The Rock - October 2023

OCTOBER 2023 VOL 4 | ISSUE 10

P LY M O U T H ’ S N E W S & L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E

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Local Matters!

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OCTOBER 2023 VOL 4 | ISSUE 10 16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734-716-0783 • kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

K U R T K U B A N – Editor & Publisher

Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer.

He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.

S CO T T B U I E – Advertising Director/Vice President of Sales

Scott has 20+ years creating advertising campaigns for clients in Metro Detroit.

After managing sales for radio stations for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing, where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth/Northville area for over 23 years.

J E N N Y P E A R S A L L – Creative Director

Jenny has been in the design and print industry for over twenty years, holding various positions in graphic design, print buying, production and print management. She also owns Bovia Design Group, a company specializing in publications and corporate branding.

B R A D K A D R I C H – Writer

Brad is an award-winning journalist who spent more than 20 years covering the Plymouth community for the Plymouth Observer. He also spent 15 years serving his country in the U.S. Air Force.

B R A D E M O N S – Writer

Publisher

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

S U E V OY L E S – Writer

Advertise in The Rock • Reach 21,000 addresses every month.

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To secure space in an upcoming issue of The Rock, contact Advertising Director Scott Buie at (313) 399-5231, or via email at scottbuie@therockmagazine.com or advertising@therockmagazine.com.

Growing up, Sue always knew she wanted to be a writer. She has written for many publications over her long career in public relations and journalism, and taught English and journalism at Schoolcraft College. In 2022, she received the national Headliner Award from the Association for Women in Communications.

T I M S M I T H – Writer

Tim brings a penchant for telling personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, mostly with the Observer & Eccentric, he has earned numerous state and national awards.

The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

M I C H E L E F E C H T – Writer

Michele is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. She is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/ advocate.

W E N S DY V O N B U S K I R K – Writer

Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University.

Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, including The Rock. -Photo by Kathleen Voss

K E N V OY L E S – Writer/Photographer

Ken is an award-winning writer, photographer and designer whose career has spanned nearly five decades in and around metro Detroit. He started his journalism career in Plymouth, working for the Community Crier. He is the author of two books on Detroit history, loves to travel and has finished his first novel.

B I L L B R E S L E R – Photographer

Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.

The Rock is a product of Journeyman Publishing, which assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information.

Any form of reproduction of any content in this publication without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Comments are welcome at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

Investing in Parks and Recreation is Rarely a Losing Proposition

In this issue

I drove past the old Plymouth Elks site off of Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth Township the other day. It’s really sad to see. The 33-acre site was mostly wooded with mature trees. Well, those trees are now just a memory. The site has been cleared, and a huge pile of logs is all that is left of those beautiful oaks and maples, soon to be shipped away to lumber mills.

The trees, wildlife and the old Elks lounge are making way for nearly 400 apartments and townhouses. Some people will tell you that’s the price of “progress” but I often wonder what the definition of that is. Is it really good for a community to lose 30 acres of green space, especially on a side of town where it is becoming less and less common?

Residents in the City of Plymouth are facing a similar dilemma but from a different angle.

They are being asked to purchase an old commercial site so they can turn it back into green space and build a new park. That’s exactly what will happen if voters approve a ballot proposal on Nov. 7 that will raise about $15 million over a 12-year period.

8

E .G. NICKS STAFFERS PROVE A MAGNIFICENT MATCH

If approved, the centerpiece of the plan for that money will be purchasing the 3-acre former Lumber Mart property at Ann Arbor Trail and Lilley and develop it into new youth soccer fields, pickleball courts, and event space. It will cost about $5.6 million.

Another big part of the plan is spending more than a million dollars to improve Pointe Park, near Wilcox Lake in Old Village, which really needs some attention. The plan would include a new pavilion, play structures, landscaping, fencing and a crosswalk to improve pedestrian safety at the park, which is one of the gateways into our city.

In addition, if approved, the millage will mean improvements at nearly every one of the city’s parks, including all the neighborhood parks.

To learn more about the parks millage, please see our story on Page 4. The story is titled “Game Changer” because that’s exactly what this millage could be for Plymouth residents.

Since I’ve been covering this community, it seems like that’s the one thing residents would like to see – better recreational offerings.

10

SALEM’S MORSON UP TO THE CHALLENGE

That was reaffirmed in 2021, when 68 percent of surveyed city residents identified park and recreation amenities as “very important” to them.

One of the coolest parts of the millage plan is the fact nearly a half million dollars will be used to supplement program costs for youth sports like soccer, so it doesn’t cost families as much out of pocket for their kids to participate. For some families, cost is a deterrent, so I applaud this initiative, because all children should have the opportunity to participate in youth sports.

City voters are being asked to approve an annual levy of 1.75 mills over 12 years. It is estimated that the owner of a $250,000 home would pay about $218 per year, which is less than $20 a month. Residents will have to determine if that is an investment they are willing to make.

The reality is the city is pretty much built out, so there aren’t many opportunities to build new parks or save green space. There is also a tight city budget, meaning there isn’t much money available to do any of the things on the parks millage list without it passing. If it does pass, the millage money will provide the city leverage to obtain grants and other funding where match money is a prerequisite. This would allow the city to stretch the money even further.

I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say this would be a game changer. It really is an opportunity for city residents to reimagine parks and recreation. I’m a big proponent of saving and investing in green space. If you want to see the alternative, drive by the Elks site.

Kurt Kuban is the Publisher and Editor of The Rock. He welcomes your comments at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

14

WILLOWBROOKE IS A HORSE RIDING SANCTUARY Parks millage could be game changer for Plymouth Plymouth-Canton’s virtual academy is godsend for some students USA Hockey players rely on local families to take them in Schoolcraft culinarian Moore thrives in demanding industry Out & About: Community Calendar

4 18 20 22 26

O N T H E CO V E R : Jennifer Geyman brought her family to the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce’s annual Pumpkin Palooza last year in Kellogg Park.

Is there a better place than Downtown Plymouth during the Halloween season? This year’s event took place on Oct. 22. Photo by Ken Voyles

LUMBER MART

C

ity of Plymouth voters have a big opportunity on Tuesday, Nov. 7 to pump financial lifeblood into city parks and recreation programs and facilities -- if they approve a ballot proposal that would raise more than $15 million over a dozen years.

Imagine the now-vacant (unless you count vehicle storage) east-end Lumber Mart site being transformed into new youth soccer fields, pickleball courts, and event space. If the millage is approved, the city will spend about $5.6 million to purchase and develop the three-acre site near Ann Arbor Trail and Mill Street.

“It is a site that has been unused for about 10 years,” Mayor Nick Moroz said of the Lumber Mart site. “There isn’t a nice athletic event facility on that side of town. It could be a real jewel in terms of what brings people to the city of Plymouth.”

There are also plans to bring 4 | The Rock

new life to Pointe Park near Wilcox Lake in Old Village, which is one of the entry points into the city.

In fact, if passed, the millage will lead to improvements to nearly every one of the city’s parks.

Voters are being asked to green light the annual levy of 1.75 mills over 12 years, which would raise $1.3 million annually into parks and rec coffers.

The money would be used for multiple needs, would strive to beautify existing neighborhood parks, purchase and develop the Lumber Mart site and fortify youth programs such as boys and girls soccer well into the future.

It is estimated that owners of a $250,000 home would pay about $218 per year.

The ballot measure follows several years of strategic planning to fix gaps in the City of Plymouth’s parks and recreation master plan, a tricky problem to

solve considering the city is largely landlocked.

