Most Winter Sports Paused for Now. Fall Sports set to begin in January.

Written Friday December 18th at 3:00 PM

Updated Tuesday December 29th at 7:20 PM

Well most Winter Sports are still paused for now.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Medical Executive Joniah Khaldun, and Director Robert Gordon announced that indoor contact sports are still banned for now in a new epidemic order that is effective until January 15th.

That could change if trends improve which they have been lately.

Gordon mentioned that fall sports like football, volleyball, and swimming and diving can end their seasons. Excluding them from the order. 

However due to testing protocols not being in yet from the MDHHS all practices were halted by the MHSAA until December 28th. 

Football will have non contact practices until each player tests negative in the first round of testing before they can begin contact practicing. The regional finals are set to start on January 9th while the State Semifinals will take place on January 16th while the State Finals will take place on January 22nd and 23rd. 

The MHSAA announced on Tuesday afternoon that Volleyball and Girls Swimming and Diving will start practicing on January 4th with State quarterfinal play starting on January 12th for volleyball and State semifinals and finals for both sports on January 15th and 16th. 

Both sports like football are also required to do the antigen testing by the MDHHS.

Volleyball quarterfinals will be at host sites while the semifinals and finals will be played at the Kellogg Center in Battle Creek.

Girls Swimming and Diving finals will be held at the three host sites.

There will be no spectators and all safety protocols will be in place.

The OAA currently has North Farmington, Oak Park, and West Bloomfield still playing in football while Clarkston is the only school left in volleyball. North Farmington heads to Traverse City Central, Oak Park goes to Livonia Churchill, while West Bloomfield hosts Romeo. Clarkston volleyball will play Grand Blanc at Lapeer in the State Quarterfinals.

The new order is not good for the indoor winter sports except for skiing which is outdoors. It’s possible they could go to the spring. It is possible that the MHSAA could extend the seasons past June.

Gordon announced a new antigen testing program that can be implemented for fall sports. Wonder if it could be addressed for winter and spring sports???

“With respect to sports, outdoor and non-contact sports are reopening. We will also be offering a new pilot program for fall sports, including contact sports that use antigen tests in order to ensure safety as students complete high school fall championships. This is a very limited number of schools that had seasons interrupted and this will be a chance to do two things, it will let students complete a season that is, of course very important to them. And it will allow schools and the State of Michigan to work together to learn how these antigen tests to encourage safe reopening in January” said Gordon.

This has clearly been a failure on part of the MDHHS and the MHSAA for the lack of communication. These kids are clearly getting shafted again which is not right.

It will be very interesting to see what happens with winter sports. It will be something to keep an eye on.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Here is the MHSAA's Statement.

https://www.mhsaa.com/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9455/MHSAA-Fall-Tournaments-to-Resume-Updated-Winter-Tournament-Schedules-Forthcoming

Updated Press Release

https://www.mhsaa.com/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9461/Remaining-MHSAA-Fall-Tournaments-Set-to-Conclude-in-January

Here is the Tweet from State Champs from MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl

https://twitter.com/statechampsmich/status/1340041028125020164

Why Everyone Making the Football Playoffs is a Good Thing.

Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM

Why everyone making the playoffs is a good thing.

In other sports everyone makes the playoffs. In football it was done this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Could this be the norm???

This pandemic playoff format where everyone makes the playoffs has been a success. This is something that the MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl and the MHSAA Representative Council need to seriously look at.

You had some great and intriguing matchups in the postseason that no one would had thought off like Lake Orion/Grand Blanc, West Bloomfield/Sterling Heights Stevenson, Stoney Creek/Chippewa Valley etc.

Oak Park would have not made the playoffs under the old or orginal format which is based on strength of schedule and playoff points. In 2019, you needed six wins to make the playoffs. The Knights went 0-6 this season but right now they would be still playing if not for this pause.

How it would work is that everyone plays eight games and expand the playoffs like this year. It would create very interesting storylines.

There are coaches and some fans that are against this model because it rewards bad teams and that everyone makes the postseason. On the flip side if you have played a brutal schedule and don't have a winning record and you see a team that has an easier schedule make the playoffs then you'll be up at arms.

OAA 2017 rings that bell.

As a former player and current blogger and podcaster I think this is an awesome format to look at in the future and it creates surprising matchups and teams like we have seen in this postseason.

The pandemic playoff format tells where several schools particularly in the OAA have to be in the conversation.

We know about West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Adams, Oak Park, Southfield Arts and Tech, Groves, Seaholm, North Farmington, Farmington, and Stoney Creek. They have been there and done that. They have won State titles or have had deep playoff runs but there are several schools that have been underachieving programs that could use this experience to reshape their brand.

For teams that were in the Blue this season, it pretty much tells the whole story.

