Michigan High School Athletic Association
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is the sanctioning body for high school athletic events, both public and private, within the state of Michigan. Headquartered in East Lansing, the MHSAA does not charge membership fees for schools unlike most similar organizations in other states. Rather, the MHSAA derives its income from ticket sales at tournament level games. Also unlike most other state high school athletics sanctioning organizations, it is independent of any governmental body.
As of June 1, 2005, the MSHAA has 762 member high schools.
The MHSAA sanctions 28 sports.
BOYS: Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Skiing, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling
GIRLS: Basketball, Bowling, Competitive Cheer, Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Skiing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball
Traditional classifications used are labeled A, B, C and D, unlike the naming system of most other states. Since the 1990s, their usage has been reduced to only basketball, volleyball, and in determing football playoff qualifiers (but not in the actual football tournament). Total 4-year coed enrollment cutoffs for the 2006-07 school year are as follows:[1]
- Class A: 1,053 and above
- Class B: 508-1,052
- Class C: 245-507
- Class D: 244 and below
For 2006-07, each class consists of 190 high schools.
Due to the large number of small high schools in Michigan incapable of sponsoring all MHSAA-sanctioned sports, a system of classifications (usually called Division 1, 2, 3, etc.), where the number of schools per division sponsoring a given sport is more or less equal, is used in other sports.
Despite ranking eighth in school-age population among the states, Michigan ranked fifth in high school athletics participation in 2005-06, ahead of three larger states: Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. [2]