‘Eveyone considered him a friend’: Longest-serving Catholic High School League director Vic Michaels dies at 71

Longtime Catholic High School League head Vic Michaels died successful his slumber connected Monday astatine property 71.

Michaels was nan longest-serving CHSL head successful convention history, holding nan position from 2003 until his death. Prior to his domiciled arsenic director, he served arsenic CHSL adjunct head from 1995 to 2003 nether Tom Rashid.

“Vic dedicated his life to Catholic education, interscholastic athletics, and nan young group entrusted to his care. His activity of nan CHSL was marked by integrity, vision, humility, and an unwavering belief that athletics are an hold of nan classroom—meant to shape nan full personification successful faith, character, discipline, and service," nan CHSL stated successful an successful memoriam station for Michaels.

Through his decades serving arsenic director, Michaels was recognized aggregate times for nan activity he displayed successful his role. In 2024, Michaels was named a “Catholic League Legend” by nan Catholic League High School and Catholic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He is 1 of conscionable 15 individuals to person nan “Legend” status. The Detroit Free Press besides gave Michaels its Lifetime Achievement Award successful 2024.

“What he meant to maine is what he meant to everyone,” CHSL adjunct head Mike Evoy said. “That was, first and foremost, a coach. That’s wherever he collapsed in. He was a coach. He was a mentor. Most importantly, everybody considered him a friend. I did, conscionable for illustration hundreds -- if not, thousands -- of Metro Detroiters. Whether they were progressive successful acquisition athletics aliases not, they considered him a friend.”

Michaels’ roots successful nan Archdiocese of Detroit and nan metropolis spell backmost to his people schoolhouse days. Michaels first attended St. Philip Neri High School successful Detroit earlier graduating from St. Ambrose High School successful Grosse Pointe Park. He past played assemblage hoops astatine Detroit Institute of Technology.

From 1978-95, Michaels held galore positions astatine Center Line’s St. Clement High School, including serving arsenic nan boys and girls hoops coach and diversion director. He was named nan girls hoops Class C coach of nan twelvemonth successful 1984 earned nan aforesaid grant pinch nan boys squad 1987. He was first inducted into nan CHSL Hall of Fame successful 1988 arsenic an diversion head successful 1988 and again 2 years later arsenic a coach.

Outside of sports, Michaels was besides a coach and adjunct main astatine St. Clement. He besides served connected nan Michigan High School Athletic Association’s typical assembly since 2003.

Evoy recalled that Rashid erstwhile said Michaels mightiness beryllium nan only personification Metro Detroit to person nan janitor from St. Clement successful his compartment phone, on pinch Detroit Lions Team President and CEO Rod Wood.

Evoy said nary matter who you were, Michaels treated you for illustration a friend.

“That’s what it yet comes down to: Coach, mentor, friend,” Evoy said.

I americium nan lead newsman for nan section sports squad astatine MLive.com and we chiefly attraction connected precocious schoolhouse sports sum passim Michigan connected a section and statewide level. I've lived successful Michigan since I was three...