Rochester was the division champ going unbeaten for the first time since 1991 but they were blown out by Adams. Avondale lost to Groves. Troy Athens was blown out by Southfield Arts and Tech. Those three schools lost to OAA schools that were either in the Red or in the White which of course is much tougher competition all in the first round. Ferndale lost to Detroit Renaissance which I’ll mention below about them because their problem seems to be out of league. Pontiac was blown out which I also mention below. Troy and Berkley both won their first round games over Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak respectably but were blown out by West Bloomfield and Warren Mott in the district semifinals.

Ferndale is the perfect example of a program needing this pandemic playoff format. The Eagles have the smallest enrollment in the OAA but they have a Co-Op program with Ferndale University which puts them in Division Two for the postseason. My biggest issue with Ferndale is that the Eagles have proven they are a league contender in the Blue but it’s when they go out of the OAA and face bigger schools like Detroit Renaissance this is where they struggle. This is something that Coach Eric Royal needs to address this offseason, it’s not the in league but the out of league they need to address.

I was very happy for Pontiac and their student athletes. A football program that has had a very difficult nine years (5-72 since.) Let’s be fair the Phoenix are the only Division Three school in the OAA. For them to experience what it’s like in the postseason is a huge accomplishment. Pontiac had to go to Bay City and got blown out 64-0 by Bay City Central in the first round. The league seriously need to help Pontiac big time especially with what they have been going through maybe give them some open dates not have them go through that gauntlet. I wrote a separate column surrounding this issue.

Should teams be rewarded for the tough schedules they play sure but it’s up to those teams as mentioned in the Blue that need to step up and show results.

At the end of the day this pandemic postseason format gave everyone a chance to play. Should the MHSAA and the Representative Council make this permanent it would be very interesting. It could create a Cinderella story and it gives teams a fresh start from the regular season and into the postseason.

It's time for the OAA to help Pontiac Football.

Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM

It’s time to help Pontiac Football out.

It has been a rough ride for the Phoenix and Athletic Director Lee Montgomery and Coach Charles White.

Pontiac has had to go through numerous coaching changes. Uncertainties regarding their program. State intervention, you name it.

The Phoenix are 5-72 since 2011. 2011 was the last time they made the playoffs. They are 3-20 combined against Avondale, Berkley, and Ferndale. If you include Royal Oak its 5-25.

Pontiac did make the playoffs this season as part of the pandemic postseason. They were in Division Three and played Bay City Central where they were blown out 64-0.

Should the league allow the Phoenix to go out of league and find more open dates???

It would help them with their confidence and develop their program.

Pontiac has had a ton of problems with a lot of things out of their control. Playing in the OAA has some advantages but every week they are playing a tough opponent and are getting blown out in each game.

That impacts player confidence.

I know it takes time to develop a program but if the league can help the Phoenix out by giving them open dates so they can find winnable games, it would go a long way to building their program back up so they can be at a better position where they can compete in the OAA.

This is not a knock on their players, staff, athletic department, and program. They are working really hard and getting better each day. 

Help from the league would go a long way to help them move forward.

Whitmer and Gordon Extend Pause.

Written Monday December 7th at 7:00 PM

Disappointment is an understatement.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the shutdown that included high school sports for 12 more days on Monday. The shutdown should end December 20^th.

Everything right now is still at a standstill.

MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl was very disappointed in Whitmer, MDHHS Director Robert Gordon, and Michigan Chief Medical Executive Joneigh Khaldun.

“We realize the crisis our medical caregivers and first responders are navigating and understand the need to continue the pause. However the MHSAA had provided a detailed plan to both Governor Whitmer and MDHHS that would had completed fall tournaments with no spectators as safely as possible during the month of December along with allowing winter sports practices to resume. While we are disappointed with today’s announcement we will continue to look forward as we remain committed to play three seasons to their conclusion. The MHSAA Representative Council will meet on Wednesday of this week to chart out another plan for finishing Fall and restarting Winter.”

Whitmer said that her first priority would be reopening schools first but it’s what Gordon said that has gotten parents, coaches, students, and sports fans a like mad. “I think when it comes to sports, there is a range of risk levels. At one end you have individual activities that are outdoors and where people are spaced out. At another level, you have contact sports outdoors and at another level, you have indoor contact sports. As you go through the level of risk increases and we have to think carefully about moving through them. I would just leave it where the governor did, that’s our first priority and also lower risk than a lot of those activities is getting the schools open for education.”

Education is a huge priority but sports is very important to a school setting and it’s a motivator for kids to be in school.

A lot of people are furious with Whitmer and Gordon. They took their frustration on Twitter.

“Just want to throw up right now. So sick for all high school athletes” said Ypsilanti Arbor Prep Girls Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Scott Stine.

