Kannon Duffing named to the MHSAA’s Student Advisory Council
Kannon Duffing. Photo courtesy Ben Pack
Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) announced last week that eight student-athletes who will be juniors at their schools during the 2022–23 academic year have been selected to serve two-year terms on the MHSAA’s Student Advisory Council.
Manchester High School’s Kannon Duffing from class 2024 is one of the eight who was selected. Joining Kannon are athletes from Gaylord, Muskegon, Marcellus, Detroit Renaissance, Grand Rapids Christian, Bay City All Saints, and Dearborn Advanced Tech Academy. These eight new members were selected from 115 applicants. That applicant total was the second-most ever, with the last three years featuring the three highest totals.
Ben Pack, Manchester High School Head Football Coach, has coached Kannon for two years. He stated, “Kannon is a very hard working young man. He does an outstanding job of budgeting his time to meet expectations of his classwork and has maintained a perfect GPA while participating in multiple extracurricular activities. His ability to listen enhances his ability to communicate. He shows emotional control during adverse times as well as a high level of leadership skills that are unique for a person of his age. He eagerly helps others, and treats all people fairly.”
The Student Advisory Council is a 16-member group that provides feedback on issues impacting educational athletics from a student’s perspective, and also is involved in the operation of Association championship events and other programming. Members of the Student Advisory Council serve for two years, beginning as juniors. Eight new members are selected annually to serve on the SAC, with nominations made by MHSAA member schools. The incoming juniors will join the group of eight seniors-to-be appointed a year ago.
The first Student Advisory Council was formed for the 2006–07 school year. Currently, the council meets seven times each school year, and once more for a 24-hour leadership camp. In addition to assisting in the promotion of the educational value of interscholastic athletics, the Council discusses issues dealing with the 4 S’s of educational athletics: scholarship, sportsmanship, safety (including health and nutrition), and the sensible scope of athletic programs. There also is a fifth S discussed by the group — student leadership.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership of more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools that exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools that enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
Pack concluded, “We are extremely proud of Kannon for stepping up and helping to improve programing for all athletic teams of all schools in the state of Michigan.”
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