Friday, May 29, 2020

MHSAA releases new guidelines to get things started again.

Written Friday May 29th at 3:20 PM
Updated Monday June 1st at 6:00 PM

The MHSAA released their guidelines on Friday afternoon. The league’s guidelines are basically the same as the NFHS’s guidelines how to open up schools.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer lifted the "Stay at Home" order on Monday and allowed gatherings of more than 100 people and the MHSAA said that they will have more information on Tuesday regarding the restart.

The MHSAA has a three step plan to get things back up and running again with Step One is limiting gatherings to less than 10 people and outdoor recreation like walking, hiking, and running with social distancing guidelines followed. Step Two is that competition can return with lower risk sports while moderate risk sports can start practicing. Step Three means that moderate risk sports can start competition along with modified higher risk sports can start practicing. Higher risk sports can resume based on epidemiology data and experiences from other states and government or health department directives.

“The MHSAA and its Representative Council believe restarting school sports is essential to the physical and mental well-being of students and the guidelines outlined for schools today provide the “How” for schools to return to athletics when they receive the go ahead from state and county health officials” said Mark Uyl who is the MHSAA Executive Director.

The higher risk sports include football, boys lacrosse, competitive cheerleading, and wrestling.

The moderate risk sports will also be mentioned on why I question the guidelines include basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, hockey, girls lacrosse, gymnastics, bowling, tennis, swimming relays, high jump, long jump, seven on seven football, and pole vault. Although some of these sports which I think should be deemed in the low risk as I will bold them and thus see my reasonings why I question the guidelines.

The low risk sports include shot-put, discus, running, individual swimming events, powerlifting (weightlifting), skiing, golf, cross country, and sideline cheer.

The guidelines divided social distancing in three groups from essential to non-essential like players, coaches, officials, support staff, and administrators are deemed in tier one, Media is tier two, and fans along with venders are deemed in tier three.

School district administrators will determine which steps that their schools are operating based on the number of people allowed to gather by state medical rules and regulations.

The NFHS also recommended playing games against other schools that are in close proximity. The OAA has teams as north as Oxford, as east Stoney Creek, as west of Farmington, and to as south as Ferndale. Although for the northern OAA schools Davison, Lapeer, Romeo, and Grand Blanc are possible options. For the eastern OAA schools playing like Utica Eisenhower, Utica, Chippewa Valley, Macomb Dakota, Sterling Heights Stevenson, Sterling Heights, and Utica Ford are possible, and for the western OAA schools the Lakes Valley Conference schools are options, and for the southern OAA schools teams like Livonia Franklin, Novi, Northville, Livonia Stevenson, and Livonia Churchill are possible along with teams like Hazel Park, Clawson, Lamphere, Madison, Warren Fitzgerald, and Center Line are possible options as well. Could this recommendation force schools to review conference affiliation down the line??? It’s possible.

The guidelines also mention that there could be periodic school closures and teams that might have to isolate during the season due to possible outbreaks in the fall and winter although not proven that there could be a possible second wave.

It is possible that a vaccine and or treatment for the coronavirus disease 19 could be available between October and at the end of the year or in early 2021 based on the reports I’ve been hearing.

“We are thankful for our state government, state education, health departments, our medical partners and the NFHS for their guidance in the past few months and we will continue to follow and pass on these recommendations as we prepare our schools to bring back this part of student life that has been sorely missed” Uyl concluded.

Why I question the Guidelines???

I question in the guidelines why that basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, bowling, tennis, pole vault, high jump, long jump, and baseball are in the moderate risk category. I think these sports should be low risk because they don’t have a ton of physical contact. In my research, basketball is not deemed as a contact sport and there is evidence proving that. Also why are the medical experts saying that passing a ball can get you coronavirus disease 19??? until I see the evidence I’m not convinced of that. In volleyball, soccer, softball, tennis, and baseball social distancing can be achieved because they are spaced apart on the field or on the court. In volleyball there is a net that blocks both teams and that you can maintain distance, I’ve seen evidence and along with tennis. I don’t know why pole vault, and high jump are in the moderate risk, they can be cleaned periodically along with bowling but with long jump I severely disagree because that is a low risk no question there.

I get all the hygiene stuff but I think the guidelines are too strict and overprotective. I really question some things in the guidelines although medical experts have said that respiratory droplets are the main reason for concern but I really question that for several reasons. I have not seen any proof that multiple people touching a ball can cause coronavirus disease 19. Also there is evidence that sweat does not cause someone to get coronavirus disease 19. Until someone in the medical field not my friends or family tells me otherwise and provides me evidence of this, I remain skeptical.

Stay tuned to OAA Now on this developing story.

LO Cares Podcast from June 18th
https://soundcloud.com/user-539915961/lo-cares-podcast0-6-18-20

MHSAA link
https://www.mhsaa.com/Portals/0/Documents/AD%20Forms/Guidance%205-29-20.pdf

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