Indoor non-contact winter sports practices can begin Saturday

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Wednesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that indoor non-contact sports can resume on Jan. 16. Bowling, swimming and diving, and gymnastics fall under non-contact sports. Swimming can begin competition as early as Jan. 22, while bowling and gymnastics can start on Jan. 25. Masks will be required to all participants except when they are actively participating in gymnastics and swimming & diving. Spectators will be capped at 100 people in school gyms.

Wrestling, ice hockey, basketball and competitive cheerleading are considered contact sports. Those sports can also practice starting this Saturday, but they can only do non-contact activities.  At this time, all contact sports competitions start on Feb. 1. The MHSAA will provide an update regarding tournament dates later this week.

“We are glad to have three more sports join skiing in returning to full activity, but we understand the disappointment and frustration on the part of our athletes and coaches whose sports are not yet able to restart completely,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “We will continue to adjust schedules to provide all of our winter teams as substantial an experience this season as possible, as part of our greater plan this school year to play all three seasons to conclusion.”