The Michigan High School Athletic Association has notified Notre Dame Preparatory School that its athletic program had demonstrated "positive sportsmanship throughout the entire 2013-14 school year," putting the program in rare company.
According to John E. Roberts, executive director of MHSAA, the association received zero negative officials reports of concern, ejection or sportsmanship about Notre Dame Prep during the previous school year. "It is a credit to your student-athletes, coaches, administration, staff and community for demonstrating such positive sportsmanship throughout the entire school year," Roberts said. Such an accomplishment is very rare, according to school officials.
More than 470 MHSAA member schools in Michigan received at least one report of concern, most with two or more. Teams eligible for evaluation included varsity, JV, freshman and 7th- and 8th-grade teams, which were monitored by MHSAA during the 2013-14 seasons. Schools are evaluated in a number of categories, including officials'-reported "concerns" along with player ejections, coach ejections and fan misbehavior.
Roberts added that the MHSAA especially recognizes "the coaches and student-athletes who make up such exemplary teams."
As part of its "Good Sports Are Winners!" program, the MHSAA says that success in sportsmanship is much like success with any program. It doesn’t just happen; it is an educated choice. "A choice that takes understanding, leadership and a great deal of commitment. It is very difficult to achieve perfection in the sportsmanship efforts at your school from year to year. However, if a program strives for perfection, excellence will be the result."
Follow Notre Dame at @NDPMA.
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.