Blog Football Contest will be back...

Hey everyone,
I know it's been a slow summer on the blog, but with all the changes here at the Tribune we have had to put this aside until the fall sports season starts.
And that is coming soon.
Just a reminder, we WILL have once again the Tribune Sports Blog Football Contest.
Games will be posted for Week 1 on Aug. 22.

Also, we will post some fall preview stories when they become available, too.

Laker alumni gearing up for Aug. 6

PIGEON — When Ed Bach heard about the chance to play football at Laker Field one more time, the 1989 Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port graduate couldn’t resist.

“When I heard about the game — I bought my plane ticket,” said Bach, who is coming in for the game all the way from Florida. “I think every high school football player wants one more game.  

“I'm hoping not to break anything. My son is a junior football player in high school now, and I am bringing him along to show him what tradition is all about.”

Since game coordinator Eric Buschlen got the news out to former players that he wanted to set this event up as a fundraiser, the game has taken off. With the help of Vassar’s Bill Germain, Buschlen has put together the benefit alumni football game between the Lakers and Vulcans, slated for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6.

All of the proceeds from the game will go toward the Vassar and EPBP football programs, the majority staying with the home team.

“My first goal is to raise money for the football program, next is to stay healthy,” said Buschlen, a 1989 EPBP graduate. “If we win, that would just be a bonus. It’s meant to be fun.”

So far, so good, according to Buschlen.

“Practices have been great,” he said. “Seeing all these ‘younger’ guys out there and the passion they have for Laker football is clear. It was all business at the first few practices. It’s also great to be out here with Coach George Gardy again, and to be teammates with Adam and Ron, the new varsity coaches, has been rewarding. The team is in great hands.”

The Laker team has alumni playing from 1985-2005, with alumni participating from 1979 and on. The Laker Honorary Captain for the coin toss is Keith Baur from the 1981 state championship team.

Buschlen has worked to add a special halftime event — The $10,000 Halftime Progressive Field Goal Competition. 

Buschlen said fans who attend the game and are 18 years or older can enter to be in the contest. A random person will be selected at halftime, and if he or she completes the challenge, they will win $10,000 cash. The event is sponsored by both Vassar and Laker teams, as well as Thumb National Bank & Trust Co., Co-op Elevator, Burroughs Materials, VQS Village Quick Stop, Farm Bureau Insurance – Reggie Ignash, Le Village Market, 1st & Main Party Store, Esch Landscaping, LLC., and Shaggy J's Eatery and Pub.

The presentation of the funds raised will take place at a ceremony at halftime.

Admission is $5, with kids under 10 free.

For more information, contact Buschlen at (989) 860-7692 or ebusch56@yahoo.com.

Marlette mourns loss of Kyle Hall

For those of you who missed it, Marlette's Kyle Hall, a super athlete for the Red Raiders, was killed in a car accident on July 16.
The Tribune sends its best wishes to his family.
Here is a story about Hall that appeared in the Tribune's sister paper, The Marlette Leader, today.

Special to the Tribune

MARLETTE — At his eulogy, Mike Hall compared his son Kyle to a Super Nova, burning bright with a zest for life and leaving behind a trail of dust that will touch countless others.

And so it was that the community gathered to mourn the loss of young Kyle Hall, tragically killed in a two-vehicle accident north of Marlette on July 16.

Hundreds gathered last Wednesday afternoon for his funeral held in Marlette High School to hold the masses of mourners. Earlier, people waited outside in the oppressive heat to get inside to pay their respects to the family at Marsh Funeral Chapel. Others gathered at an impromptu flashlight vigil held at the football field last Tuesday night while others were drawn to the scene of the crash and offered up a silent prayer.

“A tragedy of this nature affects the entire community, especially for a young man who touched the lives of so many. Kyle was a very kind, giving, courteous gentleman who took pride not only in his personal, academic and athletic accomplishments, but offered support to his classmates and teammates and cheered for their success as well,” Marlette Superintendent Jeriann Patterson summarized.

Hall was a 2011 graduate of Marlette.

While in high school, Hall participated in football, track, golf and his first love, basketball. He received numerous awards for basketball during his three years on varsity, including those during his senior year: Most Outstanding Player for the Kingston Summer League, first-team All-Greater Thumb East, first-team All-County (Sanilac & Tuscola), first-team All-Area, Academic All-League, and Offensive Player of the Year.  

