From the MHSAA

The 2012-13 Fall sports season officially begins next week, when 110,000 student-athletes begin practice in eight sports, in which Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors post-season tournaments.

Practice sessions begin Monday, August 6, in football, followed by all other sports on Wednesday, August 8. Practice in football must begin on August 6 for all schools wishing to begin regular season games the weekend of August 23-26. Schools must have 12 days of preseason practice at all levels before their first game, which may not occur before 16 calendar days. All football schools must also conduct at least three days of practice before beginning contact, and those sessions may not include any pads.

In golf and tennis, competition may commence no earlier than after three separate days of team practice, and not before seven calendar days. The first day competition may take place in golf and tennis is August 15. In all other fall sports, contests can take place after seven days of practice for the team and not before 9 calendar days. The first day competition may take place in cross-country, soccer, swimming and diving, and volleyball in the fall is August 17.

This year, two football dates precede Labor Day, and Thursday varsity games will take place both weeks. Subvarsity competition may begin on Wednesday, August 22. In Week 1, 81 games will be played on Thursday, 222 contests will be played on Friday, and 23 games will be played on Saturday. The following weekend, 239 games will be played on Thursday, 67 games will be played on Friday, and 5 games will be played on Saturday.

There are several significant rules changes on football for 2012:
—  On passing plays, a receiver must first contact and establish control of the ball while inbounds—regardless of the opponent’s action. In other words, a catch cannot be ruled on plays where the receiver may have come down in bounds if not for the action of the defender.
—  If a player’s helmet comes off during a play, and did not occur as a result of a foul by the opponent, that player must leave the game for one play, unless it happens on the final play of a half or an overtime.
—  Hand contact by a blocker below the waist of a defender is now considered blocking below the waist.
—  The kicking team may not contact a member of receiving team on a kickoff until the ball has traveled 10 yards, or unless a member of the receiving team initiates the contact.
—  Jerseys of the visiting team must be white in color, and home jerseys are restricted in the use of white for varsity competition. This was a rule change made in 2007 for implementation this season.

In soccer, Michigan will not participate in a National Federation rules change this year involving the disqualification from a game when a player receives a second yellow card and the subsequent red card. In Michigan, the player will still be ejected from the contest, but that team will not continue the game a player down. The penalty for a handball by a player other than the goalkeeper to prevent a score has been changed. If the goal is prevented, the penalty remains a disqualification of the player; however, if the goal is scored, the penalty will now be a caution to the player who deliberately handled the ball. There are no substantial rules changes in other fall sports.