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Monday, the United States Supreme Court denied a certiorari request by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, in its litigation of its sports seasons, particularly for girls sports. The process started almost 10 years ago, when the MHSAA was presented litigation, to change the scheduling of girls sports, to coordinate with boys schedule, in particular - basketball.

When presented with the suit, the MHSAA vigorously rebuffed the scheduling proposal, stating the organization and its members spend equal amounts of time promoting both boys and girls and the suit was an attempt for the MHSAA to force schools into new scheduling.

"This case is about remove schools' authority to make decisions,Ó"MHSAA Communications Director John Johnson said. "The plaintiffs ask that the court order the MHSAA to develop a plan, to tell schools what to do, and pay for that planÕs implementation. Legally, the MHSAA doesnÕt have such authority. We do not seek such authority. The lawsuit seeks to have the MHSAA do what state law says it cannot.Ó Johnson added, forcing a change of schedule draws parallels to forcing schools to have certain sports available.

"We canÕt make any school district conduct water polo, or ice hockey for girls, and it would be inappropriate for the MHSAA to sponsor post-season tournaments in those sports for the five or six schools respectively, that currently sponsor those sports."

The bottom line - the MHSAA was essentially being accused of discrimination against female athletes.

Along with a change of seasons for many girls sports, the suit claims the MHSAA should sponsor girls events including ice hockey, field hockey and water polo. The MHSAA disagrees, saying that less than 25 percent of the minimum schools to participate, had not been reached and that the MHSAA does not determine which sports are sponsored by schools. Rather, this is the exclusive jurisdication of the school boards. The Supreme Court didnÕt agree. It denied to change the decision made by lower courts, after the MHSAA filed a petition to appeal the lower courts earlier ruling, that it must realign the sports seasons, among other requests.

By rejecting the MHSAA appeal, the lower-court ruling on this issue, the following changes will take place for the 2007-08 season: * Girls basketball moves from fall to winter. * Girls volleyball moves from winter to fall. * Boys golf in the lower peninsula, moves from fall to spring. * Girls tennis, in the lower peninsula,Êmoves from fall to spring. * Girls golf in the lower peninsula, moves from spring to fall. * Boys tennis, in the lower peninsula, moves from spring to fall. * The MHSAA will offer the upper peninsula, post-season tournaments in boys and girls soccer.

The decision, obviously, was a blow to the MHSAA, which already is making arragements to move forward with teh changes. "The MHSAA is disappointed that the Supreme Court has decided against reviewing this case. Now is the time for our schools to step-up and work with the decision of the court to continue to maximize the quantity and quality of interscholastic athletic participation opportunities for young people in our state," a statement released Monday said.