In 2021, about 68 percent of surveyed residents identified parks and rec amenities as “very important,” and the city commission approved putting the issue up for a vote.

“There are various facilities, fields and amenities in each (area of the) community” that would be touched by a successful millage, Moroz said.

1

Existing Building Converted to Open Air Pavilion with Pickelball Courts and Special Event Space

2

Fenced Pickelball Court

3

Soccer Fields (2 3v3 fields, 1 5v5 field)

4

Accessible Parking Lot (49 Total With 9 Accessible Parking Spaces)

5

Train Viewing Platform with Shelter

6

Concrete Pedestrian Walk

7

Playground (5-12 year old) with Pour-in-Place Surface (Possible Dog Park Encompassing Entire Area)

8

Native Planting

9

Decorative Fence with Masonry Piers at Entrance

10

Entrance With Sign And Accent Planting

11

Existing Trees To Remain

12

Tot Lot (2-5 year old) with Wood Mulch and Spring Toys

13

Proposed Trees

14

Bench With Companion Seating

15

30’ Pavilion

16

New Drive Approach With Sign And Accent Planting

17

Lawn

18

Existing Chain Link Fence

19

New Canopy Entrance

MAKING A POINTE Pointe Park, near Wilcox Lake in Old Village, is one of the main targets to be refurbished. The city is looking to spend more than a million dollars at the park, which will include a new pavilion, play structures, landscaping, fencing and a cross walk to improve pedestrian safety.

“It (Pointe Park) is something that the commission has wanted to do for some time, invest in Old Village,” Moroz said.

“That park has been sorely in need of improvement, upkeep and maintenance. It is also a beautification effort, that is one of the entrance points into Plymouth.”

According to Old Village Association member Trish Horstman, owner of My Little

Needle Tattoos on Starkweather, millage money targeted for that part of Plymouth is definitely needed.

“I feel like Old Village could really use some attention,” Horstman said. “I have seen the proposal. I have my hesitancy because I feel like it’s not very clear about the timeline of which parks will get the attention (and) when.

“They’ve made Pointe Park one of the poster children of this whole mission, and so my hopes are high that they would actually give some love to the village. It’s very needed.”

Money could be funneled into playground structures, hedges, walkways, native plantings in conjunction with local groups

such as Plymouth Pollinators.

New pedestrian crosswalks at Pointe Park would be another boon.

“In the past five years the city has spent a lot of time and effort on pedestrian crosswalks,” Moroz said. “Boy, do people really enjoy those. It is not the easiest intersection to navigate as a pedestrian.”

Plans are in the conceptual stage for both Lumber Mart and Pointe Park, two of the bigger upgrades targeted by a successful millage.

FINDING NEW SPACES With the annual influx of millage money, the city could offset the past and future loss of current school district space utilized for the popular parks and rec youth soccer program.

“Facilities equal opportunities,” said Steve Anderson, Plymouth Parks and Recreation Director, about the urgency of voters approving the proposal. “Because the city is two square miles, we only own one athletic facility (Massey Field, on Plymouth Road).

“We operate an 800-kid soccer program and don’t own a single soccer field. So we have to make partnerships with the schools, and Wayne County.”

But the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools has to make decisions which are best for its own future, Anderson stressed.

The school district notified the city that Tanger Center School and Allen Elementary facilities will not be available to provide its soccer fields moving forward.

The loss of space from those schools follows losing other sites such as the former Central Middle School (now PARC) and Starkweather Elementary.

Anderson added P-CCS varsity boys and girls lacrosse programs are moving over to various school fields used for parks and rec soccer, pushing the latter out for spring 2024.

“So, in the spring we lose half of West, East and all of Allen,” Anderson continued. “Through this natural process, we’re losing field space.”

According to both Moroz and Anderson, the time is now to find solutions to such programs – to help Plymouth stay competitive with what neighboring municipalities offer.

V I L L AG E P O I N T PA R K 1

Masonry Monument Sign with Back-lighted Letters

2

Evergreen Hedge with Accent Planting

3

Masonry Piers with Decorative Fence

4

Multi-purpose Open Lawn Area

5

Relocated Flag Pole

6

New 8’ Wide Concrete Walk

7

Decorative Benches with Companion Seating

8

Tot Lot (2-5 year old) with Wood Mulch and Spring Toys

9

24’ Pavilion

10 Existing Trees to Remain or

Selectively Remove

11 Native Planting 12 Existing Utilities 13 New Pedestrian Crosswalk 14 Existing Pedestrian Light 15 Existing Wood Fence 16 Play Structure (5-12 year

old) with Poured-in-Place Surface

17 Decorative Paving 18 Trash Receptacle

“What we’re trying to do,” Anderson surmised, “is to keep and expand space for us to do new programming, which also gives the community (additional) opportunities. That’s the bigger picture on this. If we don’t start planning for the future, (there will be) a slow decay of availability.”

Money would keep neighborhood parks vibrant and fund improvements such as bringing in new play structures.

“To maintain city parks and play structures is incredibly expensive,” Anderson noted.

“The cost of a new play structure is $250,000…and then you want to throw Tonquish Creek Nature Area on that, which hasn’t had any maintenance on it in 30 years.”

Just a handful of some of the parks which are identified for attention include Knights of Columbus, Fairground Garden Club, Kiwanis, Smith and Rotary.

OTHER BENEFITS Moreover, the millage would update and improve all neighborhood parks and facilities and operations; spur key projects and allow for major discounts for residents on registration fees.

“This millage has the potential to actually be a cost-cutting mechanism for many households,” said Moroz, about how a successful vote would shave 60 percent off youth sport-registration fees.

Continued on page 6 The Rock

|5

PARKS AND REC MILLAGE FUNDING PLAN

Continued from page 5 Millage money would also give the city a fighting chance to obtain grant money from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for buying and developing parks.

“The hook on the DNR is, when you apply for a grant, you need either a 25- or 50-percent match of what you’re asking for,” Anderson said.

That means “you better have half a million or million waiting

so you can even apply” for a $1 million or $2 million land acquisition grant.

“If we are starting to apply for grants, like for Lumber Mart, we go for a $2 million land acquisition grant with a million (dollar) match,” Anderson stressed. “That’s the other component of this. You need match money. Plymouth doesn’t have (available match) money right now, so you take yourself right out of the mix for the DNR.” Horstman said people in Old Village generally are supportive

of the proposal in that it “finally” highlights the neighborhood. But there is a hesitancy to jump all in.

“I would say that myself and most of the OVA members are in support of the idea,” Horstman continued. “Everybody is in support of the idea of getting some money here.

“Most of us are in support of the millage and (hope) it would be the vehicle to get some funding into the village, finally. I’ve been with OVA for 15 years and this has been our ongoing, constant battle here.”

She said Old Village Association last year put together a “pie in the sky” proposal listing potential projects small and large that members hoped could gain traction with the city.

Upgrading Pointe Park was on that wish-list proposal.

Information meetings with Moroz and city commissioners have been held and OVA will continue providing that platform, she added.

New Park Development (Lumber Mart property) - $5.6 million Pointe Park (Old Village) - $1.025 million Synthetic Turf Athletic Field (location TBD) - $2.95 million Knights of Columbus Park - $280,000 Fairground Park - $500,000 Garden Club Park - $330,000 Kiwanis Club Park - $60,000 Smith Park - $355,000 Rotary Club Park - $270,000 Jack Wilcox Park - $240,000 Kellogg Park - $675,000 Lion’s Club Park - $20,000 Starkweather Park - $80,000 Tonquish Creek Neighborhood Park - $820,000 Recreation & Maintenance Staffing $2.16 million Cultural Center - $750,000 Youth Sports Registration Fee Offset - $480,000 Irrigation Systems Operations (water usage) - $600,000 For complete details, visit the Fund Plymouth Parks and Recreation website at fundplymouthparksandrecreation.com.

