Representative Council Wrap-up: Fall
December 20, 2011
EAST LANSING – The appointment of its newest member and the adoption of four lacrosse regulations were among actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association during its annual Fall Meeting, Dec. 2, in East Lansing.
Yale Public Schools athletic director Maureen E. Klocke was appointed to the 19-member council for a two-year term and brings with her more than 16 years experience as an athletic administrator.
She’s served in her current position since August 2005, and during her tenure has led in the hosting of MHSAA post-season tournaments for eight sports, including Regionals for girls basketball and volleyball. Previously, Klocke served as Capac’s athletic director for nine years and prior to that was interim athletic director for Memphis schools for seven months. She also coached basketball, volleyball and softball during her time at Memphis.
Also, Perry High School principal Paula Steele was re-appointed for a two-year term. Steele joined Perry’s district this summer after previously serving in the same position at East Lansing High School.
The Representative Council is the 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.
Also at the Fall Meeting, the following Girls Lacrosse Committee recommendations were adopted for the 2012 season:
--A game interrupted by events beyond the control of authorities may be continued from that point of interruption either later that day or on another date. This alters a national women’s lacrosse rule stating an interrupted game must be played from the beginning if rescheduled for another date. A game continued over two days will count as just one date on those teams’ schedules, while it will count as two of the team’s scheduling dates if the game is played, interrupted, and then played from the beginning on another day.
--Teams may play two regulation games in one day, to not exceed 120 total minutes played. This is in addition to the current rule allowing three games in one day with not more than 20-minute halves. This addresses a preference by some teams to play two full games at a tournament instead of three shortened games.
--A student or coach disqualified for unsportsmanlike conducted must be withheld by her or his school for at least the next day of competition for that team, consistent with MHSAA rules for other sports. This alters the national women’s lacrosse rule stating those who are disqualified must be withheld from the next two games.
--The unruly actions of spectators will not result in a card being assessed to their team’s coach. The national rule does assess a card to the head coach as punishment for spectator misconduct.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 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 approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.
2013-14 Fall Practice Begins Next Week
August 7, 2013
Approximately 110,000 student-athletes begin practice next week in eight sports in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors postseason tournaments, signaling the beginning of the 2013-14 Fall sports season.
Practice sessions begin Monday (Aug. 12) in football, followed by all other sports Wednesday (Aug. 14). Practice in football must begin on Aug. 12 for all schools wishing to begin regular-season games the weekend of Aug. 29-31. Schools must have 12 days of preseason practice at all levels before their first game, which may not occur before 16 calendar days. All football schools also must conduct at least three days of practice before beginning contact, and those sessions may not include any pads.
In golf and tennis, competition may commence no earlier than after three separate days of team practice, and not before seven calendar days. The first day competition may take place in golf and tennis is Aug. 21. In all other fall sports, contests can take place after seven days of practice for the team and not before nine calendar days. The first day competition may take place in cross country, tennis, soccer, swimming and diving, and volleyball in the fall is Aug. 23.
This year, only one football date precedes Labor Day, and most varsity games will take place on Thursday, Aug. 29, that week. Subvarsity competition may begin on Wednesday, Aug. 28. In Week 1, 253 games will be played on Thursday, 74 contests will be played on Friday, and 12 games will be played on Saturday.
There are several significant rules changes on football for 2013:
- Pass interference no longer is an automatic first down if against the defense, or results in a loss of down if against the offense. Both are a 15-yard mark-off from the previous spot, and the down is replayed except when the penalty against the defense results in a first down.
- If a player’s helmet comes off during a play, it is illegal participation and a 15-yard penalty if that player continues to participate in a play; and a personal foul and a 15-yard penalty if a player from the opposing team initiates contact with a player whose helmet has come off.
- On a catch, an airborne receiver whose forward progress is stopped and is carried out of bounds by a defender will be ruled a legal catch. If the airborne receiver is contacted and driven out of bounds, the result of the play is an incomplete pass.
- Following a penalty on the kicking team for kick catch interference on a fair catch play, the receiving team can opt to take a free kick after the 15-yard penalty has been enforced.
In soccer, Michigan has adopted the National Federation rule involving the disqualification from a game when a player receives a second yellow card and the subsequent red card. Now, in addition to the player being ejected from the contest, that team will have to continue the game a player down. A player receiving a yellow card must leave the game immediately, but now may reenter at the next available opportunity, and no longer have to sit out for 10 minutes. There are no substantial rules change in other fall sports.
The 2013 Fall campaign culminates with postseason tournaments beginning with the Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals the week of Oct. 1, and wraps up with the Football Playoff Finals on Nov. 29-30. Here is a complete list of fall tournament dates:
Cross Country:
U.P. Finals -- Oct. 19
L.P. Regionals -- Oct. 25 or 26
L.P. Finals -- Nov. 2
11-Player Football:
Selection Sunday - Oct. 27
Pre-Districts – Nov. 1 or 2
District Finals -- Nov. 8 or 9
Regional Finals -- Nov. 15 or 16
Semifinals -- Nov. 23
Finals -- Nov. 29-30
8-Player Football:
Selection Sunday - Oct. 27
Regional Semifinals – Nov. 1 or 2
Regional Finals -- Nov. 8 or 9
Semifinals -- Nov. 16
Finals -- Nov. 22 or 23
L.P. Girls Golf:
Regionals -- Oct. 9 or 10 or 11 or 12
Finals -- Oct. 18-19
Soccer:
Boys L.P. Districts -- Oct. 14-19
Boys L.P. Regionals – Oct. 22-26
Boys L.P. Semifinals – Oct. 30
Boys L.P. Finals -- Nov. 2
L.P. Girls Swimming & Diving
Diving Quals -- Nov. 19
Swimming/Diving Finals-Nov. 22-23
Tennis:
U.P. Girls Finals –Oct. 2 or 3 or 4 or 5
L.P. Boys Regionals -- Oct. 10 or 11 or 12
L.P. Finals --Oct. 18-19
Girls Volleyball:
Districts – Nov. 4-9
Regionals – Nov. 12 & 14
Quarterfinals – Nov. 19
Semifinals – Nov. 21-22
Finals – Nov. 23