MHSAA Announcement on Fall Sports Season Doesn't Materialize

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Mlive reported Wednesday the Michigan High School Sports Athletics Association would release a "detailed guideline" on fall sports season Thursday morning.

That hasn't happened. Fox 17 sports reporter Jason Hutton reported on Twitter there was a "delay in the process" and the MHSAA will not releasing the information today.

The MHSAA has had a "delay in the process" will not be releasing information about sports season today.

— Jason Hutton (@jhutt5) July 16, 2020

Yesterday, MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl appeared on The Huge Show. In the interview Uyl said he still hoped to offer three distinct sports season for high school students.

"All of us need to do our part and let's mask up and make sure we have rivalry games so our kids can get back to school and get back to sports in August," Uyl said.

Uyl said there are multiple scenarios on the table and that an announcement would be made by Monday. Formal sports practices are set to begin Aug. 10. Uyl said the MHSAA is planning for many contingencies.

"In the very near future, we will let people know 'Here are the sports we are looking to play this fall.' We hope we can start them all and do it on time, but if we have stops and pauses, 'Here's an option,' If we can't start on time and have to delay everything, 'Here's what that option will look like,'" Uyl said.

Earlier this year, the winter sports season was canceled during the post-season tournaments. For Saline High School student athletes, it cut short a remarkable girls' basketball season just before the regional final and denied the boys' swim and dive team a chance to compete in the state meet.

Uyl said the MHSAA wants to be ready with plans for multiple scenarios.

"You have to have solutions. If you can start but get interrupted, what would be your plan to come back and finish? Maybe the finish comes in the spring or summer," Uyl said. 

Perhaps not all sports will require the same types of restrictions. He noted that sports like golf, tennis and cross country would be easier to offer with social distancing.

Asked about football, Uyl said there are challenges.

"Football presents some challenges as a contact sport, just as boys' lacrosse does as a spring sport. Those are both close-quarter, full-contact sports," Uyl said.

But, he added, indoor sports may also present challenges.

"Even, to a certain degree, volleyball, because that's an indoor sport. As long as we remain in many parts of the state in Phase 4, it's going to be challenging to do anything indoors that would have spectators or parents there," Uyl said.

Uyl said the MHSAA is going to be as "safely aggressive as we can be to have to have activities" in school this fall. Uyl noted that other organizations are offering youth sports.

"If we aren't able to have sports in Michigan this fall, I will bet you dollars to doughnuts there will be entrepreneurs out there that will move in and provide activities for kids," Uyl said. "Part of the frustration is that the non-school world is doing their thing with little consideration to protecting the school seasons.
We are going to examine every possible pathway to have school-based activities this fall. We know if we don't have it kids are going to go somewhere else to find it. The athletic experience with education during the school day is the safest environment kids can play sports in because you have professional educators who are putting health and safety first. We are going to be as safely aggressive as we can be to have activities in our schools come fall."
 

 

 

 

 

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