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of his kidneys. Long a Type 2 diabetic, Sommerville was forced onto dialysis when doctors installed a port in 2019. The continuing treatments slowed the process but, in July 2022, Sommerville was finally told he was going to need a transplant.

It’s not like he didn’t know it was coming. His GFR score (the measure of how well the kidneys filter blood) was down to 15 (90 is normal). His diabetes was hereditary – both his father and his grandmother were diabetic.

“I knew years ago that it was going to come down the line,” said Sommerville, a Livonia resident. “I’d been having a doctor do my checkups every three months, and every month just a little more was taken off.

A

sk Lou Sommerville and Kevin Rahovitis when Sommerville’s kidney transplant surgery was, and you get an answer in tandem.

“May 17!” they shout in unison.

It’s easy to understand why Sommerville knew the date – he’s the one who got the kidney.

It’s a little more odd that Rahovitis would know, considering that before the operation the two were simply co-workers at E.G. Nicks in downtown Plymouth. Both have worked there for 23 years – Sommerville started there when

8 | The Rock

it was still a dress shop, and the 36-year-old Rahovitis has been there since he was 14.

But now, they’re more than colleagues, because when Sommerville found out he needed a kidney, it was Rahovitis who stepped up and offered one of his own.

“On my driver’s license I’m listed as an organ donor,” Rahovitis said. “You see somebody going through something and you think, ‘if I can help…’ That’s how I was feeling in that moment, like I could actually do something.”

What he saw Sommerville going through was the failing

So they started dialysis, and I was on it for 10 months. Through those months they start talking to you about getting a kidney.”

INCREDIBLE OFFER Of course, the talk started about potential donors.

Sommerville knew none of his family was compatible, because everyone had different blood types. Sommerville had the same blood type as his mother, but she had passed away. The rest of his family had the same blood type as Sommerville’s father, but he had passed, as well.

His wife, LaDonna, was a potential donor but wasn’t a

match, again because of blood types.

Up stepped Rahovitis.

“I’ve known (Sommerville) for 20 years now,” he said. “You see him after dialysis three times a week, he doesn’t look great, he’s got low energy. You see what he’s going through, I saw the progression of it, and once dialysis started and one day I just went up to him and said, ‘If you’re eligible for a donation let me know and I’ll start the testing process.

“I had no idea what that process entailed,” Rahovitis admitted. “But that’s basically how it started.”

Turns out it entailed blood and tissue testing, and Sommerville had basically a full physical – “They check you from the snooter to the tooter, my doctor said” – and they said I was good to go.”

Sommerville consulted with his family, which was not something Rahovitis did at first, despite the fact his parents are both nurses. He didn’t talk to them, or to his girlfriend, Riley Hunt, until after he’d made the offer to Sommerville.

“I didn’t talk to any of them before I talked to Lou, which I learned wasn’t the best way to go,” he said, laughing. “They’re all super supportive, especially my mom and Riley.”

There was one major issue for Rahovitis: He’s a recovering addict (Vicodin and Percocet) after suffering a broken wrist.

He’s been sober 10 years, so there were concerns about the procedure.

“It’s almost been 10 years of sobriety for me, so it’s been a relatively long time,” Rahovitis said. “Obviously, there are no guarantees with that. But we had a plan going in that there was a way to do it without pain meds.

We did a nerve block right before the surgery, and there were other medications I could take.”

Sommerville couldn’t believe

“These are two employees, and in today’s day and age…sometimes employees aren’t very close. The fact that one employee reached out to take care of another employee is phenomenal. It just goes to show how much of a family atmosphere we really run here. It’s always been our philosophy that we’re one giant family.”

E.G. Nicks owner Frank Agostini his luck. After all, he’d been on dialysis for 10 months, and some of the patients taking it with him had been there for as many as six years.

“I couldn’t believe (Rahovitis) offered,” Sommerville said.

“The funny part is I never really started looking (for a donor). I figured Henry Ford would be doing that. He was the only one who said, ‘I’ll give you a kidney,’ so we started with him, and it was a one-and-done. He was a perfect match.”

When Sommerville gave the news to his wife, LaDonna Sommerville said she was “aghast.”

23 years ago. Belli said the gesture was indicative of the kind of family atmosphere the staff at E.G. Nicks feels. “(Sommerville) has been there since the beginning, (Rahovitis) has been here since he was 14 years old,” Belli said. “After that many years, knowing them for that long, they have more heart, more soul and more of the best humanism than any two human beings could ever have. It’s a privilege to be able to see each one of them every single day.”

After the testing and the preparation – “They told me exactly what was going to happen, and I feel like that’s exactly what

“I was incredibly surprised…

Lou came home and said Kevin was giving him a kidney,” LaDonna said. “Who does that?

Nobody. I had chills, and I hugged him when I saw him the next time and I cried.”

One person who wasn’t as surprised was E.G. Nicks founder Tony Belli, who hired both Sommerville and Rahovitis

happened,” Rahovitis said – the two were wheeled into surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

SOME ANXIETY The hospital staff had walked both donor and recipient through the process. They took Rahovitis first, and then gave Sommerville a little “calm down” medication, he said, to get him ready. They got him into the operating room,

and that’s when his nerves decided to show up.

“It never really hit me until I transferred from my pre-op bed to the operating table,” Sommerville recalled. “Then I started getting a little anxious.

The whole thing never hit me until I got on the operating table.

Then I thought, ‘Hey, this is going down right now!’

“Other than that I was rocksolid through the whole day,” he added.

Rahovitis was pretty solid, as well – “Obviously, you have some anxiety, but honestly I felt really good that day,” he said – and he was ready after a lengthy preparation period.

The recovery process was a little different for both of them.

Rahovitis was in the hospital a little more than two days, Sommerville for six days.

“I don’t remember much from the day of the surgery (it was a Wednesday), but Thursday was tough,” Rahovitis said. “The nerve block was wearing off, but we managed my pain as best we could, and by Friday I was ready to go home.”

Sommerville was groggy when he woke up and all he wanted was some ice, but the medical staff insisted he wait. LaDonna Sommerville was drinking a Mountain Dew – “I’m not really a Mountain Dew guy,” he said – and when the nurses weren’t looking, she slipped him some.

Because Sommerville also experiences bouts of atrial fibrillation, the staff kept a blood-pressure cup on him for a couple of days. He didn’t stay in bed long.

“I was up and walking within a couple of days,” Sommerville said.

It all still seems a little surreal to both of them.

“Who would think that two guys who worked together for 20 years under the same roof, 20 years apart (in age), and it was a perfect match?” Sommerville said. “So I got a nice, young kidney,” he added with a smile.

And Rahovitis didn’t hesitate to remind him. He turned 36 on June 7, and he called Sommerville. “I called him and told hm, ‘Make sure you wish my kidney a happy birthday,’” he said, laughing.

Their other boss, E.G. Nicks owner Frank Agostini, wasn’t surprised by the developments – “I know what kind of person Kevin is,” he said.

“These are two employees, and in today’s day and age … sometimes employees aren’t very close,” he said. “The fact that one employee reached out to take care of another employee is phenomenal. It just goes to show how much of a family atmosphere we really run here.

It’s always been our philosophy that we’re one giant family.”

