Vol. XIV --No. 3
Spring 2000
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Out-of-Season and Summer
Reminders for Coaches and Athletes
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MENTOR welcomes contributions of articles, information or photos which focus on coaching in Michigan. |
Coaches, athletes, school administrators and
parents often have difficulty and sometimes disagreement in the
interpretation of out-of-season and summer regulations. Particularly
in the spring of the year after the long winter sports season
and well before the fall season, coaches are planning off-season
and summer workouts while parents and students are attempting
to plan their schedules to include the coaches' plans and the
family vacation. It is important for all to be familiar with MHSAA
Regulations, but equally important for schools to develop an overall
philosophy of what is permissible by local standards during the
off-season.
It is important that coaches understand the difference between
summer restrictions and those restrictions that are in force during
the school year, out-of-season. The school year is defined as
beginning on Monday, the week of Aug.15 (Aug. 14, 2000), through
the last day of classes in the spring for that school. In football,
the starting date is one week earlier (Aug. 7 this year). Out-of-season
includes any time outside of the MHSAA defined season for a sport
during the school year. Summer MHSAA Regulations are in force
after the last day of school until Aug. 14.
During the school year, outside of the MHSAA defined season for
a sport, a coach for a particular sport may coach in that sport
a maximum of three students from the same school in grades 7 through
12. No activities involving two or more three-player teams are
allowed during this time.
During the summer there are specific reminders:
FOOTBALL
During the summer, informal football activities (with footballs,
helmets and football shoes) may take place with a coach and a
maximum of seven students, but no activities involving two or
more teams are allowed.
Participants in a summer football camp or clinic may wear no football
equipment other than football shoes and helmets. Shoulder pads
may not be worn regardless of the location of the camp.
Prior to Aug. 1, coaches may participate at bona fide summer football
skills camps where more than seven students from their school
district in grades 7-12 are participating.
Camps sponsored by a high school must be advertised as open to
students from more than one high school and may not extend more
than 10 days total.
During the summer prior to Aug. 1, a maximum of seven players
at any one time may engage in organized competition with their
school coach present for a maximum of seven days.
OTHER TEAM SPORTS
During the summer prior to Aug. 1, coaches of these team sports
are limited to 15 days when they may coach in competition students
of their school district in grades 7-12 if the teams (including
substitutes) are represented by more than the following player
limitations: Soccer (7), Basketball (3), Volleyball (3), Ice Hockey
(3).
CONDITIONING PROGRAMS
School sponsored conditioning programs are permitted out of season
if they do not involve equipment which is specific to a sport
conducted on an interscholastic basis. Examples of prohibited
equipment include, but are not limited to, basketballs; volleyballs
or nets; hockey sticks or pucks; track starting blocks, batons,
shots, discuses, hurdles, high jump or pole vault standards; football
helmets, pads, footballs or dummies; baseball/softball bats, balls
or bases; wrestling mats; gymnastics apparatus; swimming starting
blocks. Generic equipment such as cones, weights, jump ropes,
and other fitness equipment are permitted.
FALL TEAM SPORTS
From Aug. 1 to Monday, the week of Aug. 15, coaches of fall season
team sports are subject to the player limitations indicated in
parentheses when coaching students of their school district.
Football (7), Boys Soccer (7), and Girls Basketball (3). There
is to be no competition between school teams with their school
coaches during this period.
Coaches should also be reminded that in camps open to all students,
students may be selected for and compete in featured contests
at the end of that camp. However, it is a violation of the All-Star
regulation to invite a limited number of students to a camp on
the basis of their demonstrated interscholastic athletic ability,
place them on teams, and play games between those teams.
WHAT
THE MHSAA DOESN'T DO
As all organizations must, the
Michigan High School Athletic Association gives considerable attention
to describing and promoting its activities to the public. The
role, services and programs of the MHSAA are not the subject of
this article.
