MHSAA reinstates high school football for the fall 2020 season
EAST LANSING, Mich. (BVM) — About a month ago, playing the high school fall sports season — particularly football — in the state of Michigan looked bleak. On Aug. 14, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) officially postponed the 2020 fall football season to the spring of 2021 after Executive Order 160 was put into place by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The order put restrictions in place making it virtually impossible to play a contact sport like football.
“At the end of the day, we did everything we could to find a path forward for football this fall,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in a statement on Aug. 14. “But while continuing to connect with the governor’s office, state health department officials, our member schools’ personnel and the council, there is just too much uncertainty and too many unknowns to play football this fall.”
For weeks, things continued to look bleak in Michigan. Meanwhile, neighboring states like Indiana and Ohio began their fall football seasons and did so successfully. Then, the Big Ten conference — who had previously postponed fall sports to the spring as well — began to discuss starting their college football season in October, much earlier than anticipated.
And perhaps one of the final pushes to bring high school football back in Michigan this fall was the “Let them play” rally held at the state capitol on Aug. 28. Over 100 players, parents and coaches attended the rally, protesting that fall sports be reinstated.
The MHSAA began taking all of these factors into consideration. They also began seeing problems that could arise with playing football in the spring. Overlap in seasons and whether or not players with college football futures would actually take the field were significant issues. So is the weather at that time of the year in Michigan, specifically in the Upper Peninsula.
After discussions, last Thursday, a 19-member council got together and voted in favor of reinstating high school football in the fall. However, the only road block which remained was the state’s executive order.
But hours later, Whitmer lifted Executive Order 160, and put Executive Order 176 in place, allowing the reinstatement of fall football. Boys soccer, girls swimming and diving, and girls volleyball can also now be played in regions that were not able to do so under the previous order.
“We are thankful for the opportunity for kids to get back on the field in all fall sports, and we appreciate Governor Whitmer providing that opportunity with Executive Order 176 ‚” Uyl said in a press release. “We share the governor’s priorities of putting health and safety first, and the COVID-19 guidance and protocols designed by the MHSAA at her request have led to the safe starts in all sports across the state.
“Thirty-three other states are currently participating in all fall sports, and the MHSAA and its member schools are committed to doing this as safely as possible. We are ready to again provide those experiences to students and communities that have hoped for a return of some normalcy. Given the challenges of online education in many school districts across the state, providing sports and a daily routine may be more important than ever in motivating students and providing a safe outlet for physical activity, competition and socialization.”
While schools do not have to participate in fall sports until the spring, championships will still be held for each of the four sports at the end of this fall season.
Light practices began earlier this week for high school football in Michigan, with full-padded practices now in full swing. A six-game regular season schedule will be played, with games beginning on Sept. 18. Teams will pick up their schedule at Week 4, and all teams in both 11-player and 8-man competition will make the postseason.
Playoff seeding and exact state tournament details are yet to be determined. Eight-player state championship games will be held Nov. 27 and 28, while 11-player championship games will be held the following weekend on Dec. 4 and 5. The state championship games will not be held at Ford Field as they usually are.
Each athlete in fall sports is allowed two spectators to attend a given game. Each spectator must wear a mask and be sure to social distance.
The reinstatement of fall sports in Michigan is great news for athletes, parents, and coaches alike. But there still are some uncertainties.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has actually continued to advise against high schools playing contact sports such as football this fall. Their public guidance recommends mitigation measures for teams and athletes to take. However, it also notes that at least 30 outbreaks of the coronavirus in August have been related in some way to sports teams.
Whitmer urged players and teams to return to sports in a safe and responsible manner while placing the new executive order.
“As we begin to start organized sports back up again, I urge school districts and athletic associations to do everything in their power to protect players, coaches, and staff,” Whitmer said. “That means carefully following the guidelines released today by DHHS.”
The sudden change of heart from Whitmer and the MHSAA also puts players and coaches in a tough spot. Not only do they now have to get physically prepared for a season that will start in just over a week, but they have to mentally check back in to the season after anticipating they wouldn’t be playing for several more months.
However, it is hard to see many players complaining about getting the chance to shine under those Friday night lights again this fall. This year has been one unlike any other, but it is nice to see the opportunity for high schoolers to play football back in the Wolverine State.