Sommerville is thriving postsurgery.

“I feel excellent,” he said. “I get my bloodwork tested weekly, and it’s all in the green. It’s 100% different. I was horrible.

But the difference is significant.”

The Rock

|9

point she didn’t even know how good she was and I think she’s understanding that now. She had to kind of grow into it.”

M

adison Morson has a pre-game ritual before every basketball game she plays for the Salem Rocks.

Call it a hobby of sorts.

“I like to solve Rubik’s Cubes,” said the All-Stater, who is a senior this year. “I actually have over 20 of them now. I have a lot and I’m not like super-fast or anything. I just like the challenge of it.”

The springy-legged 5-foot-9 Morson, however, can figure out a puzzle quickly on the basketball court after leading the Rocks to a 21-7 record and a trip to the Division 1 state semifinals at Michigan State’s Breslin Center last season.

And despite a 78-53 Final Four loss to West Bloomfield, it was 10 | The Rock

a coming-out-party for Morson who electrified the Breslin crowd with her athleticism and allaround play scoring a game-high 31 points on 11 of 17 shooting to go along with six rebounds, three steals and a highlight reel block.

Morson, who averaged 22.4 points per game during her junior year, will certainly be a strong candidate for Miss Basketball this season.

After earning a starting job midway through her freshman year under coach Lauren Evans, it has been a quick ascension for Morson, who battled an ankle issue to start the 2002-23 season as the Rocks stumbled out of the gate going 2-5.

But when Morson returned to the lineup, Salem caught

fire winning 19 of their final 21 games highlighted by an upset victory over state-ranked Wayne, 67-64, in the final regular season game for the KLAA championship. The Rocks then captured both the district and regional titles with five straight state playoff victories with Morson leading the way.

“What makes her special and unique is that she is probably the most athletic, but has skills to go with it,” Salem third-year coach Rod Wells said. “She’s not only athletic, but can dribble, she can shoot, she can rebound…the other thing that makes her unique to me is that she is so humble. We’ve had to ask her to shoot the ball more and to be more aggressive.

She did that last year. At one

ONE OF THE BEST Wells, who guided Ypsilanti Arbor Prep to Class C title in 2016 and two other state runner-up finishes, said Morson ranks among the best he’s ever encountered.

“No doubt about it, she’s just as good as any of the players I coached at Arbor Prep,” he said. “One of the best I’ve ever coached.”

After losing five seniors to graduation Wells will have to retool his lineup for 2023-24, which kicks off in mid-November.

But a solid foundation is there thanks to Morson.

“It’s going to be a little harder this year,” Morson said. “I’ll probably have to do a little more on offense and defense as far as communicating with them.

And I really have to work on my patience because I’ve been doing the same drills and same plays for three years now and they’re just learning it. I have to give them a chance to learn it. But besides that, we have me, Abby (Resovsky), Leilah (Howard) and Noelle (Martinez) all returning from varsity that played often.

And so, they’ll be the leaders of the group this year. It’s just going to be programming I call it, a lot of teaching, but I know they’ll get the hang of it and we’ll probably lose some games that we should win, but I think we’ll have a good shot at getting pretty far this year, too.”

During the summer, Morson made a big decision committing to play basketball at Central Michigan University. Among the Division 1 schools to offer her included Eastern Michigan, Nebraska-Omaha, LouisianaLafayette and North Dakota.

CMU seemed like the right fit on the academic and athletic

fronts for Morson, who carries a 3.2 grade-point average. She has a variety of educational interests and is taking classes this fall at Salem in Forensics and African American Culture and History.

“I plan on majoring in mechanical engineering,” she said. “I like building things and

I like math, I like physics. I’m pretty much set on what I want to study. And obviously play basketball and it was the place I liked. With Coach (Kristin) Haynie they want to play fast.

She wants to get up and down.

She wants to press and I’m all for it. I love playing like that.”

Morson is arguably the best athlete to come out of Salem since Dena Head and Jill Estey, both whom starred for the Rocks back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Head later became an

All-American at Tennessee in basketball and Estey was a starter at the University of Illinois. Head was also a standout in soccer and track, while Estey was an AllStater in soccer at Salem.

QUICK LEARNER Morson, whose vertical jump in basketball has never been measured, is a two-time runner-up in the Division 1 high jump. In June, she cleared 5 feet, 10 inches to place only behind Farmington Hills Mercy junior Milena Chevalier, who made 5-11. The previous year she was edged at 5-8 (on fewer misses)

by Ann Arbor Pioneer senior Gabriella Newman.

Morson was both regional conference champion in the high jump, while also anchoring Salem’s first-place 4x100-meter regional champion relay. (Salem took 10th in the 400 relay at the state finals.)

“I like how individual it is,” Morson said. “Basketball is playing five people with four other people on your side. In track, if something goes wrong it’s 100 percent your fault. There’s no getting out of it unless you’re in a relay. It’s all on you. I do pretty well under pressure for the most part, so I really, really like the individuality of it.”

Morson’s goal next spring is to stand atop the podium in the high jump.

“It sucks coming in second twice now, especially to two different people,” she said. “I have to take into consideration the time and effort the two other girls I lost to…track is their main thing. And I’m just showing up to stay in shape to play basketball

for a couple months of the year.

I do feel if I had that training for track, I definitely felt I could have been first both those years.”

When it comes to track and field, Morson became a quick learner despite a lack of experience in the sport.

“Madison is so fun to work with,” former Salem girls track head coach Steve Aspinall said.

“I worked with her first year of high jumping. She was just a natural jumper. You could tell she was going to be good. She really didn’t fully know what she was doing until later that season, but once it clicked, it clicked.

My favorite thing about working with her, she is always looking to improve. And when you have people at that level – basketball, high jump – they rest on their laurels and she has never done that. She continuously wants

to get better and continuously working to get better.”

Clearing 5-10, Morson ranks among the top 10 high jumpers in MHSAA history with a season to go.

“She’s just finished behind two ladies that jumped phenomenal,” Aspinall said. “She’s always worked to get better and I’ve had her in class and she’s a whole lot of fun to coach. Her ability to step into whatever she is doing and competing is just phenomenal. She’s been on the relay teams that have qualified for the state finals in the sprints. You could put her in anything and in a couple of weeks she could figure it out and be great at it.”

Morson does have some athletic genes. Her father Theo played baseball at Wayne State, while her mother Stephanie is her number one fan. (Madison also has two older half-sisters, Chanel and Alex.)

“My dad (Theo) kind of introduced me to every single sport on earth and I just happened to choose basketball. It’s what I like the most,” Madison said.

“I got a basketball hoop when I

Continued on page 12

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Continued from page 11 was like seven or so. I was young and I just messed around with it a little bit. Then I found out there was a team in middle school (Discovery) and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to play.’ It’s really fun.

“My mom didn’t play any sports, but she supports whatever I do, and obviously sports has been the biggest thing, but she doesn’t really care because she’s always supporting whatever I’m doing,” she continued.

THE BASKETBALL BUG In sixth grade, Morson got the basketball bug when she arrived at Discovery M.S. “The way they had it set up was that sixth graders actually couldn’t play basketball and so I had always watched the team practice and hung out with them,” Morson said, “and so when I came out in seventh grade

I actually started playing and I’m like, ‘Yeah, this is really fun,’ and I knew at least I wanted to do it in high school. I wasn’t even thinking about doing it in college

is now a volunteer assistant coach under Wells at Salem.

