The Michigan High School Athletic Association released a new update on the upcoming fall sports season on Wednesday afternoon, announcing several key plans to start the next season for all sports.
Following a morning meeting, the MHSAA’s 19-member representative council approved that all fall sports begin official practice on the dates originally scheduled, with soccer scheduled to begin on August 10 and the remainder beginning on December 12. August.
However, the MHSAA said soccer will delay the start of practice with the pads and the player’s entire team until August 17. In addition, the start of volleyball and swimming and diving practices may begin official outdoor practices if it is not allowed to be indoors before August 12.
The MHSAA also announced that lower-risk sports may begin to compete on traditional statistical dates of August 19 or 21, depending on the sport. According to the MHSAA, low-risk sports include Lower Peninsula women’s golf, Lower Peninsula men’s tennis and Upper Peninsula women’s tennis, boys ‘and girls’ cross country, and Lower women’s swimming and diving Peninsula.
However, soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s soccer, which the MHSAA has defined as moderate and high risk, may begin to practice, but not competition. MHSAA said it will make a decision on the competition deadlines for all three sports by August 20. The MHSAA update said the decision to allow competition in those sports will depend “on how the spread of the virus is trending across the state.”
Although the official practice for all sports has been approved, the MHSAA voted to cancel scrimmages in all sports and the approved limitations on the number of teams that can compete together in regular-season tournaments, invitations, and other multi-team events. The reason given for eliminating scrimmages is that it will prevent teams from mingling before the first date of competition, and the limitations of the regular season can lessen opportunities for viral spread while still allowing meetings to take place.
“Reflecting on the positive impact on their athletes this summer of participating in off-season training, the council feels it is of utmost importance to continue sports activity in the future,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in the statement. . “If we take a month off, our students will find opportunities to compete through non-school entities that may not be as focused on safety. Our athletic directors and coaches can provide the safest possible environment for returning to sports, and this phased approach to competition will help schools continue to build on progress already made.
“The board chose to make these adjustments to help ensure that our athletes have a safe regular season this fall. As we continue to solidify the regular season, we can focus our attention on building a safe postseason for our athletes. “
The MHSAA has published guidance documents for each sport, outlining increased precautions designed to limit viral spread. Limitations for regular season fall tournaments and invitations include:
– Cross country – a maximum of 70 runners is allowed in a race
– Golf – maximum of 72 competitors on an 18-hole site
– Football – two teams in one place
– Soccer – four teams in one site
– Swimming and diving – four teams in one site
– Tennis – four teams in one site
– Volleyball – four teams in one site
Dual / head-to-head matchups of the regular season, between multiple levels from two different schools, are not affected.
“The easy way out would be to postpone all activities for next spring, and we are not taking the easy way out. But we will make wise decisions based on medical guidance, ”said Uyl. “We will make these difficult decisions quickly and appropriately. If we don’t play this fall, it won’t be because we didn’t make every effort to do so. “
More specific sports information can be found on the sports page of the MHSAA website.
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