The International Ice Hockey Federation is making neck guards mandatory for all levels of competition in the tournaments it runs.

Brandon Naurato was promoted from interim to full-time head coach of Michigan’s hockey team Friday.

4Frenzy Winter 2023: Vote now for your favorite students, teachers, coaches and parents!

See when public skates are available throughout the week.

Starting Monday you can nominate your favorite high school students and staff in the 4Frenzy Winter Fan Choice Awards!

After a year into speed skating and seeing positive results, Ryan Pivirotto knew he had found his niche and dove in.

NHL players are returning to the Olympics.

2-seeded University of Michigan men’s ice hockey team will not be allowed to participate in the 2021 NCAA Championship due to positive COVID-19 test results, the NCAA announced Friday. Michigan (15-10-1) was set to take on No. AdThis is a disappointing finish for Michigan as there were high hopes for the Wolverines at this year’s tournament. There was belief that they could do some damage in the tournament despite a 4th-place finish in the Big Ten. The conference was very strong this season, with both Wisconsin and Minnesota finishing ranked among the top four men’s college hockey teams in the nation.

GROSSE POINTE WOODS, Mich. – Michigan high school winter contact sports were allowed to resume beginning Feb. 8, and parents and student athlete are happy to be back in action. “It means the world for her to be able to get back on the ice and play,” said Erin Grom, whose daughter Kiera is a freshman forward on Livonia girls hockey team. Grom can recall when she found out hockey, wrestling, basketball and competitive cheer would be able to resume. According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association, things have been smooth so far. READ: Michigan youth contact sports resume -- here are all the rules, specifics and detailsREAD: Timeline, tournament dates for Michigan high school basketball, hockey, wrestling, cheer

The battle over high school sports may be settled for now in Michigan, but there’s a new issue emerging because of the coronavirus pandemic. A lot of referees are choosing to stay on the sidelines and sitting it out, at least for now, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association will have to work around it. He said that’s worst-case scenario because the MHSAA is determined to let student athletes play despite officials being down in Michigan by about 30%. Scott Waldendowski -- who officiates in the Macomb Area Conference -- said he sees firsthand there’s a lot of work for officials like himself. READ: Michigan high school basketball, hockey players have to wear masks during gamesDue to the shortage, MHSAA is currently hiring.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has clarified its rules for concession stands at high school sporting events. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that youth contact sports would be allowed to return this week. Under the current MDHHS order, food and beverages are permitted only where people can be separated by at least six feet. MHSAA is following the same rules for concession stands at Michigan high school sporting events. Any concession stand that can comply with those MDHHS orders is allowed to open during competition.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association revealed its rules for spectators at high school basketball, hockey, wrestling and cheer competitions. In facilities with fixed seating of more than 10,000 people, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 500. In facilities with fixed seating of under 10,000 people, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 250. If a facility has no fixed seating, such as an ice rink with out bleachers, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 100. Sideline cheerleaders, dance team members, pompon squads, pep bands and any other non-competing organization that attends a game must be counted toward the total number of spectators, MHSAA announced.

Michigan high school basketball and ice hockey players will be required to wear masks at all times, even during games. Competitive cheer participants will have to wear masks during meets, as well. School districts have the right to only hire game officials who wear masks at all times, regardless of medical exceptions, MHSAA announced. Competitive cheer has been deemed a non-contact sport, but all participants still have to wear masks under the same rules outlined above. Michigan high school wrestlers must produce a negative rapid antigen test the day before or the day of each meet or a negative PCR test within 72 hours of competition.

ANN ARBOR – Superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools, Jeanice Kerr Swift, announced on Thursday that the winter sports season will be delayed until January due to concerns over COVID-19. “Participation in indoor practices and competitions during a public health pandemic comes with a risk to the health and safety of those involved.”The announcement comes two weeks after Swift urged the Michigan High School Athletic Association in a public letter to postpone the winter sports season. Since Swift’s original letter on Oct. 30, new county and statewide cases have skyrocketed, breaking numerous one-day infection records. “Don’t wait for a call from the Health Department,” Jimena Loveluck, health officer for Washtenaw County Health Department, said in a statement. Schools across Metro Detroit have begun to shift from in-person to remote learning due to the surge in new COVID-19 cases.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A youth hockey team in Ann Arbor has gone into quarantine after several youth hockey players have tested positive for COVID-19. The team practices at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube, located on Oak Valley Drive. The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association said they’ve been cooperating with the health department and have been in contact with parents. This brings the total reported positive cases on this team to 6. The Health Department agreed with the quarantine of the team from hockey for 12-14 days based on the information provided to them.

ANN ARBOR – The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association has reported a total of six positive COVID-19 tests on its team. The youth team has been quarantining since the first positive cases emerged last week. The last time the team was at Ann Arbor Ice Cube was on Oct. 17, but management believes that the players who tested positive were not in the locker room with the other players. “AAAHA intends to keep each positive tested individual off the ice for 14 days from the date of the positive test,” wrote team management in an email. The team has reported each case to the Washtenaw County Health Department, which is monitoring the cases.

DETROIT Will it be safe for children, high schoolers or anybody to play sports amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic? Experts have divided 25 popular sports into three categories: high, moderate and low risk. The National Federation of State High School Associations released their list, which is based on the amount of close, sustained contact, along with other factors. Oklahoma recently rejected a plan that would have required social distancing and allowed all high school sports to resume without restrictions. One idea being considered by many states would change the calendar to shift lower risk sports to fall and move higher risk ones to the spring.