MSHSAA All Access Podcast

Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA)

The MSHSAA All Access Podcast is an informative and educational podcast that will discuss current news and topics which concern interscholastic activities from around the state. Get a play-by-play on everything from Championships down to insight for Rules Changes and upcoming membership voting. Be sure to check out the MSHSAA All Access Podcast and be a part of the conversation.

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27 episodes
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Avg 17 min
English

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S7 · E15
Yesterday · 20 min
MSHSAA Championships RFP Announcement
MSHSAA Championship Venue Updates (Through 2031) + How the RFP Process Works | Craig Long On the MSHSAA All Access Podcast, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad and CFO/COO Craig Long explain how MSHSAA selects championship venues through a competitive RFP process and why the association is shifting from multiple staggered five-year cycles to a consolidated, shorter three-year approach, with the next comprehensive RFP planned around January 2029. They recap board-approved venue decisions designed to align all agreements by 2030–2031: football remains at Missouri Western in St. Joseph; wrestling stays with Mizzou, using Hearnes Center for girls and Mizzou Arena for boys on consecutive weekends due to added girls classes; basketball remains at Mizzou despite higher costs; boys and girls volleyball move to Cape Girardeau’s Show-Me Center with host support bringing net cost to zero; and theater transitions in spring 2027 with speech and debate staying in Springfield one more year before both move to Jefferson City/Lincoln University starting 2027–2028.
S7 · E14
Friday · 12 min
Storytellers Ep. 3 - Nicholas Timbrook, Rock Bridge High School Senior
Rock Bridge’s Two-Sport Star: Nicholas Timbrook Balances Soccer & Football, Scores Big, Commits to South Dakota State In this MSHSAA All-Access Podcast episode, Rock Bridge High School senior Nicholas Timbrook and head football coach Matt Perkins discuss how Nick simultaneously plays varsity boys soccer and football in the same season. Nick, a lifelong soccer player and first-time football wide receiver, explains how he splits practices and coordinates daily with both coaching staffs, while Coach Perkins describes the planning and cooperation with the soccer program to keep the arrangement student-focused. They highlight Nick’s standout early-season feat of scoring a varsity soccer goal, then scoring his first football touchdown about 45 minutes later, plus a week in which he recorded a soccer hat trick and three football touchdowns two days later. The conversation also covers Nick’s commitment to play college football at South Dakota State after being noticed during spring practice.
S7 · E13
September 22 · 25 min
A Discussion with MSHSAA Board Members
MSHSAA All-Access Podcast: Board Members Reflect on Appeals, Leadership, and Strategic Planning Following the September MSHSAA board meeting, the All-Access Podcast features board members Craig Gibbs (Southeast District, principal at Valle Catholic), Dr. Lori Wilson (new member, Southwest District, superintendent of Ozark School District), and Dr. Josh Hoener (South Central District, superintendent of New Haven) discussing key themes from the meeting. Wilson shares first-time lessons from the student appeals process, emphasizing applying bylaws fairly while ensuring schools and families feel heard. Gibbs, in his first meeting as board president, describes increased preparation, managing agendas, and adhering to Missouri Sunshine Law and proper closed-session procedures. Hoener reflects on seven years of service, noting turnover, longer and deeper board discussions, and a shift toward examining practices through strategic planning. The group discusses changing pressures on schools since COVID, accountability, evolving learning models, member-school engagement, and the complex tradeoffs in playoff structures, including geographic representation, travel, and equity across Missouri’s diverse schools.
S7 · E12
September 18 · 10 min
Emerging Sports Update
How Emerging Sports Become MSHSAA Championship Activities (and What’s Next for Girls Flag Football & Esports) Dr. Jennifer Rukstad, Executive Director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association, explains how “emerging” sports and activities are recognized and what it takes for them to become fully interscholastic with MSHSAA-sponsored championships and services. She outlines the 2026–2027 list of emerging offerings (including girls field hockey, girls lacrosse, boys and girls water polo, girls stunt, unified track and field, bass fishing, bowling, chess, and target shooting) and clarifies what schools do and do not receive when registering an emerging program. Rukstad details the bylaw 5.2 registration thresholds (50+ schools across at least three board districts in consecutive years) and highlights girls flag football’s rapid growth toward a membership vote, esports’ provisional status after a failed vote, and the push to expand unified track and field participation.
