Infractions in Track & Field and Cross Country as presented. Approved the January 24, 2013 Eligibility Committee minutes as presented. Approved the December 2012 financial statements as presented. Approved the Annual Financial Report for the year ending July 31, 2012. Approved Region 4A’s request for $30,000 to help offset tournament expenses. Region 4A is made up of smaller schools and does not generate enough financial support to cover expenses. Approved a 2-year contract with Wells Fargo to continue to be the Premier Sponsor of the MSHSL. Approved the MSHSL sponsoring the Why We Play Coaches Conference to be held August 1 and August 7, 2013. Approved the MSHSL submitting an application to the MSHSL Foundation to offset the cost of the Why We Play Coaches Conference.
Discussion Items A. Kevin Merkle reported on the following: ● Summer practices, which is primarily a football issue, and the need to regulate summer practices due to heat acclimatization and concussions. The Football Coaches’ Association is taking the lead on this issue and will forward a recommendation to the Board at a later date. ● Summer Vacation period – Bylaw 208. Staff is requesting directive regarding protective equipment used during the summer months and the safety issues (reconditioning, etc.) which could become a liability for member schools; ● Participation limits re: quarters per day/per “x” hours which is a safety issue. Currently there are no daily or weekly limitations. Information has been requested from other State Associations and will be provided to the Board when available. ● Section Football and alternative football scheduling discussions continue to be held; and ● An update on venues for the 2014-15 Football Tournament due to the closing of the Metrodome. B. Dave Stead stated that several ADs have been working on a Professional Development Conference to be held on June 25, 2013 available to all high school activity/athletic administrators. The conference is sponsored by the MNIAAA and representatives have asked the League for help in making the information available to member schools. See January 24 on Page 36
December 6 ....................................................................... continued from Page 34 with the “Y” Coaching Conference to assist member school coaches with meeting the Statutory Requirements of MS 122A.33. 20. Went into Closed Session at 12:17 p.m. 21. Came out of Closed Session at 1:33 p.m.
www.MSHSL.org
22. Discussion Items A. Kevin Merkle spoke regarding summer practices, which is primarily a football issue, and the need to regulate summer practices due to heat acclimatization and concussions. A report should be ready to present to
the Board at future meeting; and participation limits re: quarters per day/per “x” hours which is a safety issue. The intent is not to change the rules dramatically, but add some parameters; and Football Tournament format and how to move forward.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
No changes will be made for the next two year cycle beginning with the 20132014 school year. The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member schools.
35
Calendars Fall 2012 and Winter 2013 State Tournament Team Champions Girls’ Tennis ............................................................ A – THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis AA – EDINA Boys’ Soccer ............................................................................. A – ROCHESTER LOURDES AA – EASTVIEW, Apple Valley Girls’ Soccer .............................................. A – BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S, St. Louis Park AA – WAYZATA Boys’ Cross Country Running ......................................................................... A – PERHAM AA – STILLWATER AREA Girls’ Cross Country Running ............................................................................... A – ESKO AA – WAYZATA Girls’ Volleyball ........................................................ A – BETHLEHEM ACADEMY, Faribault AA – MARSHALL AAA – LAKEVILLE NORTH Adapted Soccer ............................................................................... CI – *DAKOTA UNITED PI – *ROBBINSDALE/HOPKINS/MOUND-WESTONKA Girls’ Swimming & Diving ........................................................................ A – NORTHFIELD AA – EDINA Football ........................................................ 9-Man – CLINTON-GRACEVILLE-BEARDSLEY A – MAHNOMEN AA –CALEDONIA AAA – BLUE EARTH AREA AAAA – HUTCHINSON AAAAA – TOTINO-GRACE, Fridley AAAAAA – EDEN PRAIRIE Policy Debate Champion ................................................ THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis Lincoln-Douglas Champion ................................................... ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG Public Forum Debate Champion ........................ ST. PAUL ACADEMY & SUMMIT SCHOOL One Act Play Starred Performances ................ A – BELLE PLAINE; ST. PAUL ACADEMY & SUMMIT SCHOOL; SAUK CENTRE: AA – MINNETONKA; FRIDLEY EASTVIEW, Apple Valley; PARK, Cottage Grove
