Winter sports have start dates. Fall sports won't have state tournaments.
The Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors, meeting for the third time in two weeks, set the path for the rest of the 2020-21 calendar year Oct. 1.
With the move of football and volleyball back to the fall season, decided Sept. 21, a more traditional looking winter and spring sports schedule has been finalized.
Start dates for winter sports include:
- Nov. 9: Dance
- Nov. 23: boys hockey and boys basketball
- Nov. 30: boys swimming and diving, girls hockey and wrestling
- Dec. 7: gymnastics and girls basketball
The Return to Participation Task Force, chaired by Jill Johnson, Athletic Director at Waconia High School, presented the board of directors with two schedule options.
After discussion, the Maximized Winter Season with 30 percent reduction in contests — a maximum of two contests per week — was approved. Additionally, in the final two weeks of the regular season, an allowance of three contests per week is available.
The maximum number of contests for each winter sport is:
- Dance (duals, triangulars only): 11
- Boys swimming and diving: 11
- Boys hockey: 18
- Girls hockey: 18
- Gymnastics (duals, triangulars only): 11
- Boys basketball: 18
- Girls basketball: 18
- Wrestling (duals, triangulars only): 16 dates, 32 matches max
Two weeks for section play and one week for state tournaments are also in the calendar.
Johnson said the maximized winter season provided the most flexibility for rescheduling contests in the event of a school shutdown.
"We have learned that when our athletes are not with us, they are somewhere else. We want our students with us," said Johnson of the importance of winter and spring sports.
Johnson and the Return to Participation Task Force have been meeting weekly for two hours since the summer to provide guidance to the MSHSL and its board of directors.
FALL POSTSEASON
Fall sport state tournament dates have been part of the schedule, but never a given. MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens said while it is an ongoing discussion, at this time, his recommendation is to have section play as the culminating event.
He said a "super regional," let's say champions from Section 1 vs. Section 2 with one additional level of play after the section tournament, is the very most he could recommend.
“We’re not going to have the experiences that look like what they looked like in 2018-19," Martens said. "I think that’s key for people to know, that the picture they’re looking for sometimes isn’t a reasonable picture to look at."
A motion for a super regional was proposed by Troy Stein, Edina activities director and representative for regions 5AA and 6AA. Earlier in the meeting Stein said, "I want our student-athletes to walk away from their season feeling something special."
The motion failed 10-8. In addition to Stein, Russ Reetz of Prior Lake, who represents regions 3AA and 4AA, and Todd Waterbury of Mankato, who represents regions 1AA and 2AA, voted yes.
What does that mean?
Sectional events for cross-country, girls swimming and diving, volleyball, football, girls tennis and soccer will be the final step this fall.
