Doug Towler tried tuning out the chatter, even as it grew more deafening. The head coach of the Genesee County Generals – a cooperative team of players from Davison, Goodrich and Flushing high schools – Towler began this season a mere eight victories away from becoming Michigan’s all-time winningest high school hockey coach.
The biggest, most life-changing phone call Jenna Schroeder has ever received did not exactly come at an opportune time. The Clio native spent more than a decade doggedly working her way through the basketball officiating ranks, starting with youth games and progressing to small college, major college, the NBA G-League and WNBA. Her pursuit of
When competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu matches, 11-year-old Claire Patterson frequently displays an uncanny ability to methodically, yet with a sense of urgency, work her way out of any trouble and into more favorable positions before finishing foes via submission. In July, with just under a minute remaining in a fierce Junior 2 Grey Belt 114-pound
John Wainio believes in Grand Blanc Schools and its students. A 1991 graduate, Wainio has helped his alma mater make strides in education and athletics that he believes sets Grand Blanc apart. He ran for the board of education for two years in a row and had a hand in getting the bonds passed to
As the 2022-2023 high school athletics schedules wrapped up for the year, we invited the 25 Genesee County high schools to choose two athletes – one each from their men’s and women’s sports teams – who excelled in both athletics and academics. The responding schools took care in selecting young people who worked hard to
When Santiago Albiar speaks of golf, his passion for the sport is obvious. As such, the Kearsley High School sophomore is always on the lookout for new, competitive settings in which to hone his skills and test his game. Albiar was doing just that a year ago when he registered to compete in the Greater
During high school, Rachel Phillpotts honed her soccer talent on the turf at refurbished Atwood Stadium. There, the Linden native was part of powerful Powers Catholic teams and concluded her prep career in unforgettable fashion, playing an integral role on the Chargers’ dominant 2017 team which captured a Division 3 state championship and finished 26-1-2.
Photos by Katy Kildee With his lengthy beard, buzz-cut hairstyle, intense facial expressions and all-around passionate nature, Ron Roberts is hard to miss. The Goodrich Girls Powerlifting coach tends to stand out during competitions while standing behind his athletes, simultaneously serving as spotter, mentor and vocal encourager while they attempt to better their personal bests,
During the 1970s, forested areas around his Flushing home beckoned a young Bill Thompson. Nature became his happy place, providing endless hours of enjoyment during an era when kids’ screen time was limited to live television and occasional movie theater outings. “Flushing was less developed then and there was a sizable area of woods behind
The lowest point of Nic Matiere-Bey’s life is forever etched in his memory, a measuring stick of how far he has come. During a 2018 gathering of roughly ten people, including some family members, Matiere-Bey was two years removed from seeing his pursuit of higher education and a promising college football career grind to a
As the crisp coolness of a mid-October afternoon settled over Bedford Valley Golf Club in Battle Creek, Kate Brody stood on a green dotted with colorful fallen leaves lining up what she hoped would be the final shot of an unforgettable high school career. Dressed in layers, including a team hoodie and stocking cap to
Everything about the gritty, blue-collar basement boxing gym at Berston Field House seems to embody Flint. The atmosphere, aesthetics and attitude found here capture the spirit of the city. This sometimes-sweltering room, awash in purple and yellow, is where the FWC Berston boxing club members gather to practice the sweet science. Every weeknight, trainers Jason
