By K.D. Norris
The Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Representative Council announced July 29 a continuation of its “phased-in practice and competition” schedule for traditional fall high school sports “in hopes of continuing to deter the spread of COVID-19.”
The Council affirmed that lower-risk sports — including Wyoming and Kentwood area high school girls golf, boys tennis, cross country, and girls swimming & diving — may begin practice on Aug. 12 and begin competition on their traditional start dates of Aug. 19 and 21.
However, moderate and high-risk sports — football, girls volleyball and boys soccer – may begin practice, with limitations, but not competitions until additional decisions by the MHSAA, expected to be made by Aug. 20.
In addition, recommendations on spectator attendance will follow before the start of competition, according to the MHSAA statement, and it is possible “spectators will be limited in accordance with Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer’s executive orders on large gatherings.”
According to the July 29 statement, practice for boys soccer and girls volleyball may begin on Aug. 12, but football will delay the start of practice with full player pads and equipment until Monday, Aug. 17. The week of Aug. 10 “may include football practice sessions consisting of conditioning, physical training and skill work with no other player equipment except helmets. This week of acclimatization is similar to allowed summer football activities that have been ongoing for schools since June.”
David Kool, athletic director at South Christian High School, told WKTV he welcomed the expanded clarity as to what his school’s teams and student athletes can and cannot do — “All in all, this was a very positive step for high school athletics in Michigan.”
“It is great to know that all fall sports will be able to begin practicing on time to a certain extent,” Kool said. “We are thrilled that golf, tennis, cross country and swimming can begin practice and competitions without delay. Soccer and volleyball are also able to begin practice without delay which is great news.
“Football, being in a helmet-only (practice restriction) for an extra week, is a great decision and made sense for our student athletes. The next step is getting encouraging news on August 20 that soccer, volleyball and football may begin competitions and we are hopeful that will happen.”
Limits also placed on scrimmages, tournaments and invitationals
Among the other actions announced by the Representative Council, the MHSAA’s 19-member legislative body, was the cancelations of scrimmages in all fall sports for this school year, and limitations on numbers of teams that may compete together at regular-season tournaments, invitationals and other multi-team events.
“The Council believed eliminating scrimmages emphasized the importance of keeping teams from mixing before the first date of competition, and the regular-season limitations may lessen opportunities for viral spread while still allowing meets to be conducted,” according to the MHSAA statement.
The expected Aug. 20 decision on competition for football, girls volleyball and boys soccer is “dependent on how the spread of the virus is trending statewide”, including “sustained metrics measuring virus spread and/or progression by schools and regions across the state according to Gov. Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan,” according to the statement.
“The Council, reflecting on the positive impact on their athletes this summer from taking part in offseason training, feels it’s of utmost importance to continue athletic activity moving forward,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in supplied material. “If we take a month off, our students will find opportunities to compete through non-school entities that may not be as focused on safety. Our athletic directors and coaches can provide the safest-possible environment to return to sports, and this phased-in approach to competition will help schools continue building on progress already made”
The MHSAA also has posted sport-by-sport guidance documents outlining increased precautions designed to limit the viral spread, plus a four-page overview with precautions that apply generally for all sports.
Specific sport guidelines and the overview are available on the respective sport pages of the MHSAA website, at mhsaa.com/sports.
