Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
What Gives???
Written Wednesday December 23rd at 1:15 PM
So Fall Sports are postponed again for the third time???
Winter Sports haven’t even started yet in the State
What gives???
Someone has clearly dropped the ball.
The MHSAA announced to teams to stop practicing on Tuesday because of the testing protocols aren’t ready yet from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Players, Coaches, Fans, Athletic Directors are absolutely fed up and I don’t blame them. All the false hope just for these student-athletes to return to play. It’s like a yo-yo.
Probably villain number one has to be MDHHS Director Robert Gordon.
Gordon was the person that suggested to MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl that a return to play was possible if student-athletes do an antigen test program. I question the legality of this program because most parents don’t like or want to see their student-athletes get tested three times a week. Also by law the government cannot forcefully give something the kid doesn’t want without the parent’s consent.
Gordon and Governor Gretchen Whitmer has put so many hurdles on these student-athletes just to let them play and finish their seasons.
On November 18th Whitmer and Gordon announced through an epidemic order that new restrictions were given because of rising coronavirus cases caused “the pause.” The move included pausing school sports. Gordon said that the reason was because of the mixing of different households was why they were included in the order.
Although there have been stats that teammates are like families and playing inside a bubble could work. It was very successful in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and in the NBA restart even though they went through vigorous testing.Travel is not really an issue when it comes to high school sports.
It was in September after a Let Them Play protest in Lansing, Whitmer gave the go ahead for schools to start sports under strict safety guidelines. The move gave student-athletes a chance to play much to the disagreement of MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Joneiah Khaldun.
I did talk to my co-host Ian Locke and he is right there were the majority of kids that got to play a fall season which I get and very thankful for but there are others that haven’t finished what they started.
Look at what happened in winter in 2020 and spring sports didn’t even have a season.
Uyl said that spring season will get a guaranteed season in 2021. Uyl also said that there will be three seasons but Whitmer and Gordon have been making things very difficult for Uyl to keep his promise.
Here is a suggestion for Uyl that he and the MHSAA Representative Council need to consider. They could move Winter Sports to start in February and end in early April with the postseason tournament. Also have Spring Sports start in late April and end on Independence Day weekend.
That is an option for the MHSAA.
There will be parents and fans who want to blame Uyl but clearly looking at all the data all the blame has to fall on Whitmer and especially Gordon. Nobody is denying that COVID-19 is real. It is real but there are sporting events that can be done safely.
I just read MIPrepZone’s Drew Ellis article and he’s exactly right on the money.
All I want to say to the student-athletes, athletic directors, and coaches. Just hang in there, stay strong. This is not your fault. Things are going to get better just got to believe and trust in each other. Do the things we can control.
This is clearly a failure in government.
The State of Michigan is truly failing our kids and are not seeing the bigger picture especially from an emotional and mental standpoint.
By RACHEL COALE Forest Resources Division Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Every Saturday morning since the fall leaves began dropping, I lace up my boots, fill a water bottle and head out the door. Each week, I add another warm layer as the temperatures seem to freefall downward – a jacket, gloves, hat and thick socks.
Arriving at a local park, I reassure myself, “This is good for me,” my face reddening in the chilly winter air.
And it is – this small ritual, a dedicated time to be outdoors, has been a touchstone in a time where rapid change, uncertainty and distance from loved ones is a shared experience.
For me, the outdoors has always been a place to seek joy by jumping into lakes, rambling down ravines and finding adventure on a trail – but it’s also a place to slow down and get centered.
The buzzwordy idea of “self-care” evokes images of bubble baths, fuzzy slippers and detox drinks. But it can be simpler than that. At its most basic, self-care is a focus on physical and mental health that helps us be our best selves. For many, the outdoors is an essential part of that equation.
“The natural environment can buffer us from impacts of life stresses,” Linda E. Kruger of the Forestry Sciences Lab in Juneau, Alaska said in a talk about the importance of natural spaces for public well-being.
Kruger describes the forest as “nature’s health service,” emphasizing the importance of regularly spending time in the outdoors – even in winter – to physical and psychological health.
Some estimates blame more than 75% of primary care physician visits on stress-related problems; a prescription for nature may be a benefit to many. In addition to stress relief, Kruger cites research that suggests spending time in the outdoors reduces the risk of many chronic conditions.
In a study in Japan, anticancer proteins increased in the blood of participants who made short visits to forests for three days.
In many ways, my hikes in the forest or loops around the local park path are a movement meditation that engages the senses and encourages me to focus on being present.
On a trail, my to-do list falls away as I listen to the steady rhythm of my footsteps, smell rich fallen leaves and drink in the rough edges, curves and colors of nature with my eyes.
I once read that nature, for the most part, does not make straight lines, and it has stuck with me since. Outside, I can get away from the rectangles and boxes of indoor life.
The bend of a path, twisted trunk of a tree or ripples on a pond are soothing counters to the glaring blue screens of the phones and computers I’m parked in front of for much of the day.
With shorter days and a loss of light at what I consider the absurd hour of 5 p.m., I’ve been increasingly seeking local parks to squeeze in some outdoor time between the edge of the workday and sunset.
I love the sprawling wildness of state forests, parks and game areas, but I am also growing an appreciation for smaller green spaces closer to home.
At Fenner Nature Center, a 134-acre park wedged between Michigan State University and downtown Lansing, I enjoy visits to a native prairie, rippling ponds and forested wetlands.
White-tailed deer, muskrats and pileated woodpeckers often make appearances as I explore the trails. Surrounded by swaying trees and birdsong, it’s easy to forget that traffic lights and lattes are just minutes away.
