8 Elected to Representative Council
October 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Elections were completed recently to fill positions on the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s legislative body, its Representative Council, with five new members joining three others who received re-election to begin service in December.
Bear Lake athletic director Karen Leinaar was re-elected to continue as one of two at-large statewide representatives, while Gobles athletic director Chris Miller will continue to represent Class C and D schools from the southwestern section of the Lower Peninsula and St. Ignace superintendent Don Gustafson was re-elected as one of two junior high/middle school representatives.
They will be joined by five first-time representatives. Marquette athletic director Alex Tiseo was elected to represent Class A and B schools in the Upper Peninsula, and Midland athletic director Eric Albright was elected to represent Class A and B schools from the northern section of the Lower Peninsula. Maple City Glen Lake athletic director Mark Mattson was elected to serve Class C and D schools in the Lower Peninsula northern section, and Ottawa Lake Whiteford athletic director Jason Mensing was elected to represent Class C and D schools in the southeastern section. Jay Alexander, who began as executive director of the Detroit Public School League this fall, will represent the Detroit Public Schools.
All but Albright and Mattson were elected to two-year terms; Albright and Mattson were elected to serve the second year of two-year terms for Council members no longer able to serve. Albright will replace recently-retired Saginaw Heritage athletic director Peter Ryan. Mattson will be finishing the term of Boyne City athletic director Adam Stefanski, who was previously elected to the Class C/D post while athletic director at Mackinaw City, a Class D school, before beginning this fall at Class B Boyne City.
The Representative Council is the 19-member legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee. The Council meets three times annually, and five members of the Council convene monthly during the school year to form the MHSAA’s Executive Committee, which reviews appeals of Handbook regulations by member schools.
Additional elections took place to select representatives to the Upper Peninsula Athletic Committee. Negaunee principal Andrew Brunette was elected to represent Class A and B schools, and Ishpeming Westwood athletic director Jon Beckman was re-elected to represent Class C schools. Ontonagon superintendent/principal Jim Bobula was elected to represent Class D schools.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools 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 nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
Council Approves Winter Start, Guidance
October 23, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association confirmed during its meeting Thursday (Oct. 22) that 2020-21 Winter sports will begin on time, and also approved a series of guidelines for those sports that schools must follow as they continue to work toward limiting the spread of COVID-19 while still providing opportunities for athletes to compete.
Most high school sports traditionally begin practice during the first three weeks of November, with competition starting during mid-November and the first weeks of December. The starts of middle school Winter sports seasons are determined by local leagues and conferences; many are slated to begin during the next few weeks.
Sport-specific guidelines for all Winter sports will be posted early next week to their respective sport pages on the MHSAA Website. A number of precautions have been put in place addressing competition limits, numbers of spectators allowed and wearing of face coverings, among a variety of topics. The guidance also specifically addresses equipment and facilities for each sport.
“The Council believes it is safer to begin Winter practices on time, and keep athletes in school programs where safety precautions are always in effect,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “With the vastly different circumstances faced by schools in different regions all over the state, an on-time start still allows schools to decide when they feel most comfortable beginning activity – and allows all of them to slowly ramp up their frequency of activity and numbers of spectators attending competitions.
“But let’s be clear: Our statewide COVID-19 numbers have to get better. In order for our schools to continue playing sports this winter, and in order for fans to be there to cheer them on, we must continue working to slow down this virus.”
As with Fall sports, scrimmages will not be allowed for Winter sports to limit mixing of communities outside of official competitions. The numbers of teams at regular-season competitions also will be limited, like during Fall, with a maximum of four schools/teams allowed in competitive cheer, gymnastics, swimming & diving and wrestling. Bowling and skiing competitions will be restricted to a maximum of 72 competitors at one event.
There are no school/team limits for basketball and ice hockey, as only two teams are able to play each other at one time and those sports may play only one game per day – with fans leaving after their game is complete. Host sites must strictly enforce spectator capacity limits on a game-by-game basis. The Council approved as part of these guidelines an allowance of two spectators per participant at all contests to begin the regular season. This guideline could be reconsidered by the Council later in the winter season, with a possibility of allowing more spectators later while still staying within possible Emergency Orders from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
As per MDHHS requirements, face coverings must be worn by athletes practicing and competing in basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling. They are not required for athletes practicing and competing in bowling, gymnastics, skiing and swimming & diving, which all allow for appropriate social distancing – but face coverings are required for those athletes when not involved in active participation.