The MHSAA announced this week a further push back of full-contact practice and competition for its winter contact sports — basketball, competitive cheer, hockey and wrestling — to at least Feb. 1 per the latest update to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services epidemic order. Area teams in winter contact sports are permitted to begin practice today but it must be non-contact until at least Feb. 1. Competition for high school basketball is now scheduled to start on Feb. 4 while competition for competitive cheer and wrestling is currently scheduled to begin Feb. 8. — DN file photo
On Wednesday, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon, along with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, announced an update to the state’s current epidemic order.
Among the announcements came the declaration of indoor non-contact sports being able to resume on the originally scheduled date of today (Jan. 16) with masks and social distancing guidelines in place.
In response, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) released an announcement Wednesday afternoon stating that their winter sports of gymnastics, bowling and boys swimming, their indoor non-contact sports, would begin competition on their originally scheduled dates, with swimming and gymnastics starting Jan. 22 and bowling starting Jan. 25.
This announcement, however, came with more somber news for basketball, competitive cheer, hockey and wrestling, the MHSAA’s winter contact sports. While the sports will be able to start practicing today, all practices must be non-contact with the competition start dates being pushed back to February.
On Thursday, the MHSAA released an updated schedule for the four contact sports with new playoff dates in place. All contact sports may resume contact practices on Feb. 1, with basketball starting its first contest on Feb. 4 and competitive cheer wrestling starting on Feb. 8.
The MHSAA also clarified the official spectator limit for winter sports, which will be capped at 100 persons in school gyms or 250 in stadiums and arenas.
One MHSAA winter sport, skiing, has been in competition since December as it’s outdoors non-contact. MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in Wednesday’s press release that the organization will continue to strive for all three sports seasons to reach a championship conclusion.
“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,” 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.”
Currently, the remaining fall sports of volleyball, girls swimming and football have been able to resume and finish their seasons in compliance with the MDHHS rapid resting pilot program for COVID-19. Volleyball and swimming’s seasons will conclude today while the 11-player football finals will finish on Jan. 23.
UPDATED SCHEDULES
Thursday’s announcement of new schedules for winter contact sports from the MHSAA gave a slight push back to the four sports due to the start date being pushed back.
While all of the sports were originally set to conclude in March, the updated schedule was made in mind that the large majority of teams and athletes will finish their seasons by the end of the month, as well.
“Spring sports will continue with their traditional dates, with first practices March 15,” per the MHSAA’s press release. “With this updated schedule, the majority of Winter athletes will have completed their seasons by the end of March. The updated schedule does carry on through schools’ spring breaks – MHSAA research found that 63 percent of member schools have spring break the week of March 29-April 4, with the other 37 percent on break from April 5-11.”
Girls Basketball
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 4
Districts: March 22, 24, 26
Regionals: March 29, 31
Quarterfinals: April 5
Semifinals: April 7
Finals: April 9
Boys Basketball
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 4
Districts: March 23, 25, 27
Regionals: March 30, April 1
Quarterfinals: April 6
Semifinals: April 8
Finals: April 10
Competitive Cheer
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 15-20
Regionals: March 22-24
Finals: March 26-27
Ice Hockey
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 1
Regionals: March 15-20
Quarterfinals: March 23
Semifinals: March 25-26
Finals: March 27
Wrestling
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 15-20
Regionals: March 22-28
Team Finals: March 31
Individual Finals: April 2-3
