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Congratulations Graduates!

Jake, Billy and Stephen Slobin are passionate about Harrison football.

4189 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake Twp., MI

Steve Stein | Contributing Writer

B

illy Slobin personifies Harrison
High School football.
He’s been a fan of one of the
state’s most storied high school football
programs most of his life since growing
up near 11 Mile and Inkster roads, a few
miles from the Farmington Hills school.
He played football for the Hawks in
1978 and 1979 and two sons played, too.
He’s been the team’s volunteer strength
and conditioning coach since the late
1980s.
“One-hundred percent volunteer. I
haven’t earned a cent,” he said.
He organizes workouts with Harrison
football alumni and current players. He
keeps alumni informed through social
media about how the current team is
training.
Since 2008, he’s taken Harrison foot-
ball players to Farmington Public School
District elementary schools to read to
young students.
“The players don’t know it, but they’re
getting valuable lessons in public speak-
ing when they read to the kids,” Slobin
said.
All of this — and more — will come
crashing to the ground for Slobin
after the 2018-2019 school year if the
Farmington School Board’s decision
in March to close Harrison hasn’t been
reversed.
The board cited declining enrollment
numbers in the district for the impend-
ing closure. The district’s other two
high schools — Farmington and North
Farmington — would remain open.
Harrison opened in 1970. Its 2015-
2016 enrollment was 1,083. Farmington
opened in 1953 at its current site. Its
2015-2016 enrollment was 1,132. North
Farmington opened in 1961. Its 2015-
2016 enrollment was 1,259.
Slobin, 53, is saddened by the closure
decision. He can’t even forget about it
while he’s at work. A senior mortgage
loan officer for Mortgage One, his office
across 12 Mile Road from Harrison is
filled with Harrison football memora-
bilia.
“The School Board’s decision to close
Harrison is so disheartening and as a tax-
payer, I’m terribly unhappy,” he said. “I’m
hopeful the district’s enrollment numbers

will change and the board will revisit its
decision.”
Slobin said he still has strong relation-
ships with many former Harrison foot-
ball teammates — the number is in the
double digits — even though they played
on the same team nearly 40 years ago.
“We created a bond back then and
the bond has gotten stronger,” he said.
“A very high percentage of my closest
friends are intertwined with me through
Harrison football.”
Slobin’s sons Stephen Slobin, 23, and
Jake Slobin, 21, were football stars at
Harrison who went on to play college
football before each had his college
career cut short because of an injury.
Each was a Jewish News High School
Athlete of the Year. Stephen, who was
a running back and defensive back for
Harrison, won the award in 2011. Jake
won the award in 2013. He was an offen-
sive guard and defensive tackle for the
Hawks.
Siena Heights University in Adrian is
where Stephen played college football.
He left to go to Michigan State University
and he graduated this year from MSU.
He plans to pursue a career in real estate.
Jake played football for Grand Valley
State University in Allendale. He intends
to graduate in April from Grand Valley
and obtain either a master’s degree in
business administration or go to law
school.
The Harrison football team has been
coached by one man since the school
opened in 1970. John Herrington has
won 13 state championships, more than
any other football coach in Michigan
High School Athletic Association history,
and he has a 420-100-1 career record
with the Hawks.
With 11 more victories, he’ll sur-
pass Al Fracassa of Brother Rice in
Birmingham and have the most career
wins by a football coach in MHSAA his-
tory. Herrington has won with NCAA
Division I talent and with teams without
players of that caliber.
He told the Oakland Press last month
the decision to close Harrison “makes
me sick” and he’ll retire from coaching if
Harrison closes.

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July 14 • 2016

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