Rather, the purpose of this column is to describe what the MHSAA
does not do, and to clarify what its role is not intended to be
and cannot be.
The need for these comments is apparent from the calls and letters
often received from conscientious and concerned citizens of our
state.
They assign responsibility to the MHSAA for matters over which
the MHSAA has little or no authority, because they confuse the
MHSAA’s role with those of the major professional sports
leagues and local school districts.
Criticism softens when people understand better how much more
vast the interscholastic athletic program is in Michigan than
any professional sports league nationwide. On any given Friday,
for example, the National Basketball League might have 14 games,
while there will be more than 1,400 basketball games at the sub-varsity
and varsity levels throughout Michigan. The NBA has a large staff
to review a small number of games, while the MHSAA has a small
staff which can’t possibly be held responsible for reviewing
the conduct of players, coaches, management, spectators and officials
in all these games.
Moreover, basketball is just one of the sports involving MHSAA
schools. Unlike the NBA, the MHSAA has two dozen sports. There
are more than 140,000 contests involving MHSAA member schools
each year in these sports.
Obviously, if there is a problem at a local contest site, in all
but the most unusual situations, it will have to be addressed
and corrected at the local level. On occasion, a league might
get involved. Rarely should the statewide organization be involved.
When citizens call or write the MHSAA office about the quality
of facilities, the competency of officials, or the conduct of
players, coaches or spectators — and we have heard nothing
about these matters from game management, contest officials or
the administration of participating schools — the citizens
will be referred to their local school administrators. They serve
as the funnels and filters for their constituents’ concerns.
Usually, school administrators will determine the concerns do
not need to be addressed to the MHSAA but should be settled internally
or between the two schools which scheduled and played the event.
This is consistent with each school’s Resolution of Membership
in the MHSAA which states the local school district voluntarily
joins and accepts the responsibility for enforcing rules and standards
of conduct for their own people.
If the concern is for officiating, schools have at least three
not mutually exclusive courses of action. One is their rating
of each official which will contribute to the official’s
three-year average which affects MHSAA tournament assignments.
Second, the school(s) may determine no longer to hire an official
for regular season contests. And third, the schools may outline
their criticisms of an official in a letter to the MHSAA which
will be shared with the official in the interest of improving
his/her future performance.
Officials are requested (and required under some circumstances)
to submit written reports to participating schools and the MHSAA
office when they have concerns about facilities or conduct.
The MHSAA registers officials, requires rules meetings for them,
helps to train the trainers of local officials associations and
gives special privileges to associations with substantial training
programs. But, under law, officials are independent contractors,
ultimately responsible for their own training and their own schedules.
Most officials are proud and competitive and want to improve and
to become so good that they will be highly respected and hired
for the big games and MHSAA tournaments. The vast majority of
officials take responsibility for their actions, study the rules
and practice their mechanics every bit as conscientiously as the
students who play and the faculty who coach.
MHSAA staff cannot review videotapes from schools or individuals.
Again, there are dozens of cameras at most of the thousands of
events played each week, and it is humanly impossible to observe
and analyze tape of plays or entire contests which upset people.
This is not the Big Ten or NBA with their limited teams and small
pools of officials — this is high school sports with 100,000
plus contests and 11,000 officials.
Finally, the MHSAA Handbook, which is adopted by all MHSAA
member schools, does not allow the MHSAA office to entertain protests
of contests, even when the protest is based on judgment decisions
of officials or misinterpretation or misapplication of playing
rules. The sheer volume of contests requires that concerns be
addressed on the spot at the local level. This is what MHSAA membership
requires, and this is what the MHSAA membership must communicate
to its public.
This is not the Big Ten, NBA, NFL, NHL or Major League Baseball,
where a small number of contests, participants and officials can
be thoroughly scrutinized from a central office every week. This
is high school sports — a massive program that can only be
run at the local level, and is only successful when expectations
are communicated and enforced locally.