He also was involved in HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) where he was captain of the debate team and helped lead them to nationals in 2010. He was also named to the National Honor Society in 2011. He recently earned his CNA (Certified Nurses Assistant).

He was planning on pursuing a biology degree at Alma College in the fall and then going on to become a registered nurse. He was also going to play for the Alma College basketball team.

“Kyle was a gifted young man who, as far as I can see, succeeded in everything he attempted. I will miss him greatly. I will miss his humor and his wonderful nature. I will miss shaking hands with that tall red-headed kid on Sunday mornings.” said pastor Dan Bowman.

“But most of all I will miss what could have been. I so looked forward to seeing him play at Alma. I am heartbroken for his family and, once again, for the community. May God give us all strength in this terrible storm. 

Added Marlette High School principal Kyle Wood: “Obviously, we are extremely sad for the family’s loss. Overall, he was a great kid and a leader in and out of the classroom.

“He played football, but basketball was huge for him, it was a passion. He represented Marlette in a positive way all the time. He was very well liked by his classmates and underclassmates as well. Everything evolved around basketball for Kyle. That sure seemed to be the thing for him and he was continuing to pursue that love.”

Added Marlette varsity basketball coach Chris Storm: “I coached him for the most part since elementary right on up through his three years on the varsity. I worked with him on numerous levels. I could best describe it as a real high energy. He put a lot of time into the game and spent hundreds of hours with his grandfather working on the game. He brought a lot of energy to the court.”

Many wrote their remembrances and tributes on Facebook and other sites.

“The entire community is shocked and saddened by the loss of your smiling face and your zest for life. Rest in peace Kyle,” stated Sheila Lambert.

“I played basketball against you forever, every year. I had to guard you. My heart goes out to your family and friends. Rest in peace Kyle,” stated Jared Bender.

“My heart goes out to the Hall family, students, staff and the entire community in this difficult time. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to come to know Kyle and watch him grow for the last nine years. Kyle will be greatly missed,” Patterson added.

Former AD sues Sandusky district over firing

Anyone know anything about this?

SANDUSKY (AP) — A former high school athletic director in Michigan’s Thumb region says he was illegally fired after expressing concern about inequities in girls’ sports.

Drake Okie filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the Sandusky school district, 90 miles north of Detroit. After one year, Okie says his contract was not renewed in 2010. He says he never had an opportunity to plead his case to the school board.

He says the district retaliated after he complained that boys had better facilities and support than girls in Sandusky. Okie says he also reported possible misuse of money by the Sandusky Alumni Foundation.

Sandusky Superintendent Michael Carmean says he hasn’t seen the lawsuit and won’t comment. Okie wants to regain his job and get back pay and other benefits.

USA's Eurich turns near fatal accident into triumph

Paul Adams wrote a nice story about USA's Mackenzie Eurich and her family turning a near fatal accident into a lesson in life...

SEBEWAING — Mackenzie Eurich is just like any other 15-year-old.

She plays sports, studies hard and lives the life of a normal teenager.

When she has her left leg covered up, nobody would ever suspect the terrible tragedy she and her family suffered when she was nearly  3-years-old.

Eurich just finished up her freshman year at Unionville-Sebewaing Area where she played basketball, volleyball and softball.

In the spring, she was called up to the varsity softball squad for its run to Battle Creek.

Because the Patriots wore their long pants during the post-season, most people were probably unaware that Eurich is missing her left leg from just below the knee. 

“I have grown up with it, I’ve just adapted to it,” she said. “All my friends have grown up around me  and they’re used to it.

“It’s just the same as anyone else.

“This is how I’ve grown up. I don’t think I could do it any other way.”

The fact that Eurich is alive is as surprising as the level in which she plays sports. 

July 1, 1998

July 1, 1998, was supposed to be an exciting day for the Eurich family.

They were moving into their new house, unloading boxes and getting settled in. 

As the evening grew late, George Eurich thought he would get the lawn mowed. 

Just a few days before, like so many other fathers, he took Mackenzie for her first ride on the mower.

“That was probably the fatal moment,” said Mackenzie’s mom, Kristi Eurich. 

After making one pass at the new house, George got to a point where he had to back up. Mackenzie, hearing the mower, went toward it, probably wanting to go for another ride.

In an instant it was over — Mackenzie somehow had slipped under the mower.

“I had just checked on her because I was going to start wiping down furniture to go into the house,” Kristi said. “She must have came around those.

“She wanted to get on with daddy.”

Added George: “I just heard it, then I looked down. I shut everything off and pulled her out. 