S7 · E11
September 16 · 28 min
Special Olympics & Missouri Unified Sports
Unified Track & Field in Missouri: MSHSAA Partners with Special Olympics Missouri On the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Luke Lamb and Ben Johnson of Special Olympics Missouri to discuss Unified Champion Schools and the launch of Unified Track and Field as an emerging MSHSAA sport. They explain Unified Sports as teams made up of roughly a 50/50 mix of students with intellectual disabilities (Unified Athletes) and students without intellectual disabilities (Unified Partners), with everyone competing and team points determining meet results. The group addresses Missouri’s historically limited relationship with Unified Sports, notes growth to about 250 Unified Champion Schools (about 20% elementary) with a goal of 300, and contrasts that with just 11 MSHSAA-registered Unified Track and Field programs in year one. They share early success stories like McDonald County’s small roster and Webb City’s state title celebration, emphasize the benefits and community impact, and encourage schools to connect special education and athletics departments to expand participation and move toward full sanctioning.
S7 · E10
September 11 · 24 min
New medals with Collegiate Awards
Inside MSHSAA’s New Medals: Design, History & the Partnership with Collegiate Awards On the MSHSAA All Access podcast, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad and CFO/COO Craig Long welcome Frank Boster of Collegiate Awards to discuss the history and scale of MSHSAA trophies and medals and reveal the association’s newly redesigned medals. They explain MSHSAA’s long-standing bidding process and vendor partnerships, the production volume (nearly 30,000 engraved medals plus additional music medals, thousands of plaques, and hundreds of trophies), and how Collegiate’s in-house laser engraving supports fast turnaround. The group details how the new Missouri-shaped medal evolved from the centennial design, featuring topographic relief, the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, “Established 1926,” the MSHSAA logo with eight stars for board districts, and updated ribbons, along with how the medals are manufactured and engraved.
S7 · E9
September 8 · 15 min
Storytellers Ep. 2 - Mike McGurk, AD Lee's Summit North
Building Student Leaders: Lee’s Summit North’s Student Activities Advisory Council (SAC) In this MSHSAA All-Access episode, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad interviews Lee’s Summit North Athletic/Activities Director Mike McGurk about the school’s Student Activities Advisory Council (SAC). McGurk explains how the program evolved over the past 13 years from a liaison group into a leadership development “train-the-trainer” model that equips about 30 students across sports and activities to bring lessons back to their teams and clubs. He describes how students are selected for representation and balance, including bringing in freshmen to build leadership early. The conversation highlights book studies, monthly student-led community service projects, role-play scenarios, and structured debriefs that teach trust, accountability, feedback, and learning from failure, along with examples of student growth and alumni returning to share real-life applications.
S7 · E8
September 5 · 21 min
2026-27 Annual Membership Update
MSHSAA Annual Membership Update: Transfer Exceptions, Coaching Requirements, Championship Factor & 2027–28 District Changes This episode explains MSHSAA’s annual membership updates required for member-school principals and activities administrators, held in early September across eight board districts, and previews key topics for the new school year. It covers by-law changes including new transfer exceptions (military, nonresident parent employee, and refugee/asylum with I-94), expanded preseason non-school competition allowances across all sports, expanded cooperative sponsorship participation beyond the regular season, and sport-specific updates (team tennis jamborees, speech/debate contest and start-time changes, Scholar Bowl competition-date limits, and dance contest increases). It also outlines revised coach/director minimum requirements with a five-year NFHS-based training progression, board policy updates to the championship factor using a depreciating point system and removing the two-class cap, a new sending-school response-time policy for transfers, postseason streaming and media credential updates, a pilot point-based district seeding system for 2026–27 leading to implementation in 2027–28, district host-site selection changes beginning 2027–28, officials reminders, girls flag football reaching provisionally interscholastic status for a 2027 vote, enrollment type reviews, and a possible special ballot to expand the board from 10 to 11 members and increase at-large positions.