Boys’ Alpine Skiing ........................................................ THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis Girls’ Alpine Skiing ........................................................................................ MINNETONKA Boys’ Nordic Skiing ...................................................................................... EDEN PRAIRIE Girls’ Nordic Skiing .............................................................................................. WAYZATA Girls’ Hockey ........................................................... A – THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis AA – MINNETONKA Girls’ Dance Team / Jazz ................................ A – YELLOW MEDICINE EAST, Granite Falls AA – CHASKA AAA – MAPLE GROVE Girls’ Dance Team / High Kick ............................................................. A – CANNON FALLS AA – CHASKA AAA – EASTVIEW, Apple Valley Wrestling ....................................................................... A – JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL AA – KASSON-MANTORVILLE AAA – APPLE VALLEY & ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE (Co-Champions) Girls’ Gymnastics ................................................................................... A – NEW PRAGUE AA – ROSEVILLE AREA Boys’ Hockey ............................................ A – ST. THOMAS ACADEMY, Mendota Heights AA – EDINA Boys’ Swimming & Diving ........................ A – ST. THOMAS ACADEMY, Mendota Heights AA – EDEN PRAIRIE Girls’ Basketball ........................................................................................... A – MINNEOTA AA – NEW RICHLAND-H-E-G AAA – DELASALLE, Minneapolis AAAA – HOPKINS Boys’ Basketball ............................. A – SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN, Edgerton AA – MINNEHAHA ACADEMY, Minneapolis AAA – DELASALLE, Minneapolis AAAA – APPLE VALLEY Adapted Floor Hockey ............................................... C I DIVISION – *NORTH SUBURBAN P I DIVISION – *ROBBINSDALE/HOPKINS/MOUND-WESTONKA
Spring 2013 Calendar of State Events May 17 .................................................... STATE ADAPTED BOWLING TOURNAMENT – Brunswick Zone, Brooklyn Park May 18 ..................................................................... STATE ROBOTICS TOURNAMENT – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis May 18 ............................................................. Final date of GIRLS’ BADMINTON season May 31-June 1 ...................................... STATE ADAPTED SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT – Coon Rapids High School June 4-7 ........................................................... STATE BOYS’ TENNIS TOURNAMENT – Class AA @ Baseline Tennis Center, U of M; Class A @ Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center, Minneapolis June 6-7 ....................................................... STATE GIRLS’ SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT – Caswell Park, North Mankato June 7-8 ............................. STATE TRACK & FIELD MEET – Hamline University, St. Paul
June 8 ............................................ Final date of GIRLS’ SYNCHRONIZED SWIM season June 11-12 ....................................................................... STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT – Class AAA @ Bunker Hills Golf Course, Coon Rapids; Class AA @ Ridges at Sand Creek, Jordan; Class A @ Pebble Creek Golf Club, Becker June 11-14 ............................................................. GIRLS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen & Chaska High Schools June 11-14 .............................................................. BOYS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen & Chaska High Schools June 13-14, 17 ................................. STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT - Class AAA @ Midway Stadium, St. Paul & Dick Siebert Field, U of M, Minneapolis (13-14); Class AA @ Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud & Joe Faber Field, St. Cloud (13-14); Class A @ Athletic Park, Chaska & Mini Met, Jordan (13-14); Prep Championship Series, Target Field, Minneapolis (17)
Spring 2013 Calendar of Meetings April 11 .................................... League Board of Directors Mtg., League Office, 9:30 a.m. April 13 ...................................................... ACT National Test Date (www.actstudent.org) April 19 ........................................... TeamUp Advisory Committee, League Office, 10 a.m. April 23 .................... Area Meeting, Best Western Garden Inn, North Mankato, 9:30 a.m. April 24 .............................................. Speech Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. April 24 .................................. Area Meeting, The Marshall Golf Club, Marshall, 9:30 a.m. April 26 ................................................... Area Meeting, Clarion Inn, Rochester, 9:30 a.m. April 29 ........................................... Area Meeting, Best Western, Fergus Falls, 9:30 a.m. April 30 ..................................... Area Meeting, Best Western, Thief River Falls, 9:30 a.m.