Letters to the Editor
Goodbye to Coach O
Making a decision to leave football after 36 years is not easy.
It has been a way of life.
Teams reflect the personality of a coach. John Osborne's teams
were always well prepared, showed pride, sportsmanship, leadership
and skill. The coach's red hair would magically get even more
red on “game day,” as his kids would ready for competition.
John Osborne has given a great deal to the school system, fellow
coaches, the league, the sport and most importantly, the many
youngsters throughout the years that were fortunate to have him
as “Coach O”.
In my thirty-six years as teacher, coach and athletic administrator,
I don't recall another head football coach who better blended
humor, established a positive connection with players, readied
a team for competition, placed young athletes in the right positions,
and kept football in perspective for learning. He has been a model
for coaches and students, always a gentleman.
As he reflects on his 37 years, there will be many fond memories.
As I think of football coaches and more importantly quality human
beings, he will be among the very, very best.
Coaches who have worked for him have great admiration and often
have said, "there will never be another like him" and
I agree!
We thank John for all his contributions, and I still think his
hair will always have a different shade of red on game day.
– John Fundukian, CAA
Physical Education & Athletic Director
Novi Comunity Schools
Classification breaks for 2000-01 postseason tournament competition
for MHSAA member schools have been announced as of the second
semester February count date. Of the 737 member schools, 185 are
in class A, and 184 schools are in classes B, C and D.
Class-- Enrollment
A --992 & above
B-- 991-495
C-- 494-252
D-- 251 & below
Schools have the option to play at any higher
classification for a minimum of two years, but must exercise the
option by April 15 for fall sports, Aug. 15 for winter sports,
and Oct. 15 for spring sports.
Sports which will compete in nearly equal divisions in 2000-01
are: Baseball; Lower Peninsula Boys & Girls Cross Country;
Lower Peninsula Boys & Girls Golf; Ice Hockey; Softball; Lower
Peninsula Boys & Girls Tennis; Lower Peninsula Boys &
Track & Field, and Lower Peninsula Wrestling.
Boys and Girls Soccer have 20 percent in Division 4, and the remaining
schools are divided equally in Divisions 1, 2 and 3.
In football, schools are placed in eight equal divisions on Selection
Sunday.
ACT ASSESSMENT DATES --SPORT CONFLICTS
October 28, 2000 -- Football, Soccer Districts
December 9, 2000 -- None
February 10, 2001 -- None
April 7, 2001 -- None
June 9, 2001 -- Girls Soccer, Baseball/Softball Regionals
SAT ASSESSMENT DATES--SPORT CONFLICTS
October 14, 2000 -- LP Boys Golf, LP Girls Tennis Regionals
November 4, 2000 -- Football Districts, Boys Soccer Regionals,
LP Cross Country Finals
December 2, 2000 -- Girls Basketball Finals
January 27, 2001 -- None
March 31, 2001 -- None
May 5, 2001 -- None
June 2, 2001 -- Girls Soccer, Baseball/Softball Districts, Track
Finals, LP Girls Golf Finals, LP Boys Tennis Finals
AP EXAM DATES -- SPORT CONFLICTS
May 7-18, 2001 -- Boys Tennis, LP Girls Golf & Track Regionals
Contusions (bruises) are “closed”
wounds caused by an object striking the body with enough force
to damage soft tissues and blood vessels beneath the skin. The
tissues tend to appear red at first, discolor to a “black
and blue” mark, and swell over time as blood and
waste products pool at the injury site. Due to gravity, the “black
and blue” mark may appear below the actual site of injury.
A large painful contusion may be a sign of severe damage to deep
tissues. Hematomas result when large amounts of blood and waste
products from severe contusions collect in a pool instead of disperse
throughout the tissue. Hematomas are most common with a severe
contusion to the thigh and blood loss may be severe enough to
result in shock. Athletes with expected hematomas should be removed
from activity and treated immediately.
