The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is still gathering information on Monday regarding an incident that occurred during a girls’ high school volleyball match involving an OutKick reporter, Dan Zaksheske. The reporter detailed the harassment he faced while covering Ann Arbor Skyline High School’s victory over Dexter on Thursday night. The Ann Arbor Skyline team has been recognized for its success in the fall season, thanks to a transgender athlete who competes on the team.
Zaksheske reported that he was shadowed by Ann Arbor Skyline’s principal, Casey Elmore, throughout the game and harassed by supporters. He called for an officer and requested that one be sent to the scene, which happened as the match was ending. Zaksheske described the situation as a complete failure by both the MHSAA and Ann Arbor Public Schools, saying that the principal seemed to almost encourage the harassment, which he found unacceptable for an educator to allow.
When asked about the status of the investigation, the MHSAA’s spokesman, Geoff Kimmerly, stated that they were still collecting information from the reported incident but emphasized their commitment to safety at all events. However, he did not provide specific details on whether any officials had spoken to Zaksheske or others involved. Zaksheske reported that he had not been contacted by the MHSAA as part of the inquiry into the incident.
Ann Arbor Skyline is set to face DeWitt High School in the state regional semifinal at Mason High School. Mason High School principal Myriah Lillie declined to comment on potential safety measures, while Mason Public Schools superintendent Dr. Gary Kinzer did not immediately respond to questions about security enhancements.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety and treatment of journalists covering high-profile events, particularly those involving sensitive topics such as transgender athletes in sports.