Coaches and Parents: Cass Tech’s Nationally Acclaimed Student-Athletes Lack Proper Facilities
DPSCD athletes have national and state champion titles, yet lack basic facilities and proper communication.
By Eva Cope
In lane 5, a pair of yellow and blue spikes stampede across 200 meters of track for 22.94 seconds. These track spikes belong to New Balance Nationals Champion Malise Brown, recent graduate of Cass Technical High School and current 200-meter record holder for Cass’ girl’s track team.
Brown said practicing for nationals with a Detroit Public School Community District team played a part in her motivation to suceed.
“It definitely gives a sense of more motivation, like you’ve got something to prove to other people who might be talking down on you,” Brown said.
For many Detroit student-athletes, state and even national titles are not out of reach. In 2025, the Cass Tech football team was ranked No. 1 heading into the Division 1 state championships. However, coaches, parents and students say many DPSCD teams lack adequate facilities to practice these championship skills and even host their own sporting events.
Brown, for instance, began her 2026 outdoor track season without proper training facilities. She also couldn’t participate in her city championship meet — the same day as graduation — due to ill communication among administrators, an issue not only facing her team, but all of DPSCD athletics.
A Lack of Resources
In Brown’s final year at Cass Tech, her outdoor track season revolved around the schedule of DPCDS administration, as her team waited for access to a proper practicing track.
Ravyn Baxter, Cass Tech head coach for girls track and a Cass Tech alum, said the lack of a proper outdoor track affected her athletes.
“The 160-meter track is actually a walking and jogging track that's not necessarily supposed to be sprinted on. Thank goodness we have it, but having that is not enough…Everybody got shin splints cause we’re on that itty-bitty track,” Baxter said, adding her athletes experienced hip issues.
Baxter said much of the equipment her athletes use was bought when she was a student at Cass Tech from 2007 to 2011, and it has yet to be upgraded or repaired.
Baxter added that the sports equipment and facilities used by all teams — such as Cass’s weight room — does not meet basic expectations. She explained the wrestling team has to practice in the cafeteria on the third floor, and the girls basketball team uses the auxiliary gym, where they are constantly competing for access with other teams.
A vacant lot on the corner of Second Ave and Ledyard Street, where students report seeing a faint loop indented in the grass from boy’s cross country practice. Via Google Maps
Frustrations and Miscommunications
While a lack of resources is a problem for Detroit athletes district-wide, communication between parents and the district has become a relevant issue as well.
According to Baxter, parents and coaches of the Cass Tech track team took action independently, reaching out to DPCDS’s athletic administration and superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti via email. Their messages called attention to the inadequate track the district provided at the start of the 2026 outdoor track season.
The district gave Cass access to Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School’s outdoor track, but parents and coaches found it was unsafe for athletes to practice on. One parent reached out to other track families urging them to email the district and athletic directors for an alternate track. An excerpt from her email provided to the writer reads:
“Unfortunately, the location (Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School) that was initially approved for practice has proven to be unsafe. There are currently unhoused individuals living in the press box, and there are no gates or barriers to protect our athletes from stray animals. In addition, coaches have found used medical needles on both the field and in the stands.”
Vitti replied to the parents via email, explaining the district's plans to have a proper football and competition track for Cass to use in downtown Detroit by fall of 2028. Although he shared a future plan, Vitti did not provide alternative options or permission to use the newly requested track at Northwestern High School.
“I understand the immediate need for safe and suitable practice spaces,” Vitti wrote in the email response. “Please know that the Department of Athletics and the Division of Facilities and Capital Projects are actively working to address both short-term needs and long-term facility enhancements.”
DPSCD Executive Director of Athletics James Alexander said in an interview that he believed the district’s efforts for Cass to use another track were sufficient, but felt the coaches were uncooperative.
“I think one of the other issues for Cass Tech is they thought that you couldn’t use Northwestern as a practice track, and that wasn't necessarily true. The truth was that they didn't want to use it for the time that was set for them to use it,” Alexander said.
According to Baxter, the time allotted to practice at Northwestern did not work with her team’s schedule, and she said it was not clearly communicated her athletes had permission to practice there. Cass track coaches and parents eventually connected with Central High School, which allowed Cass athletes to share their track during the remaining outdoor season.
Cass Park is where Cass Tech outdoor sports hold running exercises, and the school’s cross country team conditions during its preseason. Via Google Maps
Scheduling Conflicts
While finding an adequate track was frustrating, Brown said her team’s organization and planning skills did not help.
“(Our team) lacks structure,” she said. “For example, how our team specifically had to miss out on cities because we had graduation.”
Baxter also called attention to the scheduling overlap of Brown’s graduation and city championships.
“(Administrators) put the city championships on the same day as Cass Tech’s graduation… Taking away those seniors that want to win a city championship, that can win a city championship, and have worked since their freshmen year, it took that away from them,” Baxter said.
The lack of structure and proper planning left the Cass Tech senior athletes out of their city championship meet, but was not a unique situation. Baxter’s frustration was prevalent as she discussed how DPCDS meets are organized.
“I've brought it to the district's attention, how again, there's no podiums, there's no one in the stands, the athletes don't have access to water,” Baxter said.
When asked how meets are agreed upon and ran on a district level, Alexander explained that both coaches and district officials discuss the athletic events before the start of track season.
“We talk about it before the year, how we're going to run the meet, and agree on it,” Alexander said. “We always put it to the coaches to make sure that we run the meet on an agreed-upon status.”
Differences and Similarities
Speaking to both Baxter and Alexander highlights the deeply-rooted issues of miscommunication throughout the district. In spite of their juxtaposing views, Baxter and Alexander both said their priorities are the athletes, and the work they do for each student to thrive.
“I look at the bigger picture with the girls,” Baxter said. “I think so highly of my team and how I want them to be able to exceed their own expectations. That's really what fuels my engine, being able to see them go from one level as an athlete to the next.”
Left to right: Amora Young, Laila Hawkins and Malise Brown smile at coach Ravyn Baxter during a spring 2026 track meet. Hawkins went on to be an early qualifier for state championships later in the meet, holding Michigan’s No.1 short hurdler title. Credit: Eva Cope
At its core, DPSCD teams are run by the athletes' drive, and the people standing behind them — the parents' dedication, the administration problem-solving, and the coaches continuously fighting for their athletes to receive the best possible experiences.
“This year, more than ever, we’ve gotten more funding to help those who don’t have practice facilities, to help those student-athletes get to practice facilities. And with a large district like this, it’s always an issue of funding,” Alexander said, explaining the district has 100 schools, including 20 high schools.
However, Baxter said she feels the district has enough funding for what she requests, but believes it lacks motivation to spend the funds on athletes.
“Its just always a reason why they cannot, not a reason as to how we can,” she said.
Editor’s Note: The writer is a student-athlete on the Cass Tech High School track team.