“When I picked her up, her toes were missing, the heal was missing, and most of the leg was gone.”

Although horrified, Kristi recalls that everyone remained calm as their main focus was saving the life of their daughter. She said Mackenzie didn’t even cry. 

“I came in to call 9-1-1 and (George) brought her into the entrance way and wrapped her leg up and applied pressure,” she said. 

“I said that we have to start praying, so we said the Lord’s Prayer. I was praying that we could be a stronger family and His will would be done — and it has been.

“I never honestly, through this whole thing, ever prayed that we could save her leg. He’s always got a bigger picture.”

When the ambulance arrived, the crew was honest with the Eurichs that the leg may not be able to be saved.

“The ambulance crew was so sweet, they were trying to prepare me for it,” she said. “I said that I didn’t care about her toes, I just need to keep this part (pointing to the rest of Mackenzie).

“I sang ‘Jesus Loves Me’ the whole way. In fact, afterward one of the ambulance crew came out and gave me a song book with other Christian songs. But that’s the one we always sang during comforting moments.

“We sang it all the way there, and prayed all the way there.”

Mackenzie arrived at Bay Medical Center, but it was quickly obvious it was not equipped to handle such an injury.

After stabilizing her, she was airlifted to Ann Arbor.

The first few days at Ann Arbor were all about accessing the injury.

On July 4, the difficult decision was made to amputate. Two days later, the surgery was performed.

Less than two weeks after the accident, the Eurichs returned home. 

Mackenzie showed right away she wasn’t going to let it hold her back. While in Ann Arbor, she was fitted with the first of many prosthetic legs.

Shortly after returning home, she was already on the go, a prelude to the fact that she wouldn’t let this prevent her from living a normal life.

“We were only home an hour and a half and Mackenzie was walking across the floor,” Kristi said. “Honestly, she wanted to get up and go.

“That was just another ray of hope. That’s all you want for your child is to get them to the next step. She was ready to take that. It was hard to keep her down.

“Mackenzie was using the hard cover that was protecting her leg from getting bumped and hurt to walk on. It was long enough and tight enough that she wasn’t putting any pressure on the residual limb, but there was always the fear that the stitches could be torn and that they didn’t want her doing that.

“She still used it to lean on when standing, though. It was six weeks before she started the process of being fitted for her first prosthesis and eight weeks before it was done. We had to wait for any swelling to go down and for the skin to heal from the accident before it could handle the pressure from a proper fitting prosthesis.

“It was very scary for her to take those first few steps with it on, and she actually didn’t take those steps in Ann Arbor, but back at home with her dad and I. Once she figured it out, that it was OK and wasn’t going to hurt, she was off and going again.” 

Come to terms

It’s only natural to second guess the events that led up to the accident.

The Eurichs have had to deal with it, but they don’t dwell on it.

“There’s a hole in my heart that will never heal,” George said. “There’s no question that I went through the ‘why did this have to happen?’

“What could have happened did, and you just move on. It could have been so much worse.”

Added Kristi: “You have a choice to feel sorry for yourself, or a choice to figure out what you’re going to do and do it.

“There are times when she might have to do it a little bit differently, but you have a choice to either sit back and let life pass you by, or join in.

“She’s always chosen to join in.”

Because Mackenzie doesn’t remember anything about the accident, living with a prosthetic leg and overcoming the challenges of it are all she’s ever known.

“I can go out and do whatever I want to,” she said. “It may take a little time to go out and adapt, but I can pretty much do whatever I want.”

The Ertl Procedure

The years following the accident included some intense physical therapy. 

Despite the injury, it was obvious Mackenzie was going to be active. 

The Eurichs were informed of a surgery, called the Ertl Procedure. Its origins are from post-World War I, due to veterans who were injured.

For Mackenzie, the Ertl Procedure was performed by Dr. Jan Ertl in Sacramento, Calif., in 2002. In 2004, a second surgery was needed because of her growth.

“It takes the tibia and the fibula and grafts those bones together,” George said. 

“Normally for an amputation, the bones kind of float. You try to get a socket for a prosthetic that gives you the most comfort.

“With this procedure, you get a bone graft at the bottom and it locks those bones together. You can be end-loading and weight-bearing on the end of that stump. Normally, you can’t do that.

“It’s a live organ and can support itself, instead of being a couple of sawed off bones that just get in the way.

“That’s what allows her to play sports.”

