High school football in the spring and athletics in the fall?

That could very well happen if Michigan High School Athletic Association officials listen seriously to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s advice.

With high school starting just over a month away, Whitmer spoke on the subject of high school sports on Tuesday afternoon as part of the Michigan Safe Start Plan.

Close sports in the fall, especially football, along with other sports like football and volleyball – which is played indoors – can be pushed into spring with the COVID-19 pandemic still in progress and looking like it will continue through the autumn.

“In phase 4, students, teachers and staff must use proper hygiene techniques before and after any training, event or other gathering,” said Whitmer. “Each participant must confirm before the event that they are healthy and have no symptoms. All equipment must be disinfected before and after use.

“Spectators are allowed to participate provided facials are used and they see 1.8 meters social distance at all times. The Michigan High School Athletic Association and the National Federal of State High School Associations continue to develop guidelines on how to play sport safely, which is why we call on schools to follow those guidelines.

“I also call on the Michigan High School Athletic Association to think about postponing fall sports that have the impossibility of social distance, that’s part of them; consider moving it into spring and moving some of the more individualized sports like athletics or tennis or golf into fall. I expect a decision from them sometime between July 20-25. That is what they have indicated. ‘

Whitmer said in a Monday morning interview with 97.1 The Ticket on the Jamie & Stoney Show that some states were considering turning seasons, so making soccer and more contact sports in the spring.

MHSAA spokesman John Johnson said on Monday afternoon that the sports season flip-flop has been discussed since the mid-March pandemic ended the winter sports season, which also resulted in the cancellation of all spring sports.

“That’s one of the things that was discussed throughout the conversation, and everything is still on the table,” Johnson said Monday, “but we can’t say anything until we hear from the governor.”

Now, Johnson and the rest of the MHSAA staff will be busy making big decisions in the coming weeks.

Dearborn Fordson football coach Walker Zaban has had conditioning with some of his players in recent weeks. He told how the conditioning went along with the possibility of the season this fall.

“We have mixed reports. You’ve been told you can have so many people, you don’t have to wear masks, but you have to keep your distance, “Zaban said. “When you talk to people and tell them you don’t have to wear a mask, they feel comfortable getting closer. And when you have children, even adults, and they start communicating with each other, they get closer when they talk.

“For the most part, we’ve done a pretty good job, but there are times when you tell the kids to get some water to get together, so you have to yell at them to keep your distance. You want to keep them safe.

“This thing (opening things up) was very encouraging and then daunting because some of these colleges are starting to close, cancel their season or have more kids take positive tests, so it raises some doubts. I asked so many people if we would have a season and I said to them, “Honestly, everything is in the air. We take it one day at a time. We can only do what we do today, and whatever happens later, we will deal with that. ‘

david.goricki@detroitnews.com