Andrew Pace
Girls' basketball in Michigan has a long history, with the sport dating back to at least 1898 when a team was formed at Lansing Central High School. However, it was not until 1973 that a girls' basketball championship tournament was officially sponsored by the governing bodies for high school sports. Today, girls' basketball in Michigan is organized by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), which has over 700 member high schools and supports 28 sports, including basketball. The MHSAA uses a system of divisions and classifications to organize competition, with the specific format varying by sport and determined by factors such as school size and student population. In 2019, the MHSAA announced changes to its football playoff system, adopting a computer point-based selection method for teams, with divisions set in advance of the season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Organization | Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) |
| Year of Formation | 1898 |
| Number of Member Schools | 749 |
| Membership | Voluntary |
| Membership Fee | None |
| Income Sources | Ticket sales and corporate sponsorships |
| Governance | Independent of government bodies |
| Scholarship | $1,000 awarded to 32 student-athletes annually |
| Classification | A, B, C, and D, from largest to smallest |
| Classification Criteria | Student population and other correction factors |
| Playoff Team Selection | Computer point value based on team and opponents' records |
| Number of Divisions | Eight |
| Sport Changes | Six sports swapped seasons in 2007 |
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What You'll Learn
Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan. It is headquartered in East Lansing and is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation with voluntary membership from over 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools. It does not charge membership fees and is not dependent on government funds or tax dollars for its income. Instead, it derives its income from ticket sales at tournament-level games and corporate sponsorships.
As of August 13, 2019, the MHSAA had 749 member high schools, encompassing nearly all high school athletics in Michigan, including public and private institutions. A small number of private schools and a few non-traditional public schools in Michigan are not members of the MHSAA. Member schools are allowed to compete against non-member schools in interscholastic athletic competition.
The MHSAA supports 28 sports for boys and girls. Girls' basketball is one of the sports supported by the MHSAA. The MHSAA uses a traditional classification system for tournaments, with labels A, B, C, and D, from largest to smallest. Each group consists of 25% of member schools, sorted by student population, with 4-year co-ed enrollment cutoffs. To prevent distorted tournament structures, the MHSAA uses "nearly equal divisions," where schools sponsoring a team in a given sport are divided into as many equally-sized groups as possible.
The MHSAA also recognizes student-athletes through its Scholar-Athlete Award program. Each year, 32 student-athletes across Michigan are selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship through the MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
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MHSAA membership
Membership in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is voluntary and free of charge. Schools may conduct a comprehensive program of interscholastic athletics and may participate against MHSAA member schools in regular-season competition without joining the MHSAA. As of August 13, 2019, the MHSAA had 749 member high schools, comprising almost all high school athletics in Michigan, public and private. Only a small number of private schools and a few nontraditional public schools in Michigan choose not to be members of the MHSAA.
MHSAA member schools may compete against non-member schools in interscholastic athletic competition. The MHSAA supports 28 sports, including basketball for girls. The MHSAA does not charge membership fees for schools; it derives its income from ticket sales at tournament-level games and a handful of corporate sponsorships.
Membership renewal in the MHSAA begins in May, when the Membership Resolution is mailed to school districts across the state. The Resolution should be signed before August 1 to prevent a lapse in membership. Schools that join the MHSAA can now include students from the 6th grade, in addition to 7th and 8th graders. This change was implemented in 2016, making it easier for small schools to include 6th graders in their counts and on their 7th and 8th-grade teams. It also makes it easier for districts where 6th graders are in buildings with 7th and 8th graders to participate on those junior high/middle school teams.
The MHSAA provides programming to member schools via their leagues and/or conferences in the form of one-day training sessions. The curriculum is geared toward developing leadership skills for current and future team captains. In 2005, the MHSAA also created a 16-member student panel to act as the voice of Michigan's student-athlete population and assist in planning sports programming.
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MHSAA's selection process
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan, with 749 member high schools. Membership is voluntary and free, and the MHSAA derives its income from ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.
The MHSAA supports 28 sports, including basketball for girls and boys. In 1966, the MHSAA formed the Girls Athletics Committee to monitor the growth in girls' high school sports in Michigan and across America. The committee's first meeting was held with the intent of offering guidelines for schools choosing to offer girls' athletic programs.
In terms of the selection process for Michigan high school basketball divisions, the MHSAA uses "nearly equal divisions," aiming for an equal number of schools in each grouping. Traditional classifications are labeled A, B, C, and D, from the largest to the smallest 25% of member schools, sorted by student population. The MHSAA also takes into account various correction factors and the number of teams in a given sport's tournament, as smaller schools may not be able to support as many sports teams.