A work of art

Mackenzie isn’t shy about showing off her leg. She learned at a young age not to be ashamed or embarrassed about it.

She’s had her current leg for two years, the longest of any she’s had.

It’s painted green and has her name on it.

“When I wear shorts, people ask if it’s a cast,” she said. “I just tell them that it’s the leg I have.

“People like how I show it around instead of trying to hide it.”

One of the main people responsible for Mackenzie’s prosthetic is Jerry Vilminot, a prosthetist at Hanger Orthotics.

Vilminot and his staff have adapted Mackenzie’s prosthetic to include a bubble where the shin would be. 

Because she’s a right-handed pitcher, the left leg is the plant leg. When she delivers a pitch, the bottom of the leg moves a little. The bubble in the prosthetic allows her to pitch pain free.

“They don’t give her any moving parts in it yet,” Kristi said. “In softball, where she hits and lands, if she had an ankle it would want to hit and roll.

“We’ve talked about that, and they’ve upped a little of the spring in it.”

The prosthetic is valued at around $15,000.

“It’s as much art as it is science,” George said. “They spend so much time getting the perfect fit.

“When we’ve gone to the prosthetist and had her do what she does, they just shake their heads and change what they were thinking because they don’t see people do what she is doing.”

The efforts of Ertl and Vilminot are not forgotten by Mackenzie.

“On Mackenzie’s softball shoe is written Ertl on one side and Vilminot on the other,” Kristi said. “Ertl, for her doctor that has made this possible, and Vilminot, for making the prosthetics.”

Amputee Coalition of America

Despite her upbeat attitude, there was still a time that Mackenzie felt different because there was nobody else “like her” to relate to.

That’s when Kristi found the Amputee Coalition of America. 

“The Amputee Coalition of America has a camp where kids can go to see other amputees,” she said. “She could start to see she was not the only one out there. 

“It was a place for them to talk about where they were at and what they liked to do.

“The camp was huge for her because it opened her eyes to see how she could help others that are in a similar situation.”

Added Mackenzie: “It took me a little period that I have to accept this, but I can do whatever I want to. It was a little hard before that. But after that, it was, ‘I can do this, I will do this.’”

The experience of going to the camp has allowed Mackenzie to talk to other amputees about coming to terms.

“It’s really cool that I can inspire other people to do stuff,” she said. 

“I just usually show them what I can do, and tell them they can get through it. They just need to set their mind to it.”

Go to www.amputee-coalition.org/youth_camp for more information on the camp.

Lawn mower safety

Although it’s common for many parents to allow their children to ride along with them on a lawn mower, it’s something that the Eurich family is strongly against.

The common mentality is: “It will never happen to me.” 

The Eurichs thought this too. 

“The word has to get out about lawn mower safety,” Kristi said. “Just that innocent little ride can happen.

“If I see it, I will stop and tell them what happened to Mackenzie.

“It only takes that one instant. You can say that it will never happen to me... But if it does, you can’t go back.”

Maintaining her independence

Mackenzie doesn’t consider herself special. She wants to be treated just like everyone else.

However, she does have her limitations.

Although she is very active, she is limited in how far she can walk, or how long she can stand. 

During a trip to New York City, Kristi had to force her daughter to ride in a wheelchair from time to time.

“We would go all day, so there was no way she could do that,” Kristi said. “To lose that independence frustrates her. But we got to see New York and that was pretty cool.”

Mackenzie also enjoys going to amusement parks. Because of her leg, she gets to go to the front of every line.

“We’ll get to ride rides multiple times — it has its perks sometimes,” she said with a smile. 

Adapting to different sports

Mackenzie is active in sports nearly year-round. Even the summer is filled with softball — her favorite sport.

Each sport presents its challenges.

Volleyball involves the most jumping.

“That was kind of different to get a hold of because you have to jump that much harder to get above the net,” Mackenzie said. “I mostly have to favor my right leg to push off, so it has to be a lot stronger to pick me up.”

Mackenzie had quite the experience playing volleyball this past season. She had to make a call to her mom to tell her some interesting news.

“She called me after a volleyball game and said, ‘Mom, my prosthesis broke,’” Kristi said. 

“She was serving and went up to hit the ball and it just broke. She said a woman in the stands started screaming because she thought she hurt herself.”

She was not injured, though. 

In basketball, one of the hurdles is playing defense. Because the prosthetic doesn’t have a working ankle, it’s hard to turn and run backward.