“You got to be kidding me. High School coaches can do conditioning and skill work safely using multiple rims/gyms in a high school facility and the protocols we used for fall sports. Watch how fast “travel” teams pop up with zero COVID protocols and zero academic standards to play” said Detroit Southeastern Boys Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Anthony Paciero.

Stoney Creek Boys Basketball Coach Steve Norgrove was very upset with Whitmer when it came to the mental health component which all three did not address in the press conference. “Disappointed, Let Down by @GovWhitmer. Would be considerate to address MI students and their mental health. Talk directly and support them. Instead it took 22 minutes before the topic was even addressed. Our most precious resource continues to be ignored, shameful.”

The dangers are still there from an emotional and mental side of things.

“Still no option for High School Coaches to work with their student athletes on an individual basis with all the safety protocols in place. Shortsighted not understanding the ramifications, cost to students/families, loss of connection to high school coaches, driving privatization of sports” said Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit Boys Basketball coach Pat Donnelly.

However Corunna Boys Basketball Coach Rocky Buscemi took a bit of a different approach.

“Coaches control the controllables, you can still work on things. Find ways as a coach to still improve yourself and your team. I don’t agree with the extension, I hate it but I didn’t agree with my daughter getting cancer earlier in the year. We have to move on and teach resilience through our actions. There is no doubt that sports taught me how to deal with what we are going through and I am grateful for that and thankful I had great coaches growing up. We have to figure out what the next thing our team needs is or what they could do. My family follows my lead, like our players will follow our lead. If a player is good enough to play at a prep school unfortunately that may be their best option and we support them. For the other 95 percent of high school athletes we need to be there more than ever. Think outside the box, work on the mental part of the game (playbooks, chalk talks on zoom, film study of pros, leadership, etc.) Do some virtual workouts, yoga, and strength training. Complaining on Twitter does nothing for our kids. Teams that adapt and still find ways to improve will put players and their teams in a position to do better when we hopefully resume play but more importantly we will continue to teach them lessons that will last beyond basketball. I believe the MHSAA is doing all they can and trust that they will carry our message of the need for sports but again whether that message is received by the powers that be is unfortunately out of our control. Press on coaches, our players need us more than ever.”

At the end of the day Whitmer and Gordon opened Pandora’s Box. There is a lot of people that are mad and upset about this. This move will open up AAU opportunities for players to take advantage of thanks to the shutdown.

Even if it’s worth saving lives there is an emotional and mental component to all of this.

Today was not a good day for school sports and general.

No Update on Return to Sports.

 Written Friday December 4th at 4:10 PM

There is still no word from the State of Michigan regarding the decision to let high school sports back especially fall sports to finish their season.

MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said on the Huge Show that he wrote a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Chief Medical Executive Doctor Joneigh Khaldun, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon last week.

He mentioned that there were positive dialogue between them and the governor’s office but no decision hasn’t been made yet.

The MHSAA is still waiting for an answer after Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun announced a three week pause on November 18^th which included pausing fall and winter sports. The pause expires on December 8^th even though Whitmer hinted that her restrictions could be extended because of the rising coronavirus cases.

Football was at the regional final rounds while volleyball and swimming and diving were at the final weeks of the season.

Uyl made mention that they would likely finish the season without fans in the stands if given the green light.

Uyl did mention if sports are not allowed until 2021 then the league would have to go back to the drawing board. He said that volleyball and swimming and diving could be moved back to January and February while football would have to be moved to the spring just for those three weeks. Winter and spring sports would be pushed back as well.

Uyl mentioned that he was an optimist about the completion of fall sports. “I’m an optimist by nature. That is where I continue to live both mentally and physically.”Also what helps is that you can do sports even when schools are remote. Most schools were remote during fall season.

 

Thoughts

I’ve had hints that this could happen with previous podcasts where the MHSAA could push everything back. It wouldn’t surprise me if the 2020-2021 school year ends in July.

It does seem encouraging that there has been some positive dialogue between Whitmer, Khaldun, Gordon, and the MHSAA. It does seem that Whitmer wants everything to be successful and that she is taking the emotional and mental side of things into account.

We’ll find out more when the announcement is made.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Mental Health Aspect-Opinion Peace.

Written Wednesday November 18th at 9:10 PM

What I’ve been hearing with coronavirus cases rising in the State. The State decided that a three week pause could help things however something else is brewing underneath everything that the media, state officials, or medical experts should look at.

The mental health and emotional component.

The mental health of student athletes is seriously at risk and that is a serious problem.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services medical executive Joneigh Khaldun, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer put a pause in school sports among other things for three weeks on Sunday night.

I thought about what more mental anguish and sadness that these student athletes have to suffer thanks to these three.

Gordon said in the press conference that the reason why school sports were paused was because of contact risks. “We are suspending organized sports for three weeks because they bring together people in setting that often involve high levels of contact and exhalation and where individuals move from outdoors to indoors.”

