By Staff
EAST LANSING – To enhance the atmosphere of selected tournament finals, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Western Michigan University, is in its ninth year of conducting a youth clinic at the MHSAA Girls Volleyball Finals, with this year's event taking place in Kalamazoo on March 17.
CHAMPS (Cooperation, Hard Work, Attitude, Motivation, Participation, Sportsmanship) Clinics target local female junior high/middle school-aged students and their parents in a morning-long workshop designed to provide game skills and life skills information.
Supported locally by the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Western Michigan University, the CHAMPS Clinics are free.
Enrollment in the CHAMPS Clinic is limited to the first 60 girls and their parents – parental attendance is a requirement. The clinic will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon in the University Arena and Student Recreation Center on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, where the four MHSAA Girls Volleyball Finals will be conducted.
"The CHAMPS Clinic have been a hit at our Girls Volleyball Finals," said John E. "Jack" Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. "The kids receive some great on-the-court skills training from some of the best clinicians around, while their parents hear about the things that are truly important about high school sports – safety, sportsmanship and scholarship in the classroom."
The parent's portion of the program will be focusing on academic requirements in high school and beyond; sports nutrition; and parental perspectives about educational athletics.
The local administration of the volleyball CHAMPS Clinic has been a class project for a physical education methods course at WMU, and a service project of the physical education honorary group, Phi Epsilon Kappa. PEK is a national honorary fraternity for physical education and exercise science majors/minors; a group including teaching, coaching and recreation specialists. The fraternity is dedicated to the support of programs, activities and research that facilitate the development of the professional skills among members. Participating in the CHAMPS Clinic and other activities related to the MHSAA Girls Volleyball Finals increases the professional visibility of physical education and exercise science and allows students an opportunity to develop and showcase skills. Founded in 1913, there are over 100 chapters nationwide.
All youngsters participating in the CHAMPS Clinic will receive a t-shirt, and lunch will be provided for all players and parents. CHAMPS Clinic participants and their parents will also be guests of the MHSAA for the Girls Volleyball Finals that day, and the participating youngsters will be recognized on-court during the Class D championship match.
A registration form can be downloaded from the Recognition page of the MHSAA Web site. Registration questions should be directed to: Renea Peruski, Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Western Michigan University, 4024 Student Recreation Center, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-3871. You may also call (616) 387-2710.