Herb Morlock, Milan Area Schools’ athletic director, presented the board with a fall athletics review at the Dec. 10 meeting, highlighting participation rates, new programs and operational needs.

Morlock reported the district ran 15 fall programs (10 MHSA high-school sports, one non-MHSA equestrian program and five middle-school sports) and recorded 181 high-school athletes and 78 middle-school athletes for the fall. He said he expects participation to grow into the spring season.

Two initiatives were singled out: a three-pronged 'Big Red’s Roots' program intended to strengthen athletes through summer lifting and coaching collaboration, and a new 'Ticket to Play' process implemented this fall to verify athlete eligibility (grades, residency, final forms) before competition. Morlock described 'Ticket to Play' as a layered check that begins with the athletic secretary and includes a one-on-one meeting with the athletic director.

Morlock also described new club additions (a community-supported dance club and equestrian) and the district’s effort to add unified sports. He said unified basketball and unified soccer events have been successful but are currently coach-led volunteer efforts and not fully funded programs.

On operations, Morlock said the district moved scheduling and the athletic website to EventLink, calling it a "huge upgrade" from spreadsheet management; he estimated EventLink costs at about $1,000 per year. He flagged equipment needs—antiquated middle-school scoreboards that failed during the fall—and said the district has three open varsity coaching positions (football, volleyball, girls track/cross country) that present challenges for participation continuity.

Morlock closed by thanking coaches and volunteers for summer lifting programs and said the district will continue to emphasize strong coaching hires and community involvement.

What this means for families
Morlock encouraged families to contact him or the athletic office with questions and said he will share his slideshow with board members on request.