“Thankfully, the outdoors have remained ‘open’ for all and will continue to provide opportunities for people to ‘get out and do something’ while so many of our favorite activities and venues are canceled or closed,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Marketing and Outreach Division Chief Kristin Phillips. “We are blessed in Michigan to have millions of acres of forests, thousands of miles of trails and rivers, hundreds of parks and green spaces that provide a vast amount of options – socially distant and close to home.”
Looking for a new place to get outside? Visit the Your Local Outdoors interactive map to find DNR-managed parks, trails and hunting areas close by, and visit your city, township or county’s webpages to find local parks.
This weekend, I’m looking forward to a self-care routine that will involve a hike on a new-to-me trail, a mug of hot cocoa and time spent birdwatching. But I’m not ruling out a bubble bath, either.
Exercise and fresh air in the outdoors are proven natural mood boosters that can help shake a case of the winter blues. However, if you find yourself experiencing serious depression symptoms, contact your doctor or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for confidential support at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Check out previous Showcasing the DNR stories in our archive at Michigan.gov/DNRStories. To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery at Michigan.gov/DNR.
/Note to editors: Contact: John Pepin, Showcasing the DNR series editor, 906-226-1352. Accompanying photos and a text-only version of this story are available below for download. Caption information follows. Credit Michigan Department of Natural Resources, unless otherwise noted.
Muskrat: A muskrat swims off with a pond plant in its mouth.
Pond: A pond, observation deck and wood duck nesting box at the Fenner Nature Center in Lansing.
Rachel: Rachel Coale, the author of this article from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Resources Division, is shown on a hike at Lake Lansing Park North in Lansing.
Stump: An old stump helps provide a picturesque setting for the Woldumar Nature Center in Lansing.
Trail: A paved trail is shown from Granger Meadows Park in DeWitt Township in Ingham County.
Trail sign: A trail sign is shown at the Fenner Nature Center in Lansing./
MDHHS partners with GetSetUp to help residents
cope with COVID-19 separation during the holidays
LANSING, Mich. – Older adults experiencing social isolation this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic have an opportunity to celebrate the holidays virtually.
Through its partnership with the national education technology company GetSetUp, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Aging & Adult Services Agency is offering a series of holiday-themed social hours this week and next week. The special classes will help older adults connect with family and friends this holiday season. This includes a special Christmas social hour on Friday, Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.
“Older adults are at greater risk for complications related to coronavirus and have had to follow public health guidelines closely, including social distancing,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director at of the Aging and Adult Services Agency. “Over the course of this week and next, we hope older Michiganders will join some of these social hours as a means to connect with loved ones and make new connections through this safe, virtual community.”
In October, the Aging & Adult Services Agency announced its partnership with GetSetUp, a mission-driven company dedicated to creating economic and learning opportunities for older adults. The partnership creates a new free resource for Michiganders age 60 and over as the state continues to face the pandemic. Since announcing the partnership with GetSetUp,18,444 older Michiganders have participated in 28,618 sessions.
Holiday social hours give older adults opportunities to connect with others in their age group. Holiday-themed social hours and courses include:
Social Hour – Holiday Party: Wednesday, Dec. 23, 3 p.m.
Getting Started with Zoom This Holiday Season: Wednesday, Dec. 23, 5:30 p.m.
Connect with Family and Friends This Holiday Season: Thursday, Dec. 24, noon
Social Hour – Christmas Traditions: Friday, Dec. 25, 11 a.m.
Social Hour – Seasonal Games: Saturday, Dec. 26, 2 p.m.
Social Hour – Dancing to Music of the 1960s & 1970s: Thursday, Dec. 21, 4:30 p.m.
Registration is required. Classes and social hours are offered online and via telephone. To register, visit Getsetup.io/michigan or call 888-559-1614.
In addition to social hours, older Michiganders can access more than 150 free online group classes designed for and led by older adults. Popular classes include how to use a smartphone or tablet, how to use services like video conferencing, email, social media, as well as virtual social hours.
This project is funded in part by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.
VARIOUS – As consumers across the United States celebrate the winter holiday season, the leaders of the agricultural departments in seven Midwestern states released a video message today encouraging adherence to public health guidelines to help protect the nation’s essential agricultural workforce and keep food supply chains flowing.
Echoing a message released by the states’ governors in November, the new video features recommendations from the following commissioners, directors, and secretaries across the Midwest:
Jerry Costello II, Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA)
Bruce Kettler, Director, Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA)
Dr. Ryan Quarles, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA)
Thom Petersen, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
Gary McDowell, Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD)
Dorothy Pelanda, Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA)
Randy Romanski, Secretary-designee, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
The group of leaders joined together to share their appreciation for essential agricultural and food workers, who have never stopped working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They also emphasized the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, hand washing, and avoiding in-person gatherings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. By limiting the spread of the virus, we can all help keep essential workers healthy and our food supply chain moving.
And it is – this small ritual, a dedicated time to be outdoors, has been a touchstone in a time where rapid change, uncertainty and distance from loved ones is a shared experience.
Kruger describes the forest as “nature’s health service,” emphasizing the importance of regularly spending time in the outdoors – even in winter – to physical and psychological health.
I once read that nature, for the most part, does not make straight lines, and it has stuck with me since. Outside, I can get away from the rectangles and boxes of indoor life.
“Thankfully, the outdoors have remained ‘open’ for all and will continue to provide opportunities for people to ‘get out and do something’ while so many of our favorite activities and venues are canceled or closed,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Marketing and Outreach Division Chief Kristin Phillips. “We are blessed in Michigan to have millions of acres of forests, thousands of miles of trails and rivers, hundreds of parks and green spaces that provide a vast amount of options – socially distant and close to home.”
Exercise and fresh air in the outdoors are proven natural mood boosters that can help shake a case of the winter blues. However, if you find yourself experiencing serious depression symptoms, contact your doctor or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for confidential support at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
