Comstock’s Ansel One of Three Al Bush Award Winners – Leader Publications

EAST LANSING — Detroit Public School League assistant director Anika McEvans, Comstock Public Schools athletic director Justin Ansel and Kensington Lakes Activities Association commissioner Bryan Masi have all spent decades serving in high-profile roles in educational athletics. But as is typical in these roles, much of the work they’ve done to make a difference has happened behind the scenes.

To recognize their efforts and celebrate their tremendous contributions to high school sports, they have been named the recipients of the 2024 Allen W. Bush Award from the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Al Bush served as the executive director of the MHSAA for 10 years. The award honors individuals for past and continuing service to college athletics as a coach, administrator, official, trainer, physician or member of the media. The award was developed to recognize individuals who give and serve locally, regionally or statewide without receiving much attention. This is the 33rd year of the award.

Ansel has served as athletic director for Comstock Public Schools for the past 17 years, and during his time with the district he has also coached varsity girls basketball and boys soccer and high school girls and boys basketball, soccer and cross country. Both of his Colts varsity programs won multiple league championships under his leadership. Ansel came to Comstock after a decade at Onaway, where he taught and coached all 10 years and also served as athletic director for the past five years.

His extensive experiences on the sidelines and in the athletic office have also made Ansel a valuable contributor to several MHSAA committees, including most recently the Junior High/Middle School Committee, and he has also served as Southwest 10 Conference president and in multiple leadership roles with the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA). Locally, Ansel has raised more than $60,000 for various projects at Comstock, several of which highlight the school’s athletic history.

A graduate of Monroe High, Ansel earned a bachelor’s degree from Spring Arbor University in 1997, a master’s degree in education from Marygrove College in 2003, and an educational leadership certificate from Grand Valley State University in 2005. In 2018, he completed GVSU’s Educational Specialist in Leadership program. He also holds his certified master athletic administrator designation from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and has completed the master elite level of the MHSAA Coaches Advancement Program (CAP). Ansel was nominated for the NIAAA Jim Teff Professional Development Achievement Award by the MIAAA in 2019 and was named the MIAAA’s Region 4 Athletic Director of the Year in 2023.

“Justin Ansel is known in his community, the league and by those who have served with him in the state for his hands-on approach to providing enriching experiences to the communities he serves,” Uyl said. “His style as an administrator mirrors what he has provided as a coach — he is known as an insightful team builder who is always working to advance his programs.”

McEvans this spring completed her fifth year in the Office of Athletics for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which administers programs for the Detroit PSL. She is responsible for planning and implementing the PSL’s athletic offerings for 72 elementary and middle schools, in addition to her various responsibilities supporting the league’s 20 high schools.

The 1994 Detroit Renaissance graduate and three-sport athlete came to the PSL from Southfield Public Schools, where she served as athletic director for the former Southfield High School from 2012-15 and then as district athletic director until 2017-18. As district director, she oversaw more than 100 coaches, staff and volunteers and helped lead the merger of Southfield High and Southfield-Lathrup to form Southfield Arts & Technology High School prior to the 2016-17 school year. She also previously served in various roles at the Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences from 2006-12, as well as director of operations and then general manager for the Detroit Demolition/Detroit Danger women’s professional football franchise from 2002-06 and as assistant general manager for the Motor City Mechanics minor league hockey team from 2004-06.

McEvans has provided valuable input to several MHSAA committees over the past decade, including athletic equity, junior high/middle school, scholar-athlete, and as part of multiple officials and site selection committees, and as a key voice on the MHSAA Multi-Sport Task Force in the latter half of the past decade. The mother of three—two current collegiate athletes and a collegiate freshman—also served as the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Academy of Arts & Sciences, an assistant coach of the girls’ basketball team at Southfield, and an assistant coach of the boys’ basketball team and assistant coach of the softball team at Renaissance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sport management and communications from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Detroit Mercy.

“Anika McEvans has been a valuable voice on a variety of issues of state importance, but especially on issues that impact students as they transition from middle school to high school. She has relied not only on her experiences as an administrator, but also as a parent helping her children find their path in athletics,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl. “Her work on the Junior High/Middle School Committee and the Multi-Sport Task Force has directly led to creating more opportunities for our younger athletes, but with a continued focus on providing a well-rounded athletic experience.”

Masi just completed his fourth year as commissioner of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association, which is comprised of 16 of the largest suburban schools in Metro Detroit, with responsibilities including serving as the league’s liaison at the local and state levels. He also previously served as the KLAA’s football commissioner since the league’s inception in 2008.

He previously served as athletic director at Northville for 17 years, where he founded the Northville Athletic Community Service Initiative, which raised thousands of dollars and provided goods and services to needy individuals and community service groups. He also started Northville’s unified sports program and hosted one of the MHSAA’s first junior high/middle school cross country regional meets during that program’s pilot phase. Northville also hosted several MHSAA postseason events and Coaches Advancement Program sessions under his leadership.

Masi was previously a teacher and a longtime coach. In 1997, he was named Michigan Secondary Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (MAPHERD) and in 1998 he was selected to coach in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East/West All-Star Game. In 2013, he was named MIAAA Region 11 Athletic Director of the Year and in 2019 MIAAA Middle School Athletic Director of the Year. In 2021, he was inducted into the Northville Athletic Hall of Fame. Masi has also served on several MHSAA committees, including football, gymnastics, and high school sports.

Masi graduated from Dearborn Edsel Ford and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University, his master’s degree from Wayne State University and his Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) designation.

“Bryan Masi has brought the leadership, perspective and ingenuity he used to build Northville’s success to the KLAA, and those qualities continue to shine as he leads one of the state’s premier leagues,” Uyl said. “Bryan is admired and respected by his peers, locally and across the state, not only for the way he leads, but for the values ​​he promotes in doing so.”