Treatment for contusions can be remembered by the acronym PRICE:
Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Pads and guards
protect and prevent contusions by dispersing a force over a larger
surface area. Rest should be initiated by removing the athlete
from activity for a period of time. Ice should be applied to the
site of injury to prevent further swelling. Compression may be
applied with an elastic bandage. Elevating the injured part helps
reduce swelling.
Contusions may impair an athlete for a period of time ranging
from immediate return to activity to a few months. Most contusions
do not need special medical care; however, some can be serious.
If the athlete is able to move and use the injured body part with
full strength, with little or no discomfort, it is probably safe
for the athlete to return to activity. However, one must remember
that a judgement error may complicate the injury and if in doubt,
it is best the athlete not be permitted to return to activity.
The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association
will once again sponsor a team leadership conference for players
and coaches on Saturday, July 29, 2000 at Michigan State University.
Two separate tracts, one for coaches and one for athletes, will
be offered for the first time. This year's program, "Rise
to Greatness" is designed to provide high school coaches
and players dynamic leadership skills to enhance school athletic
programs.
The conference is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with registration
open at 8. The program will conclude at 1 p.m. Pre-registration
cost is $40, $50 at the door, and includes lunch, T-shirt and
resource materials.
Interested coaches and athletes can pre-register with Fred
Davis, 794 Fairway Court, Gaylord, MI 49735.
For the 14th consecutive year, athletic director workshops throughout the state will be conducted by the MHSAA with support from local MIAAA members at each of nine sites, beginning on Thursday, Aug. 2, at the Doherty Hotel in Clare, and concluding Monday, Aug. 21, at Pine West in Kalamazoo. The morning workshops are designed to inform and assist high school athletic administrators in the performance of their daily responsibilities. The traditional workshop for new athletic administrators will take place on Thursday, Aug. 17, in East Lansing at the MHSAA Office. This full-day program is open to administrators new to their jobs in the last two years. Programs at every site will begin at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and rolls and conclude with lunch at noon. Each agenda includes a presentation by a local athletic director as well as round-table discussions on a variety of subjects. Cost of the program remains $15. Please return this registration form to the MHSAA as early as possible, noting your site selection.
NFHS Football Rules Changes for 2000
The NFHS football rule committee held its annual
meeting January 7-8, 2000. Among the changes approved by the committee
for the 2000 season is a two-tiered face mask penalty.
Beginning this fall in interscholastic games if a player merely
grasps an opponents fact mask, a 5-yard penalty will be invoked.
A more severe penalty of 15 yards will be imposed if a player
twists, turns or pulls the facemask or helmet opening of an opponent.
States that have experimented with this rule the last two years
reported that they felt officials called more facemask penalties
since the 5-yard penalty option was available.
Committee Chairman Rex Jones, associate director of the Nebraska
School Activities Association stated, “The committee felt
that it had to reduce actions around the head and neck that are
always safety concerns.”
Other rules changes scheduled for implementation in the 2000 season
included changes in the approved colors of field pylons. Along
with orange and red, field pylons may now be yellow in color.
“The addition of yellow provides more flexibility in clearly
marking the game field with highly visible pylons,” Jones
stated.
Decorative material, except for paint, has for many years been
prohibited on the horizontal crossbar and the uprights above them.
It has been reported that some crossbars and uprights were painted
in such a fashion or with colors as to create difficulty for officials
in judging success of a try or field-goal attempt. Revisions in
playing rules now will recommend that silver, white or yellow
paint be used for goals.
Another clarification will now permit state associations to approve
a commemorative or memorial patch, not to exceed four square inches,
to be placed on the jersey provided the patch does not interfere
with the visibility of the uniform number. Clarification of this
rule provides state associations with guidance on how to proceed
when requests are made by schools to place a commemorative patch
on the team jerseys. Jones noted, “Adding specific provision
to allow for commemorative patches with written state association
approval provides for schools an appropriate and dignified manner
to commemorate special occasions or individuals.”
