Dear Swim families,

We are pleased to share with you that, after a search that produced several excellent candidates, Greenhills has hired Katie Capelli to be our next Boys Varsity Swim & Dive Head Coach. Katie is an alumna of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School where she swam for four years and specialized in the 200 and 500 freestyle. After graduating from Pioneer, Katie continued her swim career at the University of California, San Diego and earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science. Since completing her undergraduate studies, Katie has returned to Ann Arbor where she has quickly become well-ingrained in the youth swimming community. For the past five years, Katie has been the Head Swim Coach at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti, and has been the Aquatics Director at Chippewa the past three years. This year, Katie also began coaching for Club Wolverine.

During the interview process, Katie impressed with her organization, communication skills, and energetic attitude, in addition to her expertise in the pool. Katie visited campus on Friday and is excited to get to work and prepare for the upcoming season.

Katie will host an optional meet-and-greet for students on Wednesday, at 3:45p at Greenhills.

Good afternoon all, 

I am very excited about the swim and dive season this year.  Before we begin the season there will be a meeting at Father Gabriel Richard on Wednesday 10/26 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the Media Center.  If you plan on participating this year or you are just thinking about joining the team you need to be at this meeting.  We will be discussing the practice schedule, team requirements, and expectations. 

If you absolutely cannot attend please email me at enoble@fgrhs.org before Monday 10/24 to let me know. 

See you soon,

Coach Noble

Dear MHSAA Community,

Over the past 14 months, you have received dozens of emails and communication from the MHSAA as we have navigated the challenges of sports and COVID together. It appears we are at the doorstep of normalcy for school sports.

Effective on Tuesday, June 22, there are no longer any MDHHS COVID requirements or restrictions on testing, gatherings, groups, and face masks for any sports activity, both indoors and outdoors. The most significant change in today’s announcement from the Governor is indoor face masks are no longer required for anyone, including both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals, effective on June 22.

This has been the most challenging and unique athletic school year in the nearly 100-year history of the MHSAA, and we wish to thank you for your support, help, and efforts as we were able to provide three seasons that all reached the finish line for our kids, coaches, and school communities together. This weekend, we are concluding our final three MHSAA Finals in baseball, softball, and soccer as this difficult yet rewarding year comes to a close.

Have an enjoyable and safe summer. We look forward to a much more normal August and beyond in 21-22.

Thanks again for your support of the MHSAA.

Mark Uyl
MHSAA Executive Director

Whitmore Lake Athletics is proud to host the 7th Annual Trojan Open Golf Outing at the Whitmore Lake Golf Links on Saturday, August 7th (9:00 AM shotgun start).  The proceeds generated from this event will go toward purchasing a new utility vehicle for home events, updating our facilities/equipment, and helping fund our strength and conditioning program. Whitmore Lake Athletics depends on your support of fundraising events such as this to continue, as well as improve, our athletic programs.  

Dear MHSAA Community,

The Representative Council met today and took action on two items including an updated winter calendar for the five “contact” winter sports as defined by the MDHHS along with an extension of the Previous Academic Credit Record waiver, allowing local school districts to determine the eligibility status for winter and spring sport athletes during 2020-21 just as was done for fall athletes earlier this year under the previous academic term rule waiver. 

Know that we are seeking specific, sport-by-sport guidance in terms of defining what is, and what is not, allowed activity for “contact” winter sports from Jan. 16-Jan. 31.  We will share this information as soon as we receive it.  A virtual “roundtable” session has been scheduled by the MIAAA for tomorrow, Jan. 15 at 1pm, for athletic directors to connect with MHSAA staff to share information and answer questions.  

Updated Winter Calendar for Basketball, Competitive Cheer, Ice Hockey and Wrestling:

The Council approved a plan for adjusting schedules for the five Winter “contact” sports which may begin non-contact practices on Jan. 16 but must delay any activities that involve physical contact between individuals until Feb. 1 per the recent update to the MDHHS epidemic plan.   The updated schedule for girls and boys basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling pushes Finals for those sports into late March or early April. The Council approved the following dates:

Girls Basketball
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 4
Districts: March 22, 24, 26
Regionals: March 29, 31
Quarterfinals: April 5
Semifinals: April 7
Finals: April 9

Boys Basketball
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 4
Districts: March 23, 25, 27
Regionals: March 30, April 1
Quarterfinals: April 6
Semifinals: April 8
Finals: April 10

Competitive Cheer
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 15-20
Regionals: March 22-24
Finals: March 26-27

Ice Hockey
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 1
Regionals: March 15-20
Quarterfinals: March 23
Semifinals: March 25-26
Finals: March 27

Wrestling
First non-contact practice: Jan. 16
First contact practice: Feb. 1
First contest: Feb. 8
Districts: March 15-20
Regionals: March 22-28
Team Finals: March 31
Individual Finals: April 2-3

Spring sports will continue with their traditional dates, with first practices March 15. With this updated schedule, the majority of Winter athletes will have completed their seasons by the end of March. The updated schedule does carry on through schools’ spring breaks – MHSAA research found that 63 percent of member schools have spring break the week of March 29-April 4, with the other 37 percent are on break from April 5-11.