“I first saw Madison when she was in sixth grade and she would always play with the boys,” said Van Wagoner, a former Canton High boys varsity coach. “And I thought, ‘Man, wow she’s going to be a good player.’ She’s just a real hard worker and just a joy to be around. She was always the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. I knew she was going to be good. It’s the work ethic.”

Morson models that work ethic from her favorite NBA player, Russell Westbrook, now with the LA Clippers. She even wears his jersey number.

“I really liked him when he was at OKC,” Morson said. “He’s so explosive, he can shoot. He has mid-range and can really at that point. But I knew I wanted get to the basket. I just love how explosive and how powerful he to play in high school.” is. He plays his heart out every Madison’s coach at Discovery, game. He’s the big reason why I Dave Van Wagoner, saw the potential right away. Van Wagoner like the number 0 so much.”

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W

illowbrooke is more than a farm.

It’s a sanctuary of sorts, full of competitions and camps, stables, rings and riders, giant manure piles and lazy green meadows.

It’s a not-so-tranquil buzz of activity every day, every week and nearly every season.

You see Willowbrooke Farm is home to one of the area’s more unique horse farms, a place where older thoroughbreds gain a new lease on life and where people of all ages learn to connect with the majestic animals that have been a part of human history since the dawn of time.

Nestled in Salem Township along the very western edge of Plymouth’s zip code, and just up the road from a recently proposed horse racing complex, Willowbrooke is the passionate creation of one woman.

For Jennifer Blades the community she has being building for nearly 25 years is inspired by that which truly inspires her most – a lifelong love of horses.

14 | The Rock

“I own around 40 horses here and I just love them,” says the 51-year-old who lives in a house on the 46-acre farm along Brookville Road. “You just learn how to deal with life through horses. They are big, kind animals in general and most of them are just like big dogs. Each one has a different personality.

They have their ups and downs like people and you can learn a lot being around them and getting to know them.”

Being around horses is something Blades knows all about. She got her first pony at age six and has been involved with horses ever since, including as a competitive rider, trainer, coach, teacher and owner.

Early in her career Blades discovered a passion for training horses and riders in the bewildering arena of horse competitions where equestrian terms like “dressage” or “hunter/ jumper” define some of the challenging categories for those seeking to compete locally or even nationally.

Today she has built a sizable business helping thousands of students annually. There are hundreds in camps each year, hundreds more take weekly

lessons, others stable their horses at Willowbrooke and then there’s the 20 shows or competitions on the farm each year plus another 20 shows in places from Grand Rapids to Ohio and beyond.

Blades prides herself on a wide range of services all dedicated to the equine, include boarding, lessons, training, shipping of animals, horse sales, the endless camps and the ever present horse shows. Her staff of 10 full-time trainers and caretakers, along

with 10 seasonable employees, manage the various buildings, rings, stables and training areas even as Blades often plans for another show on the farm or on the road. Look closely and you’ll count nearly 90 horses on the farm at any given time.

“As a sport this is about perfectionism,” she says. “The idea is to make it look effortless but it is a lot of work for a short time in the competition arena.

As an activity this can be pretty much anything you want from fun or with a purpose.”

More important even than competition to Blades is the way of life she’s crafted since buying the property in 2006, though she’s been training and teaching for over 30 years and operated out of South Lyon as far back as 1999.

“I really found that I liked teaching,” she says. “A lot of life lessons happen in the barn.

It’s good exercise, it builds confidence and you learn to take care of something like a horse that you grow really close to.”

A SLICE OF FARM LIFE When you enter Willowbrooke, the scents of hay and horses, manure and sweat permeate the air as you enter a long arena lit by glaring lights and covered in freshly raked dirt.

There are dozens of younger kids, mostly girls, riding or getting ready to ride around the two main riding rings. They’re all ages and skill levels, some ride gracefully others you can tell are just trying to get comfortable.

Trainers stay close with the younger ones, and the horses walk slowly, but a young girl still slips out of the saddle to the ground.

She’s helped up, fighting back tears and eventually gets right back up on the horse. Others hold tight to their horses and move a bit quicker – some are so large they look big for an adult. The sounds of laughter and encouragement ring loud even in the stable areas where several staff and students

more than 25,000 retiring race horses and continues to work with people like Blades to ensure the majestic animals have a more happy future. But it does take a lot of work to retrain a thoroughbred for younger riders.

“Some of my favorite horses are probably the older ones,” Blades says watching a camp group riding in the ring. “We had one pass a couple years ago that I’d had for 20 years. He had a stroke and hit the ground. The vet was here and we did the right thing for the animal.

“You do so much to care for them and keep them healthy that when you lose one it’s really rough,” she explained. “I really love animals, these animals especially.”

A HEALTHY ACTIVITY Though sadness comes with connecting to animals, this day at Willowbrooke is one of joy for the young campers even as Blades wash down or feed other horses. makes preparations for another Like any farm there are other camp, another show and another small animals about and a big horse adventure down the road. dog is afoot. That would be “This is about family Blades’ rescue dog Teddy who constantly stays at her side. There and community as much as anything,” she says. “We work is so much movement coming from all directions that it reminds hard but we have a lot of fun and you to pay attention or you might the kids learn so much about get in someone’s way or worse be trampled.

“Besides the students I just enjoy these animals,” says Blades smiling as she checks on one of her stabled horses. “I love to see them trained up, the young ones and old, and we’re helping save older horses. It’s great to see all the animals progress and the students as riders and learners.”

Of the horses on the farm this year several are retired thoroughbreds from the CANTER Michigan program life. As a sport riding can be that is dedicated to providing confusing and some think it’s off-track thoroughbreds with opportunities for new homes and easy. They don’t understand its value. I had a college professor careers through rehabilitation, once refused to let their child go retraining, and adoption. to nationals because they didn’t The non-profit has helped

think it was worthwhile.”

It’s also an activity for all ages with Blades’ riders ranging in age from eight to 65, some learning through camps and lessons, others seeking competition and even others just looking for a healthy activity.

Blades grew up in Chelsea and Livonia and besides having a horse at a young age found a passion for competing as well as learning how to train. She decided to delay more schooling not long after she finished high school when she became deeply involved with training. Working on a farm suited her from early on and now she owns her own.

Besides being Willowbrooke’s head trainer, Blades is USHJA (United States Hunter Jumper Association) certified. She is also proud to be the coach of the University of Michigan Intercollegiate Equestrian Team and has helped several national champions along the way from the team’s home base at the farm.

“Horses are very popular in this entire area,” she says.

There have been other challenges for Blades and running the farm is an immense task, dealing with things like power

outages, spring and summer storms, sick or hurt animals and lots of other issues that come up with something this big, she says.

In a way running the farm might be likened to the very

idea of being an equestrian – that is someone who rides horses, especially someone in competition. It is there in the ring, in front of the crowds and the judges where the rider and horse become one in a controlled environment that includes balancing control of the animal with changing positions, walking, trotting and jumping obstacles.

“It’s complex and can be hard to describe,” says Blades of competition, but she could be talking about farm life. “You have to see it to better understand it. I try to educate parents by showing it to them.”

Seeing Willowbrooke Farm in person then goes a long way to explain just how special what Blades and her team - as well as her students and families - do each day, each week and through every season of the year.

Willowbrooke Farm is located at 7461 Brookville Drive, Plymouth (Salem Township). For more information, visit www. willowbrooke-farm.com or call (734) 737-0899.

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L

ike many families in Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, the global pandemic in 2020 left parents Julie and Darrell Patterson wondering how the academic world might change for their two children, Joshua and Zack.

