Sparrow to Present MHSAA Hoops Finals
March 15, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Sparrow Health System of Lansing, a provider of medical expertise and information to Michigan High School Athletic Association schools, their athletes, parents and staff, will serve as the presenting sponsor of this season’s Girls & Boys Basketball Finals to be played over the next two weeks.
Sparrow, a member of the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network, is mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization with more than 10,000 caregivers. Sparrow’s Sports Medicine division offers programs for athletes at all levels and includes primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists and athletic and performance trainers.
The MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals will begin with Semifinals this Thursday (March 17) and Friday, with all four Finals on Saturday. The Boys Basketball Semifinals and Finals will be played next week, March 24-26. All games will be played at the Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University.
Sparrow lends its expertise through the MHSAA Website and on-site at various MHSAA tournament events. Resources from Sparrow staff, including information on current health and safety topics and trends, are accessible online through the Health & Safety page of the MHSAA Website, where an “Ask the Expert” feature connects users with sports health-related questions to Sparrow Caregivers.
“Sparrow Health System’s contributions have allowed us to bolster our ability to provide assistance on health and wellness topics to our athletes, parents, coaches and administrators,” said John E. “Jack” Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. “We are pleased to have Sparrow involved with two of our most attended events and the opportunities they provide to make contact with many of our constituents.”
The Girls and Boys Basketball Finals weekends drew a combined 62,654 fans in 2015.
In addition to its presence at MHSAA Tournament events, Sparrow also provides speakers at MHSAA functions and events throughout the state, offering guidance on health issues for student-athletes. Sparrow physicians have spoken during MHSAA staff training sessions, Student Advisory Council meetings and athletic director orientations.
“Sparrow is proud to be the official health system of the MHSAA,” said Michael Shingles, D.O., Sparrow Sports Medicine medical director and team orthopedic surgeon for Michigan State University. “We provide some of the most advanced care in the mid-Michigan region and world. We are particularly excited to have a new Sports Medicine practice specifically for athletes like those participating in the high school basketball playoffs at the Breslin Center.”
Sparrow is mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, St. Johns, Ionia and Carson City as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Physicians Health Network, the Sparrow Medical Group and the Michigan Athletic Club. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 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.
Winter Contact Sports to Resume in Full
February 4, 2021
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Per an announcement today by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools may begin full practice activities in the Winter contact sports of girls and boys basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling on Monday, Feb. 8, with some precautions to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19.
Competition in those four sports also will begin next week, with basketball and hockey able to play Feb. 8 and cheer and wrestling able to compete starting Feb. 12.
Those four Winter contact sports have been able to practice since Jan. 16, but only with non-contact activities. MHSAA Tournament dates for all four sports previously were rescheduled into late March and early April to accommodate a later start to the regular season, and those dates appear below. All four Winter contact sports also must participate with some level of masking and/or rapid testing, also detailed sport-by-sport below.
All testing will be coordinated between schools and MDHHS or their local health departments. Following are specific precautions and key dates for those contact sports at the high school level. Participants are defined as athletes, coaches and other team personnel active in practice and competition. For the sports detailed below, regular-season contests may be played up until the date of the MHSAA Finals in that sport.
Girls Basketball
Masking/testing: All participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. A testing requirement may allow participants to remove masks while in active participation on the floor if they test negative that game day; more details will be provided to schools when confirmed.
Competition limit: Teams may play up to three games per week, Monday through Sunday.
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 22, 24, 26
Regionals: March 29, 31
Quarterfinals: April 5
Semifinals: April 7
Finals: April 9
Boys Basketball
Masking/testing: All participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. A testing requirement may allow participants to remove masks while in active participation on the floor if they test negative that game day; more details will be provided to schools when confirmed.
Competition limit: Teams may play up to three games per week, Monday through Sunday.
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 23, 25, 27
Regionals: March 30, April 1
Quarterfinals: April 6
Semifinals: April 8
Finals: April 10
Competitive Cheer
Masking/testing: Teams may compete without testing or face coverings, but must wear masks at all times outside of active competition or stunting/tumbling practice.
Competition limit: Teams may participate in 12 days of competition, not counting MHSAA Tournament events.
First contest: Feb. 12
Districts: March 17-20
Regionals: March 23-24
Finals: March 26-27
Ice Hockey
Masking/testing: All participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. A testing requirement may allow participants to remove masks while in active participation on the ice if they test negative that game day; more details will be provided to schools when confirmed.
Competition limit: Teams may play up to three games per week, Monday through Sunday. Teams also may play two games on one non-school day twice; during those two weeks, teams are allowed up to four games Monday through Sunday.
First contest: Feb. 8
Regionals: March 15-20
Quarterfinals: March 23-24
Semifinals: March 25-26
Finals: March 27
Wrestling
Masking/testing: Testing is required for wrestling, but competitors will not be required to wear face coverings.
Competition limit: Teams may compete two days per week, Monday through Sunday, with no more than four teams at a site (with each individual competing in up to three matches per day.)
First contest: Feb. 12
Team Districts: March 17-18
Individual Districts: March 20
Team Regionals: March 24
Individual Regionals: March 27
Team Finals: March 30
Individual Finals: April 2-3
The same masking and testing requirements will be in place for all junior high/middle school teams wishing to participate in the four Winter contact sports.