S7 · E7
September 1 · 26 min
Athlete Wellness Beyond the Injuries: Discussion with Sports Medicine Advisory
Athlete Wellness Beyond Injuries: Athletic Trainers on Mental Health, Identity & Support Teams On the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, executive director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad welcomes Sports Medicine Advisory Committee athletic trainers Brent Holtgrewe (Greater St. Louis) and Jason Pyrah (southwest Missouri) to discuss athlete wellness as fall sports begin. They describe how athletic trainers support students through injuries and often become trusted, non-transactional adults who can notice mental health concerns, identity struggles, fear of letting others down, bullying, or issues at home. Holtgrewe emphasizes relationship-building, trend-spotting, and collaboration with counselors, nurses, and administrators to connect athletes to resources, while Pyrah explains communicating appropriately with coaches to protect athletes during recovery. Both note growing awareness and reduced stigma around mental health and sports psychology, and they encourage helping athletes define what “mental recovery” and a personal reset look like.
S7 · E6
August 28 · 32 min
Myth Ep. 9 - Class and District Assignments
MSHSAA Myths: How Class & District Assignments Are Determined (2.0 Differential, Enrollment & Geography) On the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer uekstad continues the MSHSAA Myths series by explaining how class and district assignments are created before the championship factor is applied. Assistant Executive Directors Lou Mazzocco and Doug Fessler describe how the number of classifications varies by sport, driven by registered schools and the 2.0 differential goal that the largest school in a class is no more than twice the smallest (with Class 1 protected by a percentage cap). They outline how enrollment rank-order, ties, and efforts to keep differentials similar across classes shape class cut lines. The episode then explains district assignment using numerical balance (district sizes differ by no more than one) and geographic representation, noting ripple effects from small enrollment shifts, travel realities, and staff review to ensure consistency.
S7 · E5
August 25 · 9 min
Storytellers Ep. 1 - High School Girls Golfer Rylee Allred
MSHSAA All Access Storyteller Series: Rylee Allred Chases History in Missouri Girls Golf In this MSHSAA All-Access podcast episode, Andrew Kaufman launches a new storyteller series by interviewing Ash Grove senior golfer Rylee Allred and her coach, Grant Williamson. Allred shares how she started golf at age nine, her competitive drive, and how she’s helped grow the girls golf roster at Ash Grove from one player to two. The conversation highlights her accomplishments, including shooting three-under, a handicap of three, and winning three Missouri state championships—putting her in position to become the first four-time state champion as the Class 1 Girls Golf Championship heads to Paradise Point in Smithville. Williamson discusses her focus, resilience, humility, and what has made her run so rare, while Allred talks about enjoying high school sports and her goal to play golf in college.
S7 · E4
August 21 · 18 min
Student Advisory Committee Leadership Conference Summary
Missouri Students Reflect on the NFHS National Student Leadership Summit In this All-Access Podcast episode, MSHSAA leaders and Student Advisory Committee members Keely Gorman (Licking HS) and Blayde Lindsay (Brookfield HS) recap their experience attending the NFHS National Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis, alongside Associate Executive Director James Melton and Dr. Jennifer Rukstad. They highlight building fast, meaningful connections with student leaders from across the country and internationally, the impact of in-person learning versus online content, and leadership takeaways centered on mental wellness and resilience—especially Molly Kennedy’s “Flip Your 20” concept. The group discusses how Missouri hopes to bring ideas back to create its own student leadership summit, emphasizing community beyond competition, sportsmanship, leading yourself first, and continually asking students what they need.