“When she took basketball this year, there were times that we had to go to the coach and just ask to work on her footing,” Kristi said. “Once she gets it, she’s got it.”

Added Mackenzie: “It’s hard for me in basketball. You have to use your ankles to defend so you can move back and forth. Well, I don’t have that ankle to push off of, so I have to use my whole leg to really move back and forth.”

Playing softball 

When she was younger, Mackenzie could be found in the dugout for the USA varsity softball team as a bat girl.

Before that, she was watching her dad play. It’s at that young age that she knew it would be her favorite sport. 

After a full season of playing junior varsity, she was one of the lucky few to be called up for the varsity team’s postseason run this past spring. 

But she wasn’t called up to sit on the bench. She was there to play.

Mackenzie made an immediate impact during the Division 4 district championship game when she came through with a pinch-hit home run.

“I didn’t know I actually hit the home run until I was rounding second base,” she said. “I was rounding first, so I knew I had a good hit and nobody was at second so I ran to second. I was rounding it and the shortstop was standing there looking at me.

“That was my very first homer over the fence. I haven’t done it in practice or in games at all. I turned and looked to see the whole dugout coming out. 

“People told me where it went when I got in the dugout. It was a lot of fun. It was just awesome.”

That would have been enough, but she was just getting started.

In the regional championship, the Patriots were leading by one run. Mackenzie was called on to pinch-hit with two runners on.

Once again, she laced a sharp hit that drove in both runs.

A few days later in the quarterfinals, she again recorded a hit, but also got her chance to play her natural position of pitcher.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Mackenzie was looked upon to close out the contest.

“I actually felt like I was going to be sick,” she said. “With the bases loaded and two out, I just knew I needed to get that girl out. I didn’t care how.

“I just told myself, ‘You’ve done this forever, it’s just another game.’ It was very unexpected, but it was cool to be part of it.”

She got the out, and was able to celebrate USA’s sixth straight trip to Battle Creek with her teammates on the mound.

“That taught me that I can do it and things will work out,” she said.

Mackenzie’s dream has been to play in a state championship game.

On June 18, all the hard work and sacrifices paid off when she came up in the top of the seventh inning against Petersburg-Summerfield with her team down a run.

With the tying run on second, Mackenzie grounded out, moving the running to third. The runner eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Patriots lost the game, but it gave Mackenzie a taste of playing in the title game. 

“I’ve always wanted to play with USA, play in a state championship and win one,” she said. “We got to go to a state championship, so it was really cool to be part of it.

“I got to move the runner that tied the game up, so that was really cool. I had it in my mind that I’ve already done all of this, and I could just help the team again.”

If there is one limit while playing softball, it’s running. 

She joked that she won’t be stealing any bases in her career. 

Mackenzie has high hopes for her remaining career at USA. 

She wants to be the starting pitcher and help lead the Patriots to a state title. She is also determined to play ball at the collegiate level.

Eurich isn’t just an athlete, she’s a student who sports a 3.94 grade-point average. She plans on studying to be a veterinarian.

“I have always done what I’ve set my mind to,” she said. “I have been working on getting better to at least be in the position where I can go play softball in college.”

USA softball player Mackenzie Eurich made her varsity debut on the mound to finish off a Division 4 quarterfinal game for the Patriots. At nearly 3-years-old, Eurich’s left leg, below the knee, had to be amputated because of a lawn mower accident. Eurich hasn’t let the injury prevent her from living a normal life, where she plays basketball, volleyball and, of course, softball. 

Kaufman takes over as Ubly football coach

Paul Adams filed this report on the new Ubly football coach...

UBLY — When the search began for a new Ubly varsity football coach, athletic director Dan Delamarter knew what he wanted.

He was looking for a person familiar with the program who would continue down the path that former coach Bill Sweeney and defensive coordinator Jim Becker had started.

Delamarter didn’t have to go far to find that man, as he promoted junior varsity coach Dave Kaufman.

“My goal was to keep as many people in place,” said Delamarter. “(Dave) has worked closely under Bill. His goals are the same as Bill’s.

“When we make these decisions, the kids come first. I think this works best for the kids and everyone.”

Sweeney and Becker took over the varsity job in 2003. It was also at that time Kaufman became the junior high coach.

Two years later, Kaufman was promoted to junior varsity. 

“It’s pretty easy when you had them above you,” said Kaufman. “When you had any issues, they had answers. I really enjoyed working under those guys.

“I’ve learned everything I know in football from Bill and Jim.”

