MHSAA Halts All Activities Through 4/5
March 13, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has directed all member schools to suspend activities in all sports for all seasons – effective Monday, March 16 through at least Sunday, April 5 – to fall in line with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order that all schools close for the next three weeks in order to deter the spread of COVID-19.
All athletic activities to be halted include practices, scrimmages and competitions/games, as well as strength training, conditioning and any other organized sessions and activities in all MHSAA in-season and out-of-season sports.
The suspension of activities applies to sports for all three MHSAA seasons as Spring sports practices have begun, Winter tournaments were suspended Thursday and Fall sports coaches are working with limited numbers of athletes during the offseason.
“By suspending all sports activities for the next three weeks, we are taking an additional step to maintain safety and minimize risk first, and also keep a level playing field for our schools and teams during this time of uncertainty,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “A number of schools across the state already were making this decision, and setting this as the standard across our membership is appropriate especially given the quick pace with which this situation is continuing to evolve. Given the rapid, fast-moving and unprecedented events of this week, the MHSAA will use the time during this all-sport suspension of activities to evaluate all options and next steps which will be shared with schools in a timely manner.”
Updates will continue to be posted as necessary to the MHSAA Website.
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.
MHSAA Announces Golf Finals Format
September 18, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Executive Committee of the Michigan High School Athletic Association has approved an adjusted format for this fall’s Lower Peninsula girls golf postseason to reduce the opportunity for spread of COVID-19 while still awarding championships to top teams and individuals in four divisions.
The Executive Committee – comprised of officers of the larger Representative Council – approved a one-season switch in postseason format that keeps the numbers of Regionals and Finals intact for this season. However, the size of the championship tournament fields will be reduced to fall in line with regular-season tournament reductions currently in place to limit the number of teams mixing per event. The Finals also will be played as one single 18-hole round, instead of the traditional two 18-hole rounds on back-to-back days, to eliminate teams needing to stay overnight.
The tournament will begin with six Regionals in each Division played between Oct. 5-10, with 10-13 teams at each Regional – falling in line with the traditional format and schedule while keeping the field for Regionals at 72 golfers or fewer. However, the top two teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the Finals in each Division – one fewer team and fewer individual than the traditional format, but necessary to keep the Finals fields also at 72 golfers.
The following week, all four Lower Peninsula Finals will be played at Michigan State University. On Friday, Oct. 16, Division 1 will play an 18-hole championship round at Forest Akers East and Division 2 will play at Forest Akers West. On Saturday, Oct. 17, Division 3 will play its Final at Forest Akers East and Division 4 will conclude at Forest Akers West.
Further details will be provided soon on the Girls Golf page of the MHSAA Website.
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.