MHSAA Adjusts Fall Restart Schedule
December 22, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has adjusted its schedule to conclude Fall tournaments in football, volleyball and girls swimming & diving today after receiving full details and requirements for the pilot rapid testing program being provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) as an opportunity for teams and individuals to conclude their seasons amid a pause due to COVID-19.
Due to requirements and need for more direction from MDHHS that will be forthcoming in the next week, the MHSAA has instructed schools still participating in those sports to suspend practice immediately. The MHSAA also is working to update dates of competition to better reflect the testing schedule. Taking part is the MDHHS testing pilot is a requirement for athletes to participate in the final competitions in these sports.
Fall teams taking part in the pilot program are expected to receive rapid-result antigen tests and more instruction by Tuesday, Dec. 29. The MDHHS on Dec. 28-29 will be conducting webinars to train school personnel who will be involved in the testing process. Once the first tests have been administered on Wednesday, Dec. 30, full team practices may commence. If schools are delayed in the start of testing, those schools may begin practice once individuals have had one negative test.
With teams restarting practice Dec. 30 at the earliest, competition dates also could be rescheduled. Confirmation of updated tournament dates will be announced soon on the MHSAA Website.
3 More Winter Sports to Restart in Full
January 13, 2021
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three more MHSAA non-contact Winter sports will be allowed to restart practice Saturday (Jan. 16) per the updated epidemic order announced today by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), while four Winter contact sports may begin indoor practices Saturday with non-contact activities.
Girls gymnastics, girls and boys bowling, and girls and boys swimming & diving, as “non-contact” sports, may also begin competition before the end of this month – swimming & diving Jan. 22 and gymnastics and bowling Jan. 25. Masks will be required of all participants except when they are actively participating in gymnastics and swimming & diving. Spectators will be capped at 100 persons in school gyms or 250 in stadiums and arenas, per MDHHS orders.
Basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling are considered “contact” sports and may begin non-contact practices Jan. 16, with their first competitions scheduled for Feb. 1. Because of the later start to competition schedules in those sports, the MHSAA will adjust its tournament dates for those four to conclude on later dates than what is currently scheduled – those dates will be announced later this week.
Girls and boys skiing, as an outdoor non-contact sport, was allowed to begin in December.
“We are glad to have three more sports join skiing in returning to full activity, but we understand the disappointment and frustration on the part of our athletes and coaches whose sports are not yet able to restart completely,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “We will continue to adjust schedules to provide all of our winter teams as substantial an experience this season as possible, as part of our greater plan this school year to play all three seasons to conclusion.
“We have shown with our remaining Fall sports this month that our schools can participate safely, and we’re confident teams will continue to take all the appropriate precautions as we jump back into indoor Winter activities.”
Additionally, spring sports teams and fall teams not participating in the MDHHS rapid testing pilot program may begin four-player workouts and resume conditioning Jan. 16, but only with non-contact activities. Fall teams finishing their seasons in girls volleyball, Lower Peninsula girls swimming & diving and football have been able to do so by taking part in the MDHHS rapid testing pilot program for COVID-19; volleyball and swimming & diving will conclude with Finals this weekend, while football will finish Jan. 22-23 with 11-Player Finals.