From the parking lot of the MHSAA office to East Lansing, it is a shorter journey to Kentucky than Crystal Falls Forest High School in the far west of the upper peninsula.
This funny little fact illustrates just a bit of what makes Michigan – made up of two large peninsulas surrounded by four of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and linked by one of its longest bridges – a fascinating place to live and serve as a sports association on the scale of the state.
It also provides a little context to explain how the athletics of the upper peninsula occupied their own unique space both clean and figuratively in this landscape on the scale of the state dating from well before the creation of MHSAA in December 1924.
Over time and technology, the world has indeed become smaller – and Michigan with it. And during the 100th anniversary of MHSAA history – with the help of achievements such as the Mackinac bridge – the upper and lower peninsulas came in a place of competition together in most sports, during most of the same seasons, but always with a few exceptions to adapt to the notable differences that remain.
First consider these two:
• There are 53 secondary schools of MHSAA members in the upper peninsula, located on approximately 16,000 squares of land. This is compared to 701 secondary schools from the members of the lower peninsula spread over approximately 40,000 square miles.
• There is only one secondary school with more than 1,000 students in the upper peninsula – Marquette, with an inscription of 1,021 this school year to rank as 127th larger in the State as a whole. Escanaba and Kingsford are the only other secondary schools with at least 500 students.
With these comparisons as a conversation starters, it is easy to understand how schools above the bridge are faced with an increase in journey time, distance and expenses compared to most of their friends in the United States – during the regular season and the MHSAA playoffs – and not to mention the shorter and shorter spring sports seasons in the fall and spring earlier and end later.
To make the competition as equitable and valid as possible in the middle of these challenges, the MHSAA has set up on a mixture of championships across the state and upwards – and with the upper peninsula taking the lead in the design of its championship hours.
This only week will see boys of tennis, girls and golf boys and girls and boys, the athletics finals participated in divisions only. The programs of tennis girls and girls and dives for girls and boys from the upper peninsula also exploit their after-season tournaments separately from the lower peninsula.
Among other sports, basketball boys played tournaments separated by the peninsula from 1932 to 1947, the struggle was supported in separate tournaments from 1967 to 1987, women’s volleyball was separated from its first season from 1975 to 1976 until unification in 1999-2000, and gymnastics girls were also separated by the peninsula from 1972-1973 in 2003-04.
The voice of the upper peninsula in these matters dates back to organizations predecessors of MHSAA – from 1904, when Ironwood’s first director, Luther L. Wright, sat on the Committee of the Association of Teachers of the State of Michigan on secondary athletics. Howard S. DOOLITTLE – Pays previously Saginaw Eastern before becoming director of Calumet High School – played a major role by bringing schools in the upper peninsula (and the association of the upper peninsula) in the fold with schools of the lower peninsula under MHSAA, the predecessor Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Association.
With the creation of the MHSAA and its representative council in 1924, an elected member representing the upper peninsula – the Superintendent of Escanaba Re Cheney during this first school year. A second representative was added shortly after, so the largest and smallest schools in this region had a vote. Leo P. McDonald de Gwinn (1930-1952) and Dan Flynn d’Ascanaba (1988-2010) are among the 11 members of the Council who served at least 20 years, and until 2014, the chairman of the council was from his last term south of the Rives du Lac Supérior. The director of Negaunee Jim Derocher finished his last term. Chris Hartman de Kingsford and Sean Jacques de Calumet are currently the representatives of the UP.
The Upper Peninsula Association ceased when the MHSAA was created, but in 1933, the Council authorized the training of the sports committee of the Superior Peninsula, which, from the start, played a leading role in the organization of the upward championships and also continues to serve as an advisory advice providing a contribution on the subjects of the state of the day. Among its most memorable actions, the Sport Up Committee played an important role in the return of the schools of the peninsula to a basketball tournament for boys at the level of the State after 15 seasons of separation.
The most recent meeting of the UP sports committee took place on April 24 and included Hartman members, Jacques, Mike Berutti (West Iron County), Vince Gross (Paradise Whitefish Township), Jack Kumpula (Lake Linden-Hubbell), Sam Larson (Menominee) and Paul Jacobson (Negaunee) (Ontonagon), Don Gustafson (St. Ignit in advisory roles.
They recommended and / or confirmed tournament sites for the regional and finale championships of the upper peninsula of this spring, some finals and hosts of the UP 2025-26 for the UP districts, the regional and the quarter-finals of the two volleyball girls this fall and the basketball girls and boys for the next winter. Committee members also discussed the coaches’ education opportunities for this fall and the possibility of making more involvement in future LP tournaments only, among other subjects.
The previous projectors “Century of School Sports”
May 20: From almost to Z, schools were covered with 221 nicknames – Read
May 13: These records were almost impossible to overcome – Read
May 6: More than 200 representatives fill out the list of the council of all time – Read
April 29: MHSAA programs prioritize health and safety – Read
April 23: The fixes mean the role of the officials recorded in the history of the MHSAA – Read
April 16: The student advisory council gives the floor to athletes – Read
April 9: State storytellers share spring memories – Read
April 2: Sharp Leadership synonymous with MHSAA success – Read
March 25: Sports directors essential to the mission of school sports – Read
March 18: The 2025 finals begin the next half century of female hoop championships – Read
March 11: The best 1st in Boys basketball to win the MHSAA final titles – Read
March 5: Everything we do starts with participation – Read
February 25: Slogans and logos remain unforgettable parts in the history of MHSAA – Read
February 19: MHSAA tickets continue to provide a value suitable for fans – Read
February 11: We recognize those who pass our games – Read
February 4: The Wisl conference continues to inspire aspiring leaders – Read
January 28: Michigan’s national impact begins at the start of NFHS – Read
January 21: The prizes celebrate a well -balanced educational experience – Read
January 14: The predecessors threw the basis of the MHSAA formation – Read
January 9: Mhsaa Blazes Trail in cyberspace – Read
December 31: State storytellers share winter memories – Read
December 17: MHSAA Over time – Read
December 10: That day, on December 13, we will celebrate – Read
December 3: MHSAA WORK guided by the representative council – Read
November 26: The finals provide future pros Read
November 19: Connection to the heart of coaches Progress program – Read
November 12: Good sports are then winners, now and always – Read
November 5: MHSAA’s soft house – Read
October 29: The MHSAA summits draw thousands of people to promote the sporting spirit – Read
October 23: Cross -country finals among the longest MHSAA – Read
October 15: State storytellers share autumn memories – Read
October 8: Guided by 4 s of educational athletics – Read
October 1st: Michigan sends 10 to the temple of national fame – Read
September 25: MHSAA record books filled with thousands of achievements – Read
September 18: Why does MHSAA have these rules? – Read
September 10: Special medals, patches to commemorate the special year – Read
September 4: Fall down with 50th football championships – Read
August 28: Let the celebration start – Read