(EAST LANSING) – It looks like the 2020 Fall sports season will be happening for schools in Michigan.

With the announcement by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday allowing for organized sports to take place around the state, the Michigan High School Athletic Association announced that their Representative Council reinstated the Fall 2020 football season. The Council also announced that boys soccer, along with girls volleyball and girls swimming and diving can begin in Lower Peninsula Regions 1 through 5 and Region 7.

Schools in Regions 6 and 8 have been able to play volleyball, soccer and swim because these regions have been under fewer restrictions while in Phase 5 of the MI Safe Start Plan for re-opening the state.

The MHSAA says schools are not required to play any of these sports this fall, and may postpone them until the Spring of 2021. However, the MHSAA will conduct its postseason events in these sports only in the Fall season.

Boys soccer, girls volleyball and girls swimming and diving may begin their season on September 9. There will be limits of two spectators per participant at these indoor and outdoor events.

With the reinstatement of football, teams must cease all activity until Tuesday, September 8, then practice two days in helmets and shoulder pads until adding full pads on September 10.

Teams may begin regular-season games on September 18. They will play six games beginning with their originally-scheduled Week 4 contests. All football teams in 11 and 8 player football will qualify for the playoffs during this fall's shortened season. They will then advance through their usual postseason progression.

The 8 player finals will be the weekend of November 27 and 28, and the 11 player finals will be the weekend of December 4 and 5.