Although he was the junior varsity coach, Kaufman could be found every Friday night on the sideline of varsity games, as well.

He served as Sweeney’s ears to the booth, since Sweeney preferred not to wear a headset. The experience of relaying information back and forth also helped prepare Kaufman for the move to varsity.

“I was always hearing everything that was going on, so that helped out a lot,” he said. 

Ubly is known for running the Wing-T offense. Under Kaufman, it will remain that way. 

“It’s not like Ubly’s going to change,” he said. “It’s going to be the same stuff we’ve done year after year.

“This is what the kids know. We’re not a spread team, we’re a grind it out kind of team. We’re not always gifted with the greatest athletes, so we just try to make it as simple as we can.

“This group of kids has run the T since Pee Wee, so this is what they know and what they’re good at. We wanted things to stay as they were, and we all talked about how we could keep them that way.”

Helping Kaufman on the defensive side of the ball will be veteran junior high coach Chuck Wright.

“He’s really been doing a lot of work since this decision was made,” Kaufman said. “He’s been working on the defense and working with Jim.”

In eight years, Sweeney helped Ubly compile a 78-19 record. The Bearcats made the playoffs each season, including four trips to the state semifinals and a Division 7 runner-up in 2008.

Currently, the team is riding a 32-game regular season winning streak. It’s the longest such streak in the modern history of Thumb high school football.

Kaufman knows the expectation is to win — and win often — at the varsity level.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “On JV, you want to do well, but if you win or lose, it’s not that big of a deal. 

“Up here, it is a big deal.

“There are a lot of expectations with Ubly because of what we’ve done the last few years. Bill and Jim have set that standard pretty high.”

Even though Sweeney and Becker have left the program, they are still helping it in any way they can.

“Bill has given me everything that he has,” he said. “I couldn’t ask anything more from Bill and Jim, they’ve helped us out immensely.

“They’re the type of guys that, if I have a question, I know I can get an answer.”

As the calendar quickly approaches Aug. 8, the first official day teams can practice, Kaufman has many feelings.

“Excited and nervous,” he said.

He is also optimistic because of the off-season participation he’s had from the players.

“The turnout for the weight room and summer workouts has been tremendous,” he said. 

“That’s telling me that they want to be good and they want to keep the Ubly tradition going.”

The skinny on Houthoofd...

Tribune reporter Traci Weisenbach did a nice job covering Thursday's board meeting at USA.

Here is her report.

SEBEWAING - Thursday night’s special meeting agenda for Unionville-Sebewaing Area Schools Board of Education had one item of business - the decision regarding whether the board should discontinue the employment of Lary Houthoofd, varsity softball coach, as recommended by the school administration.

However, the 80 to 90 people in attendance sat through about 6 ½ hours of testimony on both sides of the issue, similar to a court trial. The school district’s attorney and Houthoofd’s attorney asked questions of several witnesses in an effort to bring out the facts involved in the alleged misbehaviors of Houthoofd.

In the end, the board voted unanimously to uphold the administration’s recommendation. One board member - George Eurich - did not vote because he was one of the witnesses.

For about a month, people in the community wondered why then-high school Principal George Rierson and Athletic Director Mark Gainforth told Houthoofd on May 26 they were going to recommend that his contract with the district not be renewed. During Thursday’s meeting, audience members heard why, as four main topics of concern were addressed. They included mistreatment of student athletes, unacceptable poor sportsmanship, role modeling and communication, inappropriate treatment of staff and volunteers and inappropriate fundraising activity. Examples were given under each of these allegations.

Thursday night’s special meeting in open session was at the request of Houthoofd, who had been the head varsity softball coach for six years and had coached for other USA teams for a few years prior. He could’ve had the hearing in closed session.

In his opening and closing statements to the board, the school district’s attorney, David Revore, of Thrun Law Firm, said the evidence against Houthoofd was substantial and compelling and it should lead to a board decision to not continue his employment. Revore told the board Houthoofd is an at-will employee and could be terminated for any reason, as long as it’s not illegal. He said even though Houthoofd’s track record with the varsity softball team has been impressive, there have been other coaches with impressive track records who have been dismissed. He used former Indiana University coach Bobby Knight as an example.

Revore said Houthoofd was more concerned about winning games than being a positive role model, which is a huge issue.

“Should winning be the most important thing?” Revore asked.

He said the testimony given by the administrators was solid and trustworthy, even if the administrators didn’t always personally witness the alleged incidents. He said the administrators acted properly throughout the handling of the Houthoofd matter.

