(EAST LANSING) – As many people expected, the high school football season in Michigan has been affected by COVID-19.

The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association announced Friday that the football season will be moved from the Fall of 2020 to Spring 2021. This is being done because of Football's higher risk for spreading COVID-19.

The rest of the Fall sports will proceed as scheduled.

The football season switch was made based on consultation with State health department officials and after surveying MHSAA member high schools on their progress and preferences after the first four days of practice. Football is considered a high risk sport for potential spread of the
COVID-19 virus because of its level of player-to-player contact.

MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl says at the end of the day, they did everything they could to find a path forward for football this fall. In continuing to connect with the Governor's office, State health department officials, member school personnel and the Representative Council, Uyl says there is just too much uncertainty and too many unknowns to play football this fall.

Uyl says no one is willing to take the risk of COVID-19 being passed on because of a high risk sport. Decisions have to be made on other sports as well, but none of those carry the same close, consistent and face-to-face contact as football.

Volleyball and soccer are considered moderate-risk for virus spread, while cross country, golf, tennis along with swimming and diving are considered low risk.

Details for the spring football season including a specific schedule and format will be announced over the next few months. The MHSAA will be working to limit overlap of spring football and the traditional Spring sport seasons.