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The less connected that junior high/middle school level programs are to high school programs today, the more problems the high school programs will have tomorrow . . .
While I’m a fan of school sports, I recognize that an athletic program has as much potential to do harm as to do good.
They settled arguments on the spot. They had to bring their own equipment, and take care of it. And if the ball went out of play, they had to hunt for it until they found it . . .
Although middle school and even elementary school tournaments exist in many states, only a very small number of our constituents in Michigan promote the idea of statewide tournaments for junior high/middle school students.
It is often cited and well-documented that, today, 80 to 90 percent of all youth who ever started playing organized sports have stopped doing so by age 13. Before high school.
Every time we cut a kid from a high school team, we create critics of our programs – the student’s parents today and this student in the future.
From the Director is the official MHSAA Blog which will touch on pertinent school sports topics periodically throughout the school year from various MHSAA Staff.