Wanting steady and reliable academics to continue during a tumultuous time for public education, with building closures and the loss of in-person learning, the Pattersons had an ace in the hole in P-CCS’s Virtual Academy.

Three years later, Joshua, now 15, returned to in-person learning at Plymouth High School after two solid years in the academy.

Meanwhile, 13-year-old son Zack, who would be an eighth grader at Pioneer Middle School, in his fourth year enrolled in Virtual Academy, continues to evolve into an independent learner, according to his mother.

“I honestly think this program has really transformed Zack,” said 18 | The Rock

Julie Patterson, a Canton resident.

“He was struggling academically and now he’s thriving.”

Zack helps himself by staying on top of lessons and engaging with other students and teachers via technology -- and is growing as a student and person as a result.

The distractions his mom said Zack dealt with while still attending regular classrooms, such as not paying attention to the teacher or being stressed out when other students got into his personal learning space, have largely vanished during his online learning experience.

“Being able to be virtual and tune that stuff out has really enabled him to just focus on academics and learning the lessons,” Julie Patterson said. “It is a great setting for kids who may be distracted in school or other factors that you just don’t appreciate.”

WHERE HE WANTS TO BE Zack Patterson, answering questions via e-mail, absolutely

loves the Virtual Academy and would recommend it to others who might benefit from it. There are about 300 students enrolled in the academy in 2023-24.

“I think I’m actually getting more out of school than I thought I would when I started in the Virtual Academy,” Zack noted.

“In the beginning, I felt like I was worried that I wasn’t going to learn well online.

“I found that I actually learn better in the VA because there are not as many distractions in Virtual Academy in comparison to actual in-person school.”

Although he does lament missing out on experiences other students have who attend brick-and-mortar schools, such as lunch hour, having a locker and after-school clubs, Zack said he finds it easier to learn via technology.

And he does get to do group breakouts electronically, enabling him to be a leader of those cohorts due to his comfort level asking teachers questions that

other kids might not feel comfortable asking.

“I enjoy working in groups because it gives me good experience leading a group and listening to others,” Zack said.

“In the Virtual Academy, I feel like a lot of kids might be shy so I try to get them involved and to share their ideas.”

Julie Patterson said the Virtual Academy concept was something she really hadn’t thought about until the Covid-19 health crisis forced many families to consider new options. It turned out to be a godsend for them.

“We thought that (having a stable and consistent learning environment) would be an important benefit,” she stressed.

“Because there were a lot of kids who were missing school with quarantines and other things.

And we didn’t know how that was going to roll out.

“For our kids we found it was better virtual because they were able to have consistent schooling every day. Yes, it was a different setting, but they had consistent schooling, they weren’t missing lessons and they always had a teacher present.”

FOLLOWING THE BLUEPRINT The Pattersons’ growing comfort level with the Virtual Academy is such that they recommend it as a learning tool for other families even when it is unlikely any expected increase in Covid cases across the nation this fall will prompt major school closures.

As such, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools follows recommendations made by health professionals in the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, as well as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Wayne County Health Department.

Beth Rayl, the district’s chief academic officer, said students sign up for Virtual Academy for the full year, although options are available for families deciding to opt-in or opt-out after the first semester.

"We have times throughout the year where enrollment opens up for the Virtual Academy,” Rayl explained. “Now, if we hit a time where Covid is increasing and families need an option, then we certainly huddle up as a district and start to look at what are the best options.

“Thinking about how we’re kind of agile to be able to do those things. We can scale up and down as needed.”

Rayl added that other factors include how well students are faring in Virtual Academy as well as overall comfort level for students and families. “We look at student performance and have conversations with families all along the way to make sure it’s the right fit for the student.”

Yet a key factor in how well Zack Patterson has fared in the

over the years. Elementary school looks a little different than middle school.

“And they’re also working to make the middle school program more independent and flexible, so he’s had to learn to adjust to changes which is very good for him. Because life is full of changes.”

EDUCATIONAL VARIETY

According to Frank Ruggirello, P-CCS director of partnerships and external affairs, the program is “just one more thing we offer to make big feel small. Kids learn different ways. But the vast majority of kids learn better in a traditional environment, with a teacher within a classroom. But some don’t. And so we just offer a variety of academies and different teaching methods like this.”

The Virtual Academy actually was planned a couple years before COVID-19 struck in March 2020, with plans to launch it in the fall of 2020.

Everything quickly changed on the fly.

“When the pandemic hit it shifted us to remote academy is how he has learned learning,” Rayl said, “which how to advocate for himself when looks a little different because seeking guidance from teachers or remote learning is more demonstrating his understanding attached where it is much of the lessons of the day. more a teacher and a student “He is way more confident in Zoom-ing or doing video himself and his abilities,” Julie conferencing with each other Patterson noted. “I think he’s the entire time.”

Rayl said, in subsequent learned to be more adaptable, years, when buildings were because the Virtual Academy slowly re-opened to enable program has changed (for Zack)

in-classroom learning, the district employed a “synchronous/asynchronous” mix where students either learned in person or via technology.

The district is now moving forward with its original concept for the Virtual Academy, with elementary and middle schools equipped for that synchronous (in-person)/asynchronous” model.

And at P-CEP, expect some new and robust changes to the virtual learning program to be rolled out throughout the school year.

“Some kids just need a more

individualized instructional experience,” Rayl stressed.

“When you’re looking at (how) some students can accelerate quickly in a virtual academy and some other students might need some additional time and some additional support in a much smaller environment.

“So all of those things are reasons why young people might choose to be in a virtual program.”

The pandemic undoubtedly forced the district to turn on a dime when it came to virtual learning, but overall Rayl said the Virtual Academy concept “has certainly met the needs that it was designed for, as we’ve looked at ways to better serve our young people.”

Such definitely is the case with the Pattersons.

For more information about the district’s Virtual Academy, contact Amanda Pelukas at a.pelukas@pccsk12.com or visit the district’s website at www.pccsk12.com.

E M O S R O LOOKING F

G N I K O O C E M O H rely on s r e y a l p in key USA Hoc lies to take them i

By Tim Smith local fam

T

he pipeline of young players with dreams of someday reaching the National Hockey League often runs through Plymouth Township – where USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program is based.

It also needs to traverse through the twists and turns of regular life, and having stable billets -- the families who take them in -- often turns out to be the “primary assist” needed for potential stars such as Dylan Larkin or Jack Hughes to get to the money end of that pipeline.

The NTDP attracts some of the best talent in the country, accounting for nearly 100 National Hockey League players in 2022-23 alone. But those players need somewhere to live during their stints in the program, which is why the NTDP is reliant on families in Plymouth, Northville, Livonia, Canton and other communities to open their doors to teen players who must leave their own families behind.

The “help wanted” sign pretty much is always in the window, too.

“We definitely need families moving forward,” said NTDP Director of Student-Athlete Services Lisa Vollmers, charged with the challenge of placing incoming players with winter homes.

20 | The Rock

in with normal household tasks and following ground rules.

And, yes, the anxiety parents feel when kids don’t come home until after midnight extends to their hockey “kids.”

“Even though these kids are not my biological children, you get to love them like your biological children,” Springer continued. “They are part of your family. So, okay, ‘If you’re rolling in at 2 (a.m.) I’ll be waiting up for you.’”

At the Niemi household, NTDP players Kristian Epperson and EJ Emery (both born in 2006 and highly coveted by college programs) have seamlessly meshed into the family. Epperson and Emery also have formed Springer and her husband hosted “a little pack” with Livonia Stevenson student-athlete prized prospect Cole Eiserman during the 2022-23 season and (in Michael Niemi.