In 2019, the MHSAA announced changes to its football playoff system, stating that a computer point value derived from team records and opponents' records would be the sole method for selecting playoff teams. The eight divisions would be set in advance of the season.
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Girls' basketball season changes
In 1966, the MHSAA formed the Girls Athletics Committee to address the growth in girls' high school sports in Michigan and across the nation. This was a significant step, as it signified the beginning of a more inclusive era for female athletes. The committee provided guidelines for schools offering athletic programs for girls, and over time, advancements were made. For example, in 1968, the MHSAA increased the number of allowable varsity high school games for girls' teams, and in 1969, they sponsored a two-year experiment with five-player basketball contests, which involved extensive rule changes. These changes laid the foundation for the development and growth of girls' basketball in Michigan.
However, in the late 1990s, a significant challenge emerged for the MHSAA. In 1998, a Grand Rapids-based group called Communities for Equity filed a lawsuit against the association, accusing it of discriminating against girls by scheduling certain sports, including basketball and volleyball, in opposite seasons to most other states. This legal battle lasted nine years, with the MHSAA defending its position. Ultimately, however, they lost the case, as the Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear their appeal.
As a result of this ruling, several sports had to swap seasons starting in the fall of 2007. Girls' basketball moved from fall to winter, aligning with the boys' basketball season. This change was expected to bring about several benefits, including improved recruiting and scholarship opportunities for female athletes. It was also argued that having a standardised schedule across the country would create a fairer environment for all schools and athletes.
However, the season change also sparked debate and controversy. Some coaches and athletes expressed their discomfort with the new arrangement, questioning whether it was the right decision. They pointed out that the previous format had maximised attendance, media coverage, and participation. Additionally, there were concerns about the impact on recruiting, as college coaches who were previously able to watch players in the fall now had to rely on club or AAU teams for scouting.
The MHSAA's loss in court highlighted the ongoing efforts to address discrimination and create equal opportunities for female athletes. While the season change aimed to resolve the issue of disparate scheduling, it also disrupted established routines and sparked discussions about the potential advantages of the previous system.
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MHSAA's Girls Athletics Committee
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan. It is headquartered in East Lansing and, as of 2019, has 749 member high schools, comprising virtually all high school athletics in the state. Membership is voluntary and free, and the MHSAA derives its income from ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.
The MHSAA supports 28 sports, including basketball for girls. Although technically all "boys" teams are "boys and girls" teams, in practice, girls playing in these teams is uncommon.
The MHSAA Girls Athletics Committee is responsible for overseeing girls' sports in Michigan high schools, including basketball. The committee's responsibilities include setting the rules and regulations for the sport, determining the divisions and classifications for teams, and organizing tournaments and competitions.
The MHSAA uses traditional classifications labeled A, B, C, and D, from the largest to smallest student populations. Each classification consists of 25% of member schools, with the number of teams in a given sport's tournament varying depending on the size of the school. To prevent distorted tournament structures, the MHSAA uses "nearly equal divisions," where schools sponsoring teams in a given sport are divided into as many equally sized groups as possible.
In 2019, the MHSAA announced changes to its football playoff system, stating that a computer point value derived from team records and opponents' records would be the sole method for selecting playoff teams. This system was implemented to ensure divisions are set in advance of the season. It is unclear if this system is also used for girls' basketball, but it indicates the MHSAA's commitment to fair and organized competition.
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Frequently asked questions
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan. It is headquartered in East Lansing and is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
As of August 13, 2019, the MHSAA had 749 member high schools, comprising almost all high school athletics in Michigan, public and private.
The traditional classifications used are labelled A, B, C, and D, from largest to smallest. Each grouping consists of 25% of all member schools, sorted by student population, including various correction factors.
In 2019, the MHSAA announced that, beginning with the 2020 season, its football playoff system would change. A computer point value derived from a team's record, its opponents' record, and its opponents' opponents' record will be the sole method to select playoff teams, and the eight divisions will be set in advance of the season.
Yes, in 2007 the MHSAA lost a lawsuit brought on by the Grand Rapids-based group Communities for Equity in 1998. The MHSAA was accused of discriminating against girls by having certain sports in opposite seasons compared to most of the country. As a result, six sports, including girls' basketball, swapped seasons.