S7 · E3
August 18 · 20 min
Myth Ep. 8 - Appeals Process
MSHSAA Myths: How the Appeals Process Really Works (Transfers, Hardships & Eligibility) On the MSHSAA All-Access podcast, Associate Executive Directors Toni Hill and James Melton explain MSHSAA's multi-level appeals process - often used for student transfer eligibility - to address the myth that the association has ultimate rule. They outline how a receiving school submits a transfer form, the sending school responds, and staff review documentation to grant full eligibility or issue restricted eligibility (such as 365-day ineligibility if there is credible evidence of athletic motivation/undue influence, or sub-varsity limits in sports played in the prior 365 days). If a school disagrees, it can present additional evidence to an appeals committee of member-school representatives in a closed student-record hearing, and then, if needed, to the board of directors, where discussion and voting occur in front of the family. They emphasize confidentiality, the volume of hardship applications, and the emotional weight of the hearings.
S7 · E2
August 14 · 15 min
Myth Ep. 7 - New Championship Factor
MSHSAA Myth Series: How the Championship Factor Works (2026–27 Changes Explained) On the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad and Assistant Executive Director Lou Mazzocco explain Missouri’s championship factor and the board-approved changes taking effect in 2026–27. They describe the shift from a static six-year point system to a depreciating model that weights recent postseason success more heavily, including new point values (e.g., a state championship starts at 10 points and declines over six years) and a new five-point threshold that typically reduces the bump from a single title to three years. They also note the removal of the two-class cap for teams accumulating many points. Finally, they clarify the “order of operations” for classification—initial enrollment breaks, applying championship factor moves, then rebalancing by sliding schools down—addressing why some placements may appear to jump two classes.
S7 · E1
August 10 · 18 min
First Day of Practice with Will Christian, AD and Football Coach
First Day of Fall Practice: How an AD/Head Coach Prepares & Why Engagement Matters Dr. Jennifer Rukstad opens the 2026–2027 MSHSAA All-Access Podcast season on the first allowable day of fall practices and interviews Will Christian, athletic director at Lebanon High School and head football coach, about managing both roles. Christian emphasizes the importance of a strong support team, summer preparation in June and July, systematic organization, clear communication, and maintaining compliance with requirements like physical exams, transfers, and safety protocols such as heat acclimation and wet bulb readings. They discuss how Missouri’s school start-date law creates a two-week gap between practice and school this year, offering more scheduling flexibility. Christian explains handling cuts in certain sports by guiding students toward other activities and reinforcing that education-based athletics prioritize engagement, mentorship, belonging, and life impact over championships.
S6 · E76
July 6 · 14 min
2026 Girls Soccer Championships Review
2026 MSHSAA Girls Soccer Championships Recap | Class 1–4 Results & Highlights Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Alex Huck and Scott Lunte to recap the 2026 MSHSAA Girls Soccer Championships held at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in St. Louis during the first weekend of June. They review each classification: Class 1 saw Pembroke Hill win its first girls soccer title, defeating Duchesne 3-1 and allowing its first postseason goal; Notre Dame Cape Girardeau took third over New Covenant Academy. In Class 2, Pleasant Hill earned its first championship with a 5-0 win over Clayton as Haley DiMarco scored five goals, while St. Vincent’s Lana Adams set a championship-weekend individual record with six goals in the third-place game. Class 3 featured Ft. Zumwalt South’s 2-1 wins over Rockwood Summit and St. Michael the Archangel for its fourth title in six years, with Capital City earning its first girls team trophy. Class 4 ended with Cor Jesu’s third straight championship, a 5-0 win over St. Teresa’s Academy, highlighted by Maddie DiMaria’s seven-goal weekend and strong community support, plus Parkway West’s first girls soccer trophy. The episode closes with reflections on the soccer community, the venue, heat conditions, and a centennial-year shout-out to mascot MO’s 100 appearances.
