2018 Hazel Park Schools Communicator : Athletic Department Strives for Success
HAZEL PARK SCHOOLS HAVE A PROUD TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS. For 80 years, the Vikings 
have successfully competed in thousands of competitions all over Michigan. The mission of the Athletic Department is to provide an athletic environment that compliments the educational experience, promotes excellence through commitment to team and community, focuses on the development of discipline and wellness, and values the ideals of sportsmanship, ethics and growth in humility.
The programs currently offered at Hazel Park’s Junior High and High School are dance, football, sideline and competitive cheer teams, soccer, track and cross-country track, tennis, swimming, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, bowling, baseball, softball, and boys golf. Many of the teams have been successful throughout the years, and a couple have recently received stand out recognition.
“Over the past three years our boys’ basketball team has been very successful,” according to Athletic Director Dr. David Muylaert. “In past years, the Hazel Park wrestling team has also been successful, and that program is beginning to compete at the level it did ten to fifteen years ago.”
Some changes were made to the Junior High track team in recent years. Dr. Muylaert explained, “Two years ago, the Jr. High School added a coed track team for the students to participate in the spring.” The addition of the new track team will allow for more running time.
There have already been many memorable moments in 2018 and there are some notably talented students who will be joining college teams. “The class of 2018 has six athletes that will go on and play college athletics,” Dr. Muylaert said. “Samantha Richardson will play softball. Trinity Benton will play basketball. Kyle Washington will play football. Carl Bow, Devin Pettus, and David Hearns will play basketball.”
As far as future plans for Hazel Park’s athletics, he said, “It was recently announced that Hazel Park High School will be leaving the Oakland Activities Association (OAA) and joining the Macomb Area Conference 
(MAC) in the 2019-2020 school year.” This transition will mean that Hazel Park Athletics will be part of MAC rather than maintaining its traditional spot in the OAA. The reason the Vikings had wanted to make the switch had to do with competitive imbalance, especially in football. Student athletes were competing against districts with much larger enrollment rates. As part of the MAC, they will be vying for titles against schools of similar size.
More information regarding Hazel Park’s school athletics can be found at www.hazelparkschools.org. Any questions should be directed to Dr. Muylaert at 248.658.5167 or david.muylaert@hazelparkschools.org.
