MHSAA Announces Revised Wrestling Schedule, 2021 Finals Site
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 2, 2021
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has revised its 2021 Wrestling Tournaments, scheduled for the final three weeks of March and first weekend of April, in an effort to reduce the mixing of communities and spread of COVID-19. The MHSAA also has selected Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo as this year’s host site for the Teams Finals on March 30 and Individual Finals to be wrestled April 2-3.
As in non-COVID seasons, the wrestling postseason will be divided into separate tournament tracks for teams and individuals, with competition at the District, Regional and Finals levels. Competition at the District and Regional levels for both the team and individual tournaments will follow the MHSAA’s traditional formats, which is possible due to the COVID-19 rapid testing required of each participating wrestler. Districts will be wrestled during the week of March 15, with Regionals the following week.
However, a number of changes for this season’s Finals have been put in place to provide the same experience for qualifying athletes but with more precautions to limit possible exposure to the virus.
Team Wrestling: Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals will be wrestled Tuesday, March 30 at Wings Event Center, with all rounds over one day instead of the traditional two. Two areas within Wings Event Center – the “Valley” and “Arena” – will host matches for Quarterfinals and Semifinals, with all four championship matches wrestled simultaneously in the Arena to conclude the event. Divisions 2 and 4 will compete in the Arena, and Divisions 1 and 3 in the Valley prior to the title matches.
Individual Wrestling: All rounds of the Individual Finals will be wrestled at Wings Event Center over the course of one day – Divisions 2 and 3 will compete Friday, April 2, and Divisions 1 and 4 will wrestle April 3. Both arenas within Wings Event Center will be used each day – one for each division – with all rounds including championship matches wrestled in that specific area. Divisions 3 and 1 will compete in the Arena, and Divisions 2 and 4 will compete in the Valley.
Determinations of which divisions were assigned to wrestle in Wings’ Arena and Valley were made by a blind draw conducted by the MHSAA in partnership with the executive board of the Michigan Wrestling Association, the statewide coaches association for the sport. Teams scheduled to wrestle in the Valley during the Team Quarterfinals and Semifinals automatically were selected to wrestle in the Arena for all rounds of the Individual Finals.
Spectator limits at Regionals and Finals will be determined locally following Michigan Department of Health and Human Services orders and will not exceed one per participant.
Sportsmanship Summits To Address Topics Affecting Athletes On & Off Playing Field
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 7, 2025
The MHSAA's annual Sportsmanship Summit series will return this November with four stops across the Lower Peninsula, providing training on sportsmanship topics affecting students both on and off the field of play.
The MHSAA has conducted Sportsmanship Summits across Michigan for more than 20 years. This year’s series kicks off Nov. 3 in Lansing and finishes Nov. 12 in Kalamazoo.
MHSAA staff, with assistance from school administrators and the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, conduct Sportsmanship Summits. Up to 800 students are expected to take part in the four workshops, where they will discuss the line that separates good from bad sportsmanship, both as athletes during competition and while participating in off-field activities including as spectators at sporting events.
Workshop sessions will include discussions and hands-on activities on topics including working with game officials, building appropriate student cheering sections, social media behavior and parent conduct at school sports events. Summits also will feature a session developed and instructed by members of the Student Advisory Council. At the end of the day the delegation from each participating school will meet to develop a school sportsmanship campaign.
Sessions will take place at the following:
• Lansing – Nov. 3 – Crowne Plaza Lansing West – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Troy – Nov. 5 – MSU Management Education Center – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Traverse City – Nov. 10 – Grand Traverse Resort – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Kalamazoo – Nov. 12 – Radisson Plaza Hotel – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The Sportsmanship Summit schedule rotates locations every year. In 2024, MHSAA staff conducted summits in Grand Rapids, Marquette, Saginaw and Ann Arbor.
Registration at each site is limited to the first 200 students and administrators. Schools are welcome to bring as many as 10 total representatives, including two administrators. For additional registration information, contact Andy Frushour at the MHSAA office – [email protected] or (517) 332-5046. Registration information also is available on the Sportsmanship Resources page.