High School Sports Practice Begins Next Week

The 2012-13 Fall sports season officially begins next week, when approximately 110,000 student-athletes in begin practice in eight sports in which Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors post-season tournaments.

Practice sessions begins on Monday (August 6) in football, followed by all other sports on Wednesday (August 8).  Practice in football must begin on August 6 for all schools wishing to begin regular season games the weekend of August 23-26. Schools must have 12 days of preseason practice at all levels before their first game, which may not occur before 16 calendar days. All football schools must also conduct at least three days of practice before beginning contact, and those sessions may not include any pads. 

Tryouts for Fenton Area Public Schools fall sports are coming up, be sure to check the schedule for times.

In golf and tennis, competition may commence no earlier than after three separate days of team practice, and not before seven calendar days. The first day competition may take place in golf and tennis is August 15.  In all other fall sports, contests can take place after seven days of practice for the team and not before 9 calendar days. The first day competition may take place in cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, and volleyball in the fall is August 17.

This year, two football dates precede Labor Day, and Thursday varsity games will take place both weeks.  Subvarsity competition may begin on Wednesday, August 22.  In Week 1, 81 games will be played on Thursday, 222  contests will be played on Friday, and 23 games will be played on Saturday.  The following weekend, 239 games will be played on Thursday, 67 games will be played on Friday, and 5 games will be played on Saturday.

There are several significant rules changes on football for 2012:

On passing plays, a receiver must first contact and establish control of the ball while inbounds – regardless of the opponent’s action.  In other words, a catch cannot be ruled on plays where the receiver may have come down in bounds if not for the action of the defender.

If a player’s helmet comes off during a play, and did not occur as a result of a foul by the opponent, that player must leave the game for one play, unless it happens on the final play of a half or an overtime.

Hand contact by a blocker below the waist of a defender is now considered blocking below the waist.

The kicking team may not contact a member of receiving team on a kickoff until the ball has traveled 10 yards, or unless a member of the receiving team initiates the contact.

Jerseys of the visiting team must be white in color, and home jerseys are restricted in the use of white for varsity competition. This was a rule change made in 2007 for implementation this season.

In soccer, Michigan will not participate in a National Federation rules change this year involving the disqualification from a game when a player receives a second yellow card and the subsequent red card.  In Michigan, the player will still be ejected from the contest, but that team will not continue the game a player down.  The penalty for a hand ball by a player other than the goalkeeper to prevent a score has been changed.  If the goal is prevented, the penalty remains a disqualification of the player; however, if the goal is scored, the penalty will now be a caution to the player who deliberately handled the ball.  There are no substantial rules change in other fall sports. 

The 2012 Fall campaign culminates with post-season tournaments beginning with the Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals the week of Oct. 1, and wraps up with the Football Playoff Finals on November 23-24.

* Information provided by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.