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Second Half by MHSAA

Transfers 101

September 21, 2011

A recent blog (“Troubling Transfers”) brought us several responses where the writer had student-specific issues, to which we do not respond here. Questions about a particular pupil should first be addressed to the local school’s administration.  If the school needs help with the answer or wishes to prepare a request for waiver, MHSAA staff is ready to help.

One writer sought a list of the 15 exceptions to the automatic ineligibility of a transferring student.  Here are brief summaries (not the full rule):

Eight Residency Exceptions –

   1. Student moves with the people he/she was living with previously (full & complete).
   2. Student not living with parents moves back in with them.
   3. Ward of the Court, placed with foster parents.
   4. Foreign exchange student moves in with host family who resides in district.  Two semesters/three trimesters only.
   5. Married student moves into school district.
   8. Student moves with or to divorced parent.
 12. An 18-year-old moves without parents.
 13. A student resides in a boarding school.

Five School Status Exceptions –

   6. School ceases to operate, not merged.
   7. School is reorganized or consolidated.
   9. School board orders safety transfer or enrollment shift.
 11. Student achieved highest grade available in former school.
 15. New school established; student enrolled on first day.

Two Student Status Exceptions –

 10. Incoming first-time 9th grader.
 14. Expelled student returns under preexisting criteria.

In three cases (exceptions 8, 12 and 13), an Educational Transfer Form must be completed by administrators of both schools and the MHSAA before the student may participate.

In four cases (exceptions 2, 8, 12 and 13), the exception may only be utilized once by a student while enrolled in grades 9 through 12.

There is also a provision where a student may request a waiver at the subvarsity level for a 9th- or 10th-grade student who has never played any MHSAA tournament sport in high school.

I recognize this is all “un-bloglike,” but the topic of transfers brought some basic and general questions that we could answer here.
 

Football Practice Proposals

June 11, 2013

During 2013, a Football Task Force has been working on revisions to practice policies that might simultaneously improve acclimatization of players and reduce head trauma. Over three meetings, the following four-part recommendation has been developed:

  1. During the first week of practice of the season, only helmets are allowed the first two days, only shoulder pads may be added on the third and fourth days, and full pads may not be worn until the fifth day of team practice.
  2. Before the first regular-season game, schools may not schedule more than one “collision” practice in a day.
    • A “collision” practice is one in which there is live, game-speed, player-vs.-player contact in pads (not walk-throughs).
    • During any additional practice sessions that day, players may wear helmets and other pads (neither is mandatory). Blocking and tackling technique may be taught and practiced. However, contact is limited to players vs. pads, shields, sleds or dummies.
  3. After the first regular-season game, teams may conduct no more than two collision practice days in any week, Monday through Sunday. During other days of practice, players may wear helmets and other protective pads (neither is mandatory). Blocking and tackling technique may be taught and practiced.  However, contact is limited to players vs. pads, shields, sleds or dummies.
  4. No single practice may exceed three hours, and the total practice time for days with multiple practice sessions may not exceed five hours.
    • Warm-up, stretching, speed and agility drills and cool down are all considered part of practice. Neither strength/weight training activities nor classroom sessions are considered practice for the purposes of the three- or five-hour limits.

MHSAA staff will be taking this recommendation on the road from now through October to obtain constituent understanding and feedback. It is the intent of the Task Force to finalize its consensus regarding these matters by late November so they may be reviewed by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association, the MHSAA Football Committee and at the MHSAA League Leadership meeting prior to Representative Council action in March 2014.