Previous Academic Credit Record Waiver Extension:

The Council also approved an extension of the previous academic credit record waiver, allowing local school districts to determine the eligibility status for winter and spring sport athletes during 2020-21 just as was done for fall athletes earlier this year under the previous academic term rule waiver.  Note that the current academic credit record regulation (weekly or quarter grade checks as set by each school) has not changed and must be followed for all athletes, as under Regulation I, Section 8.  Here is the full text of the updated Previous Academic Credit waiver regulation along with further guidance.

Previous Academic Credit Record (Regulation I, Section 7): The MHSAA minimum eligibility requirement will continue to be waived for all sports played during the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. It is for each school to determine the eligibility criteria for students under the previous academic record rule. Schools may maintain the MHSAA minimum standard (66%), reduce the standard (e.g. 50%) or eliminate and/or modify it as they see fit so long as the policies are applied equally to all student-athletes without regard to athletic ability or potential. Students must continue to be enrolled in 66% of a full-time student course load. The current academic credit record regulation (weekly or quarter grade checks as set by each school) has not changed and must be followed, as under Regulation I, Section 8.

As in the past under existing regulations, schools have the option to issue incompletes and keep online courses open and consider a student determined to be ineligible to become eligible when a deficiency of credit is made up and posted to the transcript, or on the 61st school day if passing on the 60th day. MHSAA regulations have always accepted pass-fail credit as opposed to a letter grade or GPA, and that has not changed. The MHSAA minimum standard of the previous academic credit record regulation will reactivate for fall sports based on credit from the 2nd semester or 3rd trimester of 2020-21.

Connect with the MHSAA with questions or concerns.  Thank you.

Mark Uyl
MHSAA Executive Director
mark@mhsaa.com
Phone: 517-332-5046
MHSAA.com

Dear MHSAA Community,

With today’s press conference and public release of the MDHHS epidemic order effective as of Saturday, January 16, the following is information we know at this time.  With the Representative Council scheduled to meet tomorrow, Jan. 14, along with dozens of additional questions that have already reached us this afternoon, schools should expect additional information and further communication in the next few days.

Here is initial guidance to schools based on today’s announcement and release of the updated MDHHS order:

• No changes have been made to the three remaining fall sports in the MDHHS pilot rapid testing program; since the updated order goes into effect on Saturday, the two fall non-contact sports of girls swimming & diving and volleyball must continue with testing this week.
• Winter teams may continue with OUTDOOR conditioning activities through Friday, Jan. 15.

On Saturday, Jan. 16, the following changes go into effect for school sports:

• The non-contact winter sport of swimming and diving- boys in the LP and both boys and girls in the UP- may begin practices on Jan. 16 and compete starting on Jan. 22.
• The non-contact sports of bowling and gymnastics may begin practice on Jan. 16 and compete starting on Jan. 25. 
• The four winter contact sports as defined by MDHHS include basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling.  These four sports may begin indoor practices with no physical contact on Jan. 16.  There must be at least 6 feet of distance between each occupied workout station with spaces and activities set up to maintain 6 feet between all persons at all times. 
• Based on the order, the first day of competition would be on Feb. 1 for these 4 sports with new MHSAA tournament dates.  We will provide updated MHSAA tournament dates for these four winter sports by the end of this week. 
• The MHSAA will continue to actively advocate for an earlier start to competition and physical contact practices in these sports given the non-school sports activity within our state, and the school and non-school activity in our three bordering states, all include competition now in winter sports, including wrestling. 
• Spring sports and fall sports not involved in the MDHHS pilot testing program may begin indoor 4-player workouts and resume conditioning activities on Jan. 16.  Note that all of this out-of-season activity must be NON-PHYSICAL CONTACT work at this time.
• Masks are required of all participants except when actively participating in swimming & diving and gymnastics.
• School weight rooms are now open for lifting and conditioning with physical distancing and NO PHYSICAL CONTACT activities and masks being worn at all times.
• Under this updated order, spectators for winter sports are limited to 100 persons, except for stadiums and arenas, which are capped at 250.  Note that bowling center capacity is limited to 25% of total occupancy set by the local fire marshal.

The Representative Council will be meeting tomorrow to address new calendar issues and other challenges that today’s MDHHS announcement created.  We will communicate with all schools following the meeting with more updated information.

Thank you.

Mark Uyl
MHSAA Executive Director
mark@mhsaa.com
Phone: 517-332-5046
MHSAA.com