“I always tell people it’s all of the prior two seasons) welcomed the upside of having teenagers NTDP player Devin Kaplan. She with very little of the downside, broke the experience down for because the boys are extremely prospective billet families. respectful,” said Jessica Niemi.

“Communication is the number one thing,” Springer said. “And to be totally honest, it’s “If you want things to be smooth really improved all of our family relationships, like with our own then you have to communicate. kids and other family members.

You may luck out and have the It’s been a super positive perfect teenager.” experience.”

At the end of the day, these Eiserman, who turned 17 in highly talented and equally August, will spend a second driven young players must give hockey season with the Springers and take as if they were actual family members. That entails (when he completes his second picking up dirty clothes, pitching year with the NTDP) and is slated

THE GROUND RULES

Earlier this year, Vollmers hosted an informational meeting for potential billet families, with 2022-23 billets such as Northville’s Karen Springer and Livonia’s Stan and Jessica Niemi serving up pointers and perspective.

to play NCAA collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota.

He also is projected to be one of the top players selected during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and presumably enjoy much professional success.

But for all the hype and hoopla certain to follow the Massachusetts native, having a solid grasp on non-hockey aspects of life – and that includes being a top-notch student, which is expected of all NTDP players

– can only keep Eiserman on the best possible path he can take.

LITTLE LEFT TO CHANCE According to Vollmers, the hockey program itself is so regimented and structured that families for the most part just have to follow the NTDP’s detailed blueprint pertaining to

They’re here (at USA Hockey Arena) all day and when they go home they’re really tired. It’s not as though these boys are getting into any trouble, because too much depends on them being in this program. They really see this as their path to college hockey, (and) their path for the NHL. They’re consistently well-behaved and very busy. And when the season ends they go home.

USA Hockey’s Lisa Vollmers, discussing the billet program

daily tasks and scheduling.

“They’re here (at USA Hockey Arena) all day and when they go home they’re really tired,” Vollmers said. “It’s not as though these boys are getting into any trouble, because too much depends on them being in this program. They really see this as their path to college hockey, (and) their path for the NHL. “They’re consistently wellbehaved and very busy. And when the season ends they go home.”

Education remains an important aspect for the young players. For the first 18 years of the NTDP’s inception (when it was based in Ann Arbor), players attended Ann Arbor Public Schools. Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and former Wings goalie Jimmy Howard were part of the NTDP during the Ann Arbor years.

Beginning in 2015, following USA Hockey taking over then Compuware Sports Arena (the Plymouth Whalers were sold earlier that year and moved to Flint), Vollmers worked exclusively with the PlymouthCanton Consolidated School District as well as with the Northville and Novi districts to get players the level of education required to continue in the NTDP. But when the COVID-19 health crisis forced a national shutdown of schools in spring 2020, Vollmers knew a pivot would have to be made to keep players on the right educational track.

Enter online classes, with about 90 percent of 2022-23 players enrolled in the Michigan International Prep School, which is NCAA-approved and accredited.

“It’s asynchronous, which means the boys can click in

wherever they are, whenever they can,” Vollmers stressed. “They do have certified Michigan teachers and tutorial support.

Because on-line is their path (at MIPS) they’re really refined it.

“The (public) districts we dealt with were wonderful. The pandemic just really changed things…we still provide a structured academic setting, in the sense we have study table (in USA Hockey Arena offices) when the boys are in town and I work with them. That’s usually in the morning. One team comes in early and the next one follows.”

With the on-line component, Vollmers now has been able to pair players with families in an expanded geographical footprint (such as Livonia and South Lyon) whereas she was previously

limited to Plymouth, Canton, Northville and Novi.

And host families don’t have to worry about making sure their billet players cut corners with their lessons because – just like with on-ice expectations – they need to be academically on-point to be accepted into top, major universities.

“It’s really a unique program,” said Scott Monaghan, assistant executive director for the NTDP and USA Hockey Arena. “We take the best 46 kids at the ages of 16 and 17, in hockey in the United States. We put them into an environment where we are trying to accelerate their growth as players and as people.

“We are also just as proud of some of the kids who have gone on to become doctors and lawyers.”

A special aspect of the NTDP, and something which builds stability into the program for host families, is that youngsters spend two years with the same coaching staff and (for the most part) host families.

job. “The uniqueness of the experience is not just for the players, it’s also for everybody that’s involved. These players are leaving home for the first time, for most of them.

“It’s hard, the days are hard (he mentioned time in the weight room along with practices and classes) and combining all that in addition to playing against players that are always older than them (whether in the United States Hockey League, college games or international tournaments). It’s a lot, so the support system they need is just as necessary.”

Those families bringing NTDP players into their homes are completely ready and up to the task of providing that support.

“This has been a dream,” Karen Springer said. “Three years ago I met Lisa (Vollmers),

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE Those players entering the NTDP for 2023-24 will have Greg Moore as their head coach with the Under-17 squad. Moore is replacing Dan Muse, who this summer left the NTDP to take an assistant coaching job with the New York Rangers of the NHL. In 2024-25, when incoming players graduate to the U-18s, Moore will move up with them and remain their coach.

“There’s nowhere else where players are coming together for two years together,” said Muse before leaving for the Rangers

came to an informational meeting and we were in from the get-go.”

Families interested in hosting USA Hockey National Team Development Program players should contact Lisa Vollmers at lisa.vollmers@usahockey.org.

The Rock

| 21

on the first floor. There was no air conditioning in the kitchen, so I would come down in the middle of the night to do all the baking and pastries.

Walnut Creek Country Club was my first real full blown pastry job. At The Farm I was still learning. Walnut Creek was my first job when I had all the responsibility to create and execute the menus.

ROCK: You’ve been at Schoolcraft now for 14 years and helped expand the dining offerings on campus by opening eight new locations in under seven years. As Director of Culinary Operations, you managed 10 dining locations including the JC Café, Elite Market and Smoothie Bar, Henrys, Main St Café, Craft Grille and four Ocelot Markets on campus. It sounds like a lot of work. If you had to start all over again, would you choose the same career?

W

hen talking to Heather Moore about her vocation – really, her calling – the amount of excitement she brings to the conversation is palpable.

The energetic pastry chef, baker and cake decorator was most recently the Director of Culinary Operations at Schoolcraft College. This fall she transitioned to her “dream job” as full-time faculty in the college’s culinary department. The Plymouth resident’s path to that position took a few turns along the way, which we learned about during a recent interview.

THE ROCK: Where did you grow up?

HEATHER MOORE: I grew up in the area. My family moved to Canton when I was a third

22 | The Rock

grader. I graduated from Canton High School. When I got married in 2007, we bought a home in Plymouth and have been living there ever since.

ROCK: How did you get interested in the culinary business?

MOORE: Originally, I was very set on being an elementary school teacher. I did Kiddie Kampus at Canton. I went to Eastern Michigan University to pursue that and found I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that. My cousin’s boyfriend at the time said he was going to take the new baking and pastry program at Schoolcraft. He never did it, but I did. From day one, I found my calling. I have always been creative and had an artistic side.

I never really thought about culinary as a full-time career before then.

ROCK: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

MOORE: I worked at the Subway on Ann Arbor Road and Lilley when I was in high school.

I honestly think that’s where I started to learn about food service. I learned about health codes and organization and working with others, too.