Clarification regarding numbering requirements for those teams
that play eight-player football was also included in this year's
rule changes. States that have declining enrollments in small
or rural communities have found significant increase in the number
of schools that play six-, eight-and nine-player football. “The
NFHS rules committee is sensitive to providing opportunities for
young student-athletes to play the game of football in smaller
schools. The six-, eight- and nine-player game is exciting and
provides an option for schools whose enrollment is too small to
support traditional eleven-player squads,” noted Jones.
The committee revisited a recent rules change regarding the size
of towels players may wear. Under this year's change, a player
may have a towel that is a minimum of four inches by 12 inches
and no larger than 18 inches by 36 inches. Last year, this rule
was revised to provide for a size restriction on permissible towels
in order to eliminate players from wearing unmarked, white 'streamers'
in lieu of towels. Revising the rule to provide for both a minimum
and a maximum size of towel should reasonably accommodate any
player who finds it necessary to wear a towel during inclement
weather without drawing attention to that player.
Other rule changes addressed game administration:
• The definition of a scrimmage kick formation was clarified
to indicate that at least one player, seven yards or more behind
the neutral zone, must be in a position to receive the long snap
and no player may be in a position to receive a hand-to-hand snap
from between the snapper's legs.
• Pass interference restrictions apply only beyond the neutral
zone and only if the legal forward pass, untouched by “B”
in or behind the neutral zone, crosses the neutral zone.
In terms of participants, football remains the No. 1 sport for
boys at the high school level. Combined with the 24,080 participants
in six-player, eight-player and nine-player football, more than
one million (1,008,413) individuals participated in high school
football in 1998. Eleven-player football ranks fourth in terms
of school sponsorship, with 13,192 high schools sponsoring the
sport.
Year Earliest Practice* -- Earliest Game**-- Labor Day
2000 Aug. 7 -- Aug. 24 -- Sept. 4 (2)
2001 Aug. 6 -- Aug. 23 -- Sept. 3 (2)
2002 Aug. 12 -- Aug. 29 -- Sept. 2 (1)
2003 Aug. 11 -- Aug. 28 -- Sept. 1 (1)
2004 Aug. 9 -- Aug. 26 -- Sept. 6 (2)
2005 Aug. 8 -- Aug. 25 -- Sept. 5 (2)
*Earliest Practice Date--Whether or not play 1st week; first
3 days without pads; schools can start later
**Earliest Game--Schools can start later; school with 9-game schedule
could have only 1 pre-season scrimmage
Monday, August 7 - First allowable day of 3 days of conditioning
period (no pads).
Thursday, August 10 - First date of official practice (with pads)
(if 3 days of conditioning were completed during the week).
Thursday, August 24 or Friday, August 25 - First game date
• Schools may not conduct intersquad scrimmages until
after nine separate days of practice.
• Interscholastic games cannot be played until teams have
completed 14 separate days of practice over a 3-week period.
PLAYOFF DATES
October 27 or 28 - Pre-Districts
November 3 or 4 - Districts
November 10 or 11 - Regionals
November 18 - Semifinals
November 24-25 - Finals
Diane Laffey of Harper Woods Regina High School
will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School
Association’s National High School Sports Hall of Fame in
ceremonies in Minn-eapolis, Minn., on July 8.
A 1957 graduate of Detroit Nativity High School, Laffey began
her coaching career in 1962 at Detroit St. Anthony (later to become
East Catholic), and then moved to Harper Woods Regina in 1970,
where she is still the head girls basketball and softball coach.
She is Michigan’s all-time winningest coach in girls basketball
and softball. Here basketball record is 468-241, and she entered
the 2000 softball season with a 701-236-2 mark. Her softball record
also ranks at the top of the national charts.
Laffey, who has also served as athletic director at Regina, was
the 1991 recipient of the MHSAA’s Women In Sports Leadership
Award.