MRH Blue and White Night Offers Sneak Preview

With less than a week until the Maplewood Richmond Heights football team's season opener against MICDS, the MRH cheerleaders are clearly ready.

"We're the blue, we're the white, we're MRH!" they shouted in the high school gymnasium as part of the MRH Blue and White Night on Friday. The event allowed parents and supporters to gain a sneak preview of the fall sports season and meet the coaches.

(See videos of the MRH cheerleaders and football team on our Facebook page devoted entirely to MRH sports: www.facebook.com/MRHBlueDevils)

The evening started with a brief introduction by . He said he's new to the program but he's already a big MRH fan.

"I look forward to a great athletic year," he said.

In addition to introducing the coaches for the four sports teams (cheerleaders, football, soccer and volleyball), Hill also talked about procedures for student athletes.

If an athlete falls below a C grade during a quarter, then he or she is required to attend a morning study hall every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until the grade improves. Athletes who miss study hall will lose out on playing time.

In an interview during the event, Hill echoed his call for high achievement in academics.

The MRH school district has made huge gains in academics and is a top performer in St. Louis County, Hill said.

The spirit of academic success carries over into athletics, he said.

He credited superintendent Dr. Linda Henke and the MRH Board of Education for their vision, and thanked his coaches for working hard with the students.

"Our coaches are great educators as well," he said.

Following Hill's introductions, the teams broke up into practices and scrimmages while onlookers watched from the sidelines and stands.

Some other MRH athletics news:

• Mark your calendars: The fall sports banquet has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 13.

• MSHSAA is putting a new emphasis on concussions this year. Handouts are available at the high school, but the biggest change: if an athlete endures a concussion, he or she must be cleared by a doctor before playing again.

• Starting in fall 2014, the football program hopes to join the Suburban East conference, which includes Affton, Clayton, Jennings and others. Joining the conference would cut down on travel time for the football team, which currently travels as far as Fredericktown in the Mississippi Area Football Conference. The athletics department must submit a letter to the conference commissioner for approval.