Michigan officials working on plan to resume sports in the fall
Michigan officials are working on a plan for high school athletics when students return to the classroom in the fall. They are working on contingency plans and ways to limit the spread of COVID-19.
One option is to limit crowds in the stands or on the sidelines.
“I don’t think we can expect to have full crowds at things this fall, no matter what we play. Which if we played spring sports, that would be a little bit, I don’t want to say helpful but our spring sports simply have smaller audiences, so that might be one of the reasons why that is a good option to consider. But if we have football, if we have everything else, if we have things that are indoors like volleyball and swimming, I think we will have smaller crowds," Kimmerly said.
Another option is to move the football season to the spring.
“If the option is spring sports in the fall or nothing I think people will definitely sign up for the spring," Kimmerly said.
Fall sports could include track, soccer and other sports with low spectator turnout.
The MHSAA is expected to make a decision in three weeks about this season's sports.
There's a possibility if sports resume in the fall and the season is interrupted, the season could just be postponed, not cancelled.
“Whatever we do, if we have a stoppage, we are going to figure out a way to finish it, so if that means we have to go later into the spring to bring back a season, we are going to have all of that on the table," Kimmerly said.
Kimmerly said they are going to do their best to keep sports in their normal seasons, but if moving around sports schedules allows Michigan high schools to still have three sports seasons, then that’s what they will do.
“We’re going to do our best to play three seasons, and play them to their conclusion, and that’s really important for people to keep in mind, that’s what we’re really driving for with this whole thing," Kimmerly said.