MOORE: I absolutely would, even though you have to sacrifice a lot. The hospitality industry is very demanding. I finally landed my dream job of teaching full time this fall. Now I get my love of baking and pastry and I get my love of teaching. The coolest thing is meeting all the different students and their different backgrounds. You can see a retired ER doctor in class and then pair them up with someone who just graduated from high school. They become best friends and bond over their love of food.

ROCK: You’ve worked at Travis Pointe Country Club, Joe’s Produce, Rustique Bakery and other places, but what was your first culinary job?

ROCK: Who was your mentor in life?

MOORE: It was at The Farm Restaurant in Port Austin, Michigan, which is owned by Chef Jeff Gabriel. He was my instructor at Schoolcraft and in 2005, he asked me to come work for him that summer. I lived in the old farmhouse on the second floor and worked in the restaurant

MOORE: Chef Jeff Gabriel at The Farm Restaurant. He was my baking instructor and has been a mentor ever since. Also, Chef Joe Decker. He is one of 12 Certified Master Pastry Chefs in the U.S. I was a sous chef for him for two years at Schoolcraft College. I learned a ton from him.

He retired from Schoolcraft last year and I now have his position, so it has come full circle.

ROCK: What is your guiding principle to live by?

but I had to follow my dream of being full-time faculty.

ROCK: How do you motivate others?

MOORE: Creating a good MOORE: The golden rule. In culture and making people feel that they are part of something addition, something I preach to bigger than themselves. We my students is to be careful who preach team always. If you get you surround yourself with. Try to surround yourself with people into the trenches with them -- get smarter than you. It will level you into the dish tank, help clear up. I preach that to my kids, too. I plates – it motivates your team. If encourage them and my students they see you working hard, they to choose to be in the right room. will want to work hard. My team knows I am always by their side and I care about them.

ROCK: What is your ongoing goal? What goal(s) do you still strive to achieve?

ROCK: What is your most recent success story?

MOORE: Landing my dream job, but before that, it would be to get my Master Baker certification in 2019. There’s fewer than 200 chefs in U.S. that have it and less than 50 women master bakers. The Schoolcraft Culinary Program is very well known and based on excellent instructors. Our chefs are always striving to be at top of their game. Going for that certification was a big deal because it made me push myself.

In addition, I have worked hard to build up all those dining entities at the college and am definitely proud of that. It was hard for me to make the decision to go to the faculty side of things,

MOORE: As my kids get older, it’s to be a good active parent. My 3 and 6 year-olds love Plymouth. We spend so many evenings in downtown Plymouth and I love to spend time with them and create memories. My goal in life is to influence the next generation in a positive manner.

I also want to continue to develop and grow the culinary program and make my mark on the program. There’s a whole legacy from the other set of chefs and I always want to

make them proud by keeping up the reputation, growing it and making my mark on the program.

ROCK: What is the biggest myth people have about your industry?

MOORE: They think it’s like Chopped or the Food Network.

People don’t understand the level of commitment. A lot of people don’t think about all the times they go out and dine with their families. All those times, there are people in the hospitality industry who are working on nights, weekends, and holidays.

People don’t always understand the drive, professionalism and commitment that is needed in our industry. You must have a heart dedicated to hospitality and service to others. It’s not easy work for sure, but it’s rewarding work.

ROCK: What is your pet peeve in the kitchen and why?

MOORE: Not being organized and not having miseen-place, which is having all the ingredients and tools set up.

Also, putting out something that is just mediocre. I don’t do that.

I believe that for everything you are doing, put 100% into it or it’s not worth doing.

ROCK: Who is the most interesting person you’d like to meet and why?

MOORE: I’d say the person I would love to meet is Keanu Reeves. I know he is not a chef and has nothing to do with cooking, but I think he is a solid, down-to-earth person who has his priorities right. Did you know he actually rides the subway and is known to sit or eat and drink with homeless people on the streets? What a cool good person!

ROCK: What is your favorite pastry or dessert?

MOORE: There are two things I like to make -viennoserie (laminated doughs for croissants or Danish) and special occasion cakes, because I like the creative freedom with them.

To eat, I like a really good crème brulee and key lime pie, because it makes me think of Florida.

ROCK: What is your favorite restaurant?

MOORE: In Plymouth, I would give a shoutout to Ironwood Grill because I helped open that.

We also love The Burger Spot downtown. Their food truck just came for my daughter’s birthday.

The Rock

| 23

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African Adventure

John Wilson, who runs WSF Tours based in downtown Plymouth, recently took his copy of The Rock to Africa. Through his company, he leads tours in Kenya and Tanzania. He formally worked as a trip director for the Nomads Travel club. After that company disbanded, he decided to start his own company. He organizes and leads several tours a year. Here he is pictured at the famous Serengeti National Park, located in northern Tanzania. The park is known for its massive annual migration of wildebeest and zebra.

Cheers From Stuttgart!

Kelli Tamburro took along her copy of The Rock on her recent trip to Europe. The trip included a stop in the Netherlands for a wedding in Amsterdam. She and traveling companion Mathew Mulholland then headed to Germany, where they enjoyed Spring Fest in Stuttgart which is known for its beer.

“People are encouraged to stand on the tables,” she said.

The next time you head out of town, take along a copy of The Rock, snap a photo, and let us know where your travels take you.

Our readers would love to know! Please email the photos to kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com. We’ll feature the photos in an upcoming issue.

OUT& ABOUT RED KETTLE KICK-OFF Friday, November 10 Head to downtown Plymouth at 6:30 p.m. and help the city kick off the holidays with the Main Street Boulevard holiday lighting and the Salvation Army Plymouth Corps kicks off their Red Kettle Campaign. There will be free hot chocolate provided by E.G. Nick's and cookies provided by the DDA. Bring nonperishable food items or toys for a chance to win gift certificates from downtown merchants. For more information, email dda@plymouthmi.gov LADIES HOLIDAY SHOPPING EVENT Thursday, November 16 From 4-8 p.m., downtown Plymouth will host a special Holiday Shopping event just for 26 | The Rock

ladies. Each of the participating stores and restaurants will offer their own special holiday deals. There will be door prizes, refreshments, shopping specials, samples and more.

For more information, send an email to admin@ plymouthmich.org SANTA PARADE Friday, November 24 The City of Plymouth will host the annual Santa Parade from 5:15-7:30 p.m. Santa will make his way around town aboard a city fire truck, making stops at local parks including Fairground Park, Lions Cub Park, Wilcox Park, Garden Club Park, Rotary Park, Hough Park, Kiwanis Park, Starkweather Park and Knights of Columbus Park. Santa's last

YO U R G U I D E TO W H AT ’ S H A PPE N I N G

I N P LY M O U T H T H I S M O N T H stop will be in Kellogg Park, where he'll oversee the Kellogg Park tree lighting. Leading up to Santa's arrival, kids of all ages can enjoy Joel Tacey's Holiday Magic Show in Kellogg Park. For more information, email dda@ plymouthmi.gov HOLIDAY GREENS MARKET Saturday, November 25 Various vendors will be selling holiday greens, decorations, crafts and more from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Gathering located directly across from Kellogg Park next to the Penn Theatre.

So stop by the Market and get ready for the holidays. For more information, contact

Mary Nyhus at (734) 453-1540 or Mary@plymouthmich.org PLYMOUTH GOODFELLOWS PAPER SALE Saturday, December 2 The Plymouth Goodfellows, a local non-profit organization, will be on the streets of downtown Plymouth from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., collecting donations for their annual fundraising drive. They use the funds to help local families struggling during the holidays. For more information, send an email to plymouthgoodfellows@ yahoo.com

SEND IT IN to get your items listed in OUT & ABOUT, email Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

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