By Jonathan Cunningham
Arrow
Utica HS
In a press release on Wednesday, Jan. 13, the Michigan High School Athletic Association announced that, beginning Saturday, Jan. 16, all winter sports may start practicing with strict guidelines. Non-contact sports can begin having full practices and games, while contact sports will have to keep practices non-contact and will not have games until at least Sunday, Feb. 21.
Two Utica sports returned to practice and games: bowling, and swimming/diving. Both can begin competition Jan. 22.
The four sports returning to practice with no competition are basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling, all of which can start scheduling contests for Feb. 21.
MHSAA also stated that, due to the later start date for these four sports, state tournaments will be readjusted and adapted. Athletic Director Karyn Holmes believes that all sports will see a season of some length.
“I am very hopeful we will see a season for all sports,” Holmes said. “We will be grateful for whatever length of season that is allowed and can be accomplished safely.”
Holmes knows there will be challenges getting these seasons underway.
“We are hopeful that once the order that prohibits contact sports from competing is expired, hopefully at that time we will be allowed to be within 6 feet during the action of play, which will allow all sports to begin safely.”
Tryouts for winter sports were already completed before the pause, except for boys basketball, which held their tryouts Jan. 20 though the 22. Wrestling is a no-cut sport, so tryouts were not required.
Spectators will most likely still be very limited, according to Holmes, with no sure rules or regulations yet in place.
“Like in the fall, there will be limited spectators,” Holmes said. “Those specifics are still being determined, There will be contact tracing screening upon entry and disinfecting protocols, as well as wearing masks at all times in and around the buildings.”
Student athletes are super excited to get back to playing their respective sports. Junior Frank Valenti, who plays for the Utica-Ford Unified hockey team, can’t wait to be back after the long, drawn-out delay.
“It’s exciting,” Valenti said. “We haven’t really had any competition since our fall season, which was cut short due to COVID, so we’re all just happy to be able to get back on the ice and skate as much as we can.”
Everyone is hopeful that winter sports can finally get underway and that Utica athletics can have successful seasons in all winter sports. In the meantime, athletes are following strict guidelines during practices, and are hopeful the Michigan Department of Heath and Human Services will allow winter contact sports to resume sooner, rather than later.
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