May 1 ........................................................ Area Meeting, Valentini’s, Chisholm, 9:30 a.m. May 4 ...................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) May 7 ............................ Area Meeting, The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes, Brainerd, 9:30 a.m. May 9 ......................................... Area Meeting, Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park, 9:30 a.m. May 21 ......................... Athletic Directors Advisory Committee, League Office, 9:30 a.m. May 28 ............................................................... Region Secretaries, League Office, 9 a.m. June 1 ..................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) June 3 ...................................... League Board of Directors Mtg., League Office, 9:30 a.m. June 8 ........................................................ ACT National Test Date (www.actstudent.org)
January 24 .......................................................................... continued from Page 34 C. Craig Perry spoke regarding forfeits, vacating games, and titles. The Eligibility Committee will begin a
36
discussion regarding the appropriate action for the League to take if a participant is found to be
ineligible following participation in a postseason tournament.
Spring 2013 Bulletin
The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member schools.
www.MSHSL.org
60148 Cover.qxd:241352 Cover
4/23/13
9:59 AM
Page 3
Your chance to win $1,000 from Wells Fargo Planning for college? Already there? You probably could use some extra cash.
Enroll online for tips and tools from Wells Fargo and you’ll automatically be entered in the CollegeSTEPS sweepstakes* for a chance to win $1,000. See Official Rules for details. Here’s how it works ƌɄ You’ll get emails to help keep you on track with money management and college planning ƌɄ Sweepstakes winners will be chosen by random drawings throughout the year ƌɄ A total of 40 $1,000 prizes will be awarded Sign up today! wellsfargo.com/collegesteps
* NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Sweepstakes runs on www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps from 12:00 a.m. Central Time (“CT”) on 8/13/12 to 11:59 p.m. CT on 8/12/13 (“Promotion Period”). Open to full or part-time students who are in an accredited secondary or post-secondary educational institution or program (including, but not limited to, high school, college, university or trade school, or are home schooled in an accredited program) and are legal residents of the U.S., 13 years of age or older — born no later than 12/31/1998 — and who enroll in Wells Fargo’s CollegeSTEPS program or Student Education Resources (“Resources”). All eligible students who were enrolled in the Resources on or before 11:59 p.m. CT on 8/12/12 will be automatically entered in all drawings without having to re-enroll. See Official Rules at www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps or a Banker for complete details. Void where prohibited by law. SPONSOR: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., P.O. Box 5185, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57117 © 2013 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. (878898_08066)
60148 Cover.qxd:241352 Cover
4/23/13
9:59 AM
Page 4
Minnesota State High School League
Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE
2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center MN 55430-1735 PHONE: 763/560-2262 FAX: 763/569-0499 World Wide Web: www.MSHSL.org
PAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 31890
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Mission Statement The Minnesota State High School League provides educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletic and fine arts programs and provides leadership and support for member schools.
Beliefs ◆ Participation in school activity programs is a privilege and not a right. ◆ Sportsmanship needs to have a constant presence in all school-based activity programs. ◆ Students should have an equal opportunity to participate in all activities offered by their school. ◆ Ethical behavior, dignity and respect are nonnegotiable. ◆ Student participants who choose to be chemically free must be supported. ◆ Collaborative relationships with parents enhance a school’s opportunity to positively impact student success. ◆ Academic priorities must come before participation in athletic or fine arts activities.
◆ Positive role models and an active involvement in a student’s life by parents and others are critical to student success. ◆ High school activity programs are designed for student participants, and adults must serve in a supportive role. ◆ The success of the team is more important than individual honors. ◆ Compliance with school, community and League rules is essential for all activity participants. ◆ Participation in school-sponsored activities must be inclusive, not exclusive. ◆ Ethical behavior, fairness, and embracing diversity best serve students and school communities.