Houthoofd’s attorney, Phoebe Jacob Moore, of Caro, questioned the seriousness of the allegations and the timing of how everything unfolded in the past couple of months. She said the allegations did not rise to the determination that Houthoofd’s employment should be discontinued.

“We have a personality conflict — that’s why we’re here,” she said. “There is no just, valid, compelling reason to turn this program of success upside down.”

She also pointed out Houthoofd had no idea why Gainforth and Rierson told him they weren’t going to recommend that his employment continue. He didn’t know what he did wrong until just recently, and she felt the administration was grasping at straws at the last minute to try to find reasons to let him go.

During his testimony, Houthoofd said during the spring, he talked with Assistant Athletic Director Isaiah Gainforth and asked if there were any issues that he should be aware of regarding his coaching. He said he was told there were no issues.

“Then, a week and half later, I had the meeting with (Rierson and Mark Gainforth),” Houthoofd said, referring to the May 26 meeting. “I was given very vague reasons — bullying was mentioned.”

During questioning of the school witnesses, Moore pointed out that the testimony was simply hearsay and there was no written documentation about the various alleged wrongdoings. She said it appears these previous events only became an issue this spring, when the administrators were trying to find reasons to fire Houthoofd.

Moore, who provided the board with several support letters concerning Houthoofd, said she believes Houthoofd was treated differently than another coach, such as a football coach, would be treated. She said others in the athletic department have shown unsportsmanlike conduct, but nothing is done about that.

Revore reminded the board about policies regarding proper sportsmanship and conduct for coaches, and how the administration believed Houthoofd violated those policies. Moore also reminded the board of policies regarding annual evaluations, which were not done for Houthoofd, and a conflict of interest clause that she believed Eurich violated. She urged the board to follow its own policies.

Both attorneys also mentioned a written reprimand given to Houthoofd in February 2010 concerning the running up of scores. Revore said the reprimand, which stated Houthoofd showed lack of sportsmanship and insubordinate behavior, included a warning that further misconduct would lead to further discipline, up to dismissal. He said therefore Houthoofd should’ve known his job was on the line, but he still conducted himself in an unsportsmanlike manner, making bad decisions that reflected poorly on the district.

On the other hand, Moore said the February 2010 reprimand had nothing to do with the current matter at hand, and without an annual review, how was Houthoofd supposed to know what the administration wanted him to do differently. She said on that basis, the board should keep the coach, give him an evaluation and allow him an opportunity to fix issues the administration has.

On behalf of the school administration, the following witnesses took the stand: former Superintendent Dr. Kip Walker (whose last day with the district was Thursday), Rierson, Gainforth, Eurich and former volunteer coach Ralph Hoppe, whom Houthoofd let go in early June.

Other than Houthoofd, the witnesses called by Moore included scorebook keeper Kent Bush, summer softball league organizer Sue Jo Schaus and parent Scott Schaus, who also identified himself as Houthoofd’s brother-in-law.

Gainforth and Eurich spent the most time on the stand, as they were called multiple times regarding the allegations. Gainforth talked about concerns he had received from parents about how Houthoofd was treating softball players who also wanted to participate in track. He said the girls felt intimidated by Houthoofd to make a choice and they told him their participation in track negatively affected their playing time and position on the softball team.

Gainforth said that this year Houthoofd had called him with a concern about a parent threatening him. He said he also received calls of concern from parents about Houthoofd. He said he looked into the concerns brought to him and this led to the decision to recommend that Houthoofd’s employment be discontinued.

Rierson said during the May 26 meeting with Houthoofd that he told the coach the school was looking to go in a different direction and the school had a different philosophy than Houthoofd had about coaching and sportsmanship.

“I told him he leaves people feeling like they’ve been run over or intimidated,” he said. “I told him this (behavior) might work well in his business, but not in working with students and parents.”

Testimony brought out numerous details of alleged misbehaviors (see sidebars), but Scott Schaus said he believes it all boils down to a lot of miscommunication.

“It’s a travesty,” Schaus said. “He’s now being chastised for fundraising, which the school had asked coaches to do. I’m not sure why anyone would want to fundraise for the school again after this.”

Schaus said Houthoofd’s coaching salary goes back into equipment for the softball program. He said he doubts the administration knew this.

During public comment, some former softball players and parents spoke out against Houthoofd, noting the allegations were true. They said Houthoofd doesn’t have respect for the players and many were afraid of being bullied by him. 

