The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced today it will move the 2020 fall football season to spring 2021, due to the higher risk of football spreading COVID-19, with the remainder of the fall sports procedure as planned.
The switch to the football season was made on the basis of consultation with state health department officials and after investigation by MHSAA member high schools about their progress and preferences after the first four days of practice. Football is considered a high-risk sport for potential spread of the coronavirus due to its level of contact-to-player contact.
A total of 34,219 student-athletes played football at MHSAA member schools in the 2019 season. A total of 520 11-player teams and 83 8-player teams were expected to play football this summer.
“At the end of the day, we did everything we could to find a way forward for football this fall,” said MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl. “But while you remain connected with the office of the governor, officials of the state health department, the staff of our member schools and the Council, there is simply too much uncertainty and too much unknown to play football this fall.
“Nobody is ready to take the risk that COVID will be passed on because of a high-risk sport. Decisions also need to be made about our other sports, but none of them have the same close, consistent and face-to-face contact as football. ”
The MHSAA announced on July 17 that it would continue this school year with its traditional calendar beginning with fall sports, but with improved precautionary measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19. At the time, the MHSAA also stated that football, and other seasons for bankruptcy, would move to the spring of 2021 if they were considered unsafe to continue as originally planned.
Football was allowed to start training on August 10, with helmets, but no other padding.
Volleyball and football are considered moderate risk of spreading viruses, while cross country, golf, tennis and swimming & diving are considered low risk. Cross Country, Lower Peninsula girls golf and boys tennis and Upper Peninsula girls tennis began practicing August 12; golf and tennis teams may start competing on August 19th, and field teams may start competing on August 21st.
Volleyball, boys ‘soccer and girls’ swimming and diving on the Lower Peninsula also started practicing on 12 August, and competition guidelines for those sports will be announced on 19 August. Schools in regions under Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan will not be able to play volleyball or swim / dive inside due to government restrictions. Further guidance from Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office is expected in the near future regarding these indoor facilities.
Details for the spring football season including a specific schedule and format will be announced over the coming months. The MHSAA will work to curb the overlap of spring football and the traditional seasons of spring sports.
“While this is hugely disappointing, we will do everything we can to provide the best possible experience in the spring while adding football to the calendar,” said Uyl.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership through more than 1,500 public and private colleges and junior high / middle schools, which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationwide to not accept membership fees as tournament fees from schools. Member schools that enforce these rules are allowed to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which draw more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