S6 · E75
July 1 · 13 min
2026 Baseball Championship Review
MSHSAA All-Access Podcast: 2026 Baseball Championships Recap (Classes 1–6) In this MSHSAA All-Access Podcast episode, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Assistant Executive Director Daryl Bradley and Communications Director Andrew Kauffman to recap the 2026 MSHSAA Baseball Championships held over six straight days at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex in Ozark, Missouri. They review results and highlights from Classes 1–6, explain Missouri’s run rule, and note standout performances and records, including first-time championships for Northland Christian, Faith Christian Academy, and Excelsior Springs, plus back-to-back titles for Blue Springs South. The conversation also covers notable storylines such as Excelsior Springs winning while its head coach was deployed overseas, retiring championship coaches, tough quarterfinal paths in the best-of-three format for Classes 5 and 6, and Mal Mayse Distinguished Service Awards presented to the Springfield Sports Commission and Terry Kasper.
S6 · E74
June 30 · 7 min
2026 Boys Volleyball Championship Review
Recap: 2026 MSHSAA Boys Volleyball Championships (First Year of Two Classes) In this MSHSAA All-Access Podcast episode, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Associate Executive Director Toni Hill and communications assistant Scott Lunte to recap the 2026 Boys Volleyball Championships held at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau during a busy spring championship week and the first year the tournament featured two classes. In Class 1, Lutheran South beat St. Dominic 3-1 and Vianney swept Lincoln College Prep 3-0; St. Dominic won third place 3-0 over Lincoln College Prep, and Vianney defeated Lutheran South in a tight four-set final. In Class 2, SLUH edged Liberty Wentzville 3-2 in a reverse sweep and De Smet Jesuit beat Rockhurst 3-1; Liberty Wentzville took third 3-1 over Rockhurst, and De Smet Jesuit won the title over SLUH 3-2 in a reverse sweep, repeating as champion. The group notes record-book updates on mshsaa.org, strong crowds, growing participation (95 postseason teams; about 108 schools total), and optimism for the sport’s continued expansion.
S6 · E73
June 25 · 7 min
2026 Spring Softball Championships Review
2026 MSHSAA Spring Softball Championships Recap (Classes 1 & 2) | Killian Sports Complex Debut Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Daryl Bradley and Andrew Kauffman to recap the 2026 MSHSAA Spring Softball Championships in Missouri, including results for both classes and key performances. In Class 1, Purdy beat Plato 6-1 for third, and Oak Ridge defeated Kingsville 3-1 to claim its first state title while finishing 27-0 behind sophomore Deckerd’s dominant pitching and a home run; Kingsville reached the final after a ninth-inning steal of home and freshman Scrutchfield recorded big strikeout totals. In Class 2, Mount Vernon beat Thayer 16-1 for third, and Skyline shut out Kennett 3-0 for its second spring title under coach Shawna Bybee, highlighted by Volcko’s solo home run. The episode also covers the first spring championship at the turf fields at Killian Sports Complex in Springfield, weather adjustments, a transformer failure requiring a generator, and using Starlink to stream games after internet was lost.
S6 · E72
June 23 · 29 min
2026 Track & Field Championships Review
2026 Missouri State Track & Field Championships Recap (Classes 1–5) + Weather Weekend Behind the Scenes Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is joined by Stephanie Turner and Scott Lunte to recap the Missouri State High School Activities Association’s 2026 Track & Field Championships across five classes and both genders, highlighting team standings, notable first-time trophies, and multiple record-setting performances. Weekend one (Classes 1–3) featured strong weather and championships led by North Shelby (C1 boys), Mound City (C1 girls), Jefferson (Festus) (C2 boys), Lexington (C2 girls), Collegiate School of Science and Medicine (C3 boys), and Central (New Madrid) (C3 girls). Weekend two (Classes 4–5) was heavily impacted by rain and lightning, forcing cancellation of Friday, a one-day timed-finals format, and a three-hour Saturday delay, with discussion of lightning safety rules and fairness considerations. Team champions were Poplar Bluff (C4 boys), Festus (C4 girls), Rockhurst (C5 boys), and Helias Catholic (C5 girls), with several overall and class records noted, and appreciation expressed for officials, hosts, and spectators during the centennial boys championship year.

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