Fall sports in high school will begin normally in Michigan, with backup plans COVID-19

DETROIT – Michigan fall school sports are scheduled to start as normal, but there will be contingency plans for possible coronavirus disruptions (COVID-19).

Members of the Michigan High School Athletic Association discussed ideas for sports beginning in August and will meet again on July 29 to continue that discussion.

High school soccer practices are scheduled to begin on August 10. Other fall sports will begin practicing on August 12.

Coronavirus Risk Table: How different sports activities are classified in terms of risk of exposure to COVID-19

While the plan to start fall sports as scheduled is moving forward, if the situation calls for it due to COVID-19, the seasons could be delayed.

The next step in the progression would be to complete low-risk fall sports, while high-risk sports would be postponed until later in the school year, authorities said.

If fall sports have to be discontinued, they will be rescheduled using a reconfigured calendar that could include winter sports beginning in November and the fall and spring seasons extending through July 2021, according to the MHSAA.

The association also considered swapping the traditional fall and spring sports seasons, but determined that it was not a feasible plan.

PLUS: Thus 25 sports have been divided into high, moderate and low risk categories COVID-19

Soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s swimming and diving, and men’s soccer are considered moderate or high-risk fall sports because they include athletes in close contact or are played indoors. They were considered the impetus to potentially change all sports from fall to spring, but traditional spring sports – girls’ soccer and boys’ and girls’ lacrosse – carry a similar risk, denying the value of making the change from full season, officials said. of the MHSAA.

Authorities did not consider moving low-risk sports to fall alone.

Plans still depend on Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan. Currently, two regions are in phase five, allowing limited indoor activity, while the rest are in phase four and do not allow for indoor training, practice or competition.

“Our student athletes just want to play, and we have spent too much time without them playing,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl. “But doing it safely, of course, remains the priority. Our plan to move forward is Fall in the Fall, starting on time. We are excited to keep moving forward to get sports back safely. It is important to keep students in our schools and keep students in our sports programs. “

MHSAA staff are developing COVID-related policies for all fall sports and will make those guidelines and precautions available to member schools as the season approaches, authorities said. Those policies will follow up on what was presented to schools for off-season summer training, which began statewide June 1.