Mark Konecny was the first player from the academic-rich Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to make it to the NFL.  In doing so, the 1981 Mona Shores graduate broke through the glass ceiling and proved that talent and desire are more important than playing for a big-name college team.
One of the the top quarterbacks in Mona Shores school history, Konecny chose to attend Alma College.  The Scots coaching staff converted him to running back and Konecny wasted no time making his mark, rushing for 941 yards in the 1982 season. In his senior year of 1984, he became the first Alma runner to top 1,000 yards, finishing with 1,059 yards, which placed him eighth in the nation in Division III. He also led the MIAA in scoring and punt returns, earning him first-team All-MIAA honors and honorable mention on the Division III All-American team.
Konecny started his pro career with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, but got his break in the NFL during the strike season of 1987. He joined the Miami Dolphins as a punt returner and averaged 7.7 yards per carry. His best professional season was 1988 as Philadelphia’s punt returner. Konecny returned 17 kickoffs for 276 yards and 32 punts for 226 yards.
Konecny, who lives in Colorado, suffered a career-ending knee injury in the first exhibition game of the 1989 season while playing for the New York Jets.