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Some winter sports teams finally heard the news that they have been wanting to hear since December as they were given the go ahead to participate in full contact practices and competitions beginning next week when Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services held a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Teams had been sidelined from contact practices since December and with the announcement from Governor Whitmer, they can compete in a shortened season with strict guidelines.
“As excited as we were to get fall restarted and to be able to finish, we’re probably more excited these four winter (sports),” MHSAA Director Mark Uyl said during a Zoom meeting with media Thursday afternoon. “It’s really been hard for kids and coaches and families and communities. We’re incredibly grateful for next week."
Before starting Uyl said “We absolutely want to recognize the work and support here from Gov. Whitmer and her staff and everyone in her office along with MDHHS director (Elizabeth) Hertel and her staff and everyone from her office. We are greatly appreciative of them taking the information, receiving the data that we’ve communicated over the last week to 10 days and are incredibly pleased and grateful with the new order that goes into effect on Monday so our winter kids can all move forward."
State tournaments will not be pushed back so teams will be trying to squeeze in as many contests as possible in a short period of time.
Boys' and girls' basketball teams can begin full practice and games starting Monday, February 8. Players and coaches must wear masks at all times during contests and practices.
Teams will be able to play up to three games a week. Due to the shortened season, teams will be able to play regular season contests during the state tournament, including if they are eliminated to try to get to the 20 game maximum for the regular season. Different this year will be that both the boys and girls tournaments will both start the same week of March 22-28. They will alternate nights for district and Regional games. The state finals will be Saturday, April 9th for the girls and April 10th for the boys.
Competitive cheer will begin practice and competition Friday, February 12th with the state finals March 26-27. Cheer teams will not be required to wear masks when they are competing on the mat due because they will be with their own team during the competition. They will be required to wear masks at all other times.
Wrestling will be the one sport that is different then the others. Wrestlers will go through rapid testing the day of each competition in order to participate and can compete with a negative test. The rapid testing will be provided and paid for by the MDHHS. They will not be required to wear a mask during their match, but will have to were them at all other times. Practices and contests will begin Friday, February 12th with the team finals March 30 and the individual finals April 2nd and 3rd. It could be possible that this years Finals would be moved to separate sites for each class. Teams will be able to compete twice a week with no more then four teams at a meet. Wrestlers can wrestle up to three matches a day.
Hockey will begin practice and contests Monday, February 8 with the Finals being played Saturday, March 27. A mask will need to be worn at all times for coaches and athletes. Teams will be able to play up to three games a week.
Uyl stated that there will be more talks with the MDHHS soon. There could be a chance that individual players from other sports then wrestling may be able to go through rapid testing and not wear masks, but at this time it is not available.
At this time it has not been announced on the amount of spectators at the contests. The MHSAA believes and is hoping it will be like the fall sports season that just completed where each athlete was allowed two people to attend. It will be announced this weekend when the MDHHS and MHSAA meet again to finalize everything.