Several people also spoke in support of Houthoofd, including his daughter, Erica. She said her father was tough on her sometimes, but she appreciated that and learned from it.

“Everyone just needs to grow up and learn to apologize to one another,” she said.

USA softball: The confrontation between Houthoofd and Eurich

SEBEWAING — Quite a bit of time was spent during Thursday’s meeting discussing an incident that occurred May 23 between Lary Houthoofd and George Eurich, who served as a volunteer softball coach and is a school board member. According to testimony, Eurich was trying to get rid of water on the softball field when Houthoofd approached him and told him to stop what he was doing. Eurich, believing he wasn’t doing anything wrong, kept on.

Eurich testified that Houthoofd yelled loudly at him, within earshot of some of the softball players. He said he felt very disrespected and that the coach’s comments were unacceptable in a school setting.

Eurich ended up leaving the field, and he said that was a very tough decision for him to make because he cared about the program. That evening, at about 10 p.m., he contacted Mark Gainforth about the situation.

Houthoofd, in his testimony, said he didn’t want Eurich to continue what he was doing because it was bringing up water and causing the field to be unsafe for the players. He said he may have raised his voice a little, but he didn’t scream. He also said there were no student athletes in the area at the time.

Scorebook keeper Kent Bush, who was a witness to the incident, said Houthoofd didn’t raise his voice very much. He said that earlier he had been raking and Houthoofd told him to stop, and he did.

Houthoofd said that after the incident he told Isaiah Gainforth about the situation, only because it seemed like Eurich was very upset about it.

Houthoofd’s attorney, Phoebe Jacob Moore, told Eurich if he didn’t stop what he was doing after Houthoofd told him to that would be insubordination. Eurich said he disagreed.

Moore asked Eurich if he spoke to other board members about the situation after it happened. Eurich said he didn’t recall if he did. The attorney then asked if he spoke to board members about it after he knew an investigation had started. Eurich said he did. Moore said this was a conflict of interest and he shouldn’t have spoken about it to the board once he knew the investigation had started.

During her questioning of Houthoofd, Moore asked if he understood what he was up against, considering that the confrontation was with a board member, and the final decision regarding his employment rests with the remainder of the board.

“Do you know what you’re facing?” she said.

Moore asked what Houthoofd would do in a situation where his softball team was losing a game and there wasn’t much time left.

“You just give it your best shot,” he said.

OTHER ALLEGATIONS

In addition to the Houthoofd/Eurich incident on May 23, here are some of the other allegations against Houthoofd that were addressed during Thursday night’s special board meeting, along with Houthoofd’s responses:

• Houthoofd had a former USA employee, who has a felony conviction, work as a volunteer at the Haunted Woods fundraiser in the fall of 2010 — an event that some USA students attended. It was alleged that Houthoofd knowingly put students in danger by having the former employee there.

Houthoofd said he believed the former employee had served his time and he had this person working for him in his construction business. He said the USA students were never in any harm. He also said he had spoken with the former employee’s parole officer, and the fundraiser volunteering was considered community service.

• Houthoofd mistreated student athletes by intimidating them in various ways.

“I’ve never mistreated student athletes,” he said. “I put my heart and soul into these kids. They respect me and I respect them. They work extremely hard.”

• Houthoofd knowingly used two over-age players during a 2010 summer league sanctioned tournament in Romeo.

Houthoofd, along with summer softball league organizer Sue Jo Schaus, testified the summer league tournament director allowed the two over-age players to participate, and Houthoofd had nothing to do with the decision.

• Houthoofd purposely did not present some bats for inspection by umpires, thereby making the bats illegal to use.

“All of the bats we use are legal — I’ve never used an improper bat,” Houthoofd said.

• Houthoofd fired Ralph Hoppe, a volunteer assistant coach, without informing the athletic director first, which constitutes insubordination.

Houthoofd said he believed he had good reason to let Hoppe go, because he could no longer trust him. He said Isaiah Gainforth, whom he reported directly to, never told him he couldn’t fire someone without prior authorization. He also said Mark Gainforth never told him this, either. Houthoofd also said he did not fire any junior varsity softball coaches, which also had been alleged.

• Houthoofd argued with an umpire and used profanity that included a religious element as the game was against a Lutheran school.

Houthoofd said while he may have swore at the umpire, he did not use the “F word” and he did not say anything negative about Lutherans as he is a Lutheran.