I’m not buying what Gordon is saying at all. All schools do temperature checks and have “clear to go apps” even before they enter the building. Schools have done a great job keeping students and staff safe, I've seen it. This was all done behind MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl’s back. He wasn’t even consulted when the new restrictions came out. 

Most health experts say that school sports can create "super-spreader events" because of the mixing but there is evidence out there that that is not the case. According to the MHSAA there was no evidence that the virus was spread at their events. Also there was no evidence that the virus spread through AAU events or any community wide outbreaks in those settings. Now there have been student athletes that have gone into quarantine don't get me wrong because they were exposed or came close to someone who was exposed but there hasn't been really any evidence of a community wide outbreak surrounding school sports.

It makes you think that Gordon was behind all of this all along.

In Ohio with their winter sports, they are going with everything as planned.

Whitmer forced the MHSAA's hand in the spring as she shut spring sports down through executive orders which caused mental anguish for kids.

The MHSAA Executive Council and Uyl put together a plan that once the order was lifted they would resume all practices starting December 9^th. Volleyball would have quarterfinals play on December 15^th and would have the semifinals and finals on December 17^th thru 19^th at the Kellogg Center in Battle Creek. Girls Swimming and Diving would be conducted on December 22^nd and 23^rd with three high schools hosting one meet. Football regionals would be played December 15^th and 16^th followed by the State semifinals on December 21^st and 22^nd and the State Finals at Ford Field on December 28^th and 29^th.

Girls Basketball has already been in practice while the rest of winter sports haven’t started tryouts yet.

All of this could change if coronavirus case numbers don’t go down which would make this decision by Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun that much more heartbreaking and if they were to extend the epidemic order past December 8th.

I read an article about high school sports and mental health and it was a very interesting read. Mental health is not a one size fits all approach. As I read this article in the Indianapolis Star, there was a study out that said that 65 percent reported symptoms of depression and 36 percent showed that student athletes having moderate or severe anxiety.

Indiana assistant director for school mental health Kristy Eaton said in the article that "We need to be aware that depression and anxiety and feelings of isolation our kids and student-athletes are very much at risk right now. Research tells us that about one out of every five kids sitting in a classroom has a diagnosed or a diagonosable mental health condition. Add the stressors of the unknowns about COVID and you have a recipe for kids that may really start struggling with their own mental health."

Mental health is not a one size fits all approach. Some kids respond to it differently than others but it can be very dangerous if something is taken away. "It can manifest in moodiness and irritability or an angry outburst often underlying that is fear. I don't know what is going to happen next with this COVID thing. Sleep and hygiene issues can crop up. Same thing with eating issues, overeating-refusing to eat. You might see substance abuse. You might see or hear talk of suicide. Those are some of the warning signs that kids have gotten into a situation where it's likely that they're going to need some professional help" Eaton concluded.

Playing school sports helps the mental mind and has given student athletes a sense of normalcy but if sports were taken away it could lead to more bad than good. Playing sports also helps develop time management skills and team bonding.

I noticed that in Uyl and the MHSAA Executive Council. They looked at the mental health aspect of student athletes which is why they went ahead and kept things as normal as possible in August with no changes along with mask wearing and social distancing. Most student athletes are doing the right thing. I have a lot more questions for Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun. If they (Whitmer, Gordon, or Khaldun) want on my podcast, I’ll let them on or if they want to have a conversation, I have an email if they want to explain why school sports were paused and the mental health aspects that student athletes face, I'm at samsdragons@yahoo.com

It is no doubt that student athletes belong in a school setting building relationships and bonds. Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit boys basketball coach Pat Donnelly wrote on Twitter a very interesting tweet that I really hope Gordon, Khaldun, and Whitmer read. “OPEN, Gyms for individual exercise. CLOSED, Organized sports, and fitness centers so why is it that we can’t host individual workouts for HS (high school) athletes??? Physical health, mental health, future opportunities (college.) And yes they can wear a mask and be socially distant.” 

That’s a very good question. The MHSAA and State put the mask and social distancing guidelines in the fall. Schools and student-athletes have followed them to the bone to keep their seasons intact.

Maybe Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun didn’t think it through before deciding to shut sports down for three weeks or maybe they don’t care about the student athlete or their mental and emotional well being.

Maybe it’s time for Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun to explain the emotional and mental aspect that this is taking its toll on our student athletes. I would like to see more of that in the future. 

 

The Indy Star article.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/09/01/how-covid-can-affect-high-school-athletes-mental-health-and-how-they-can-get-help/3405045001/

 MHSAA Restart article.

https://www.mhsaa.com/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9444/MHSAA-Representative-Council-Announces-Schedule-to-Complete-Fall-Sports-Resume-Winter