Laura Eibler will have to put up with grumbling from her Pinckney swimmers for at least a few more days.

People involved with swimming and diving, soccer and volleyball hoped to get definitive word from the Michigan High School Athletic Association Thursday on the status of their seasons, but the announcement only prolonged the uncertainty surrounding fall sports.

Schools in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula are now free to begin competitions in those sports, but the rest of the state remains in limbo. Indoor facilities remain closed, while soccer is considered a sport with a higher risk for spreading the coronavirus.

“I was hoping I would be able to tell my girls this afternoon they only had to swim one more day in a lake,” said Eibler, whose team has been swimming twice a day at Cordley Lake.

“It’s been really chilly the last two mornings and they’ve been a little bit whiny, but I’m in the water at 6, so they can’t really complain to me because I’m doing it, too.”

Eibler saw signs of hope in the MHSAA’s announcement.

“I’m thrilled they haven’t told us that we can’t,” she said. “I will just keep on plugging on. The water temperature is still OK and the air temperature (Friday) will be 60 instead of 52, so it’ll be better.”

The MHSAA’s press release said that its Representative Council was ready Thursday “to approve competition in volleyball, soccer and swimming and diving for all schools in all regions, but was unable to do so because of questions remaining on which activities are still not allowed.”

MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said the governing body for high school sports has been told it will receive more guidance on athletic issues within Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders “within a week.”

Meanwhile, athletes will continue to practice for seasons that may or may not happen. Those seasons are now officially delayed, as competition was allowed to begin Friday.

“The overall message and feedback, if I could characterize it, is parents and kids would like a little more certainty, but they all want to move forward,” Brighton volleyball coach Scott Pitcher said.

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Like Eibler, Pitcher was encouraged by Thursday’s announcement. At least the seasons haven’t been shut down or moved to the spring, like football was last Friday.

“The fact we have another week and we’re leaning in the right direction, we’ll take it,” Pitcher said. “We’ll be quite happy with that.

“We’d prefer to have some form of closure and make a go of it, whether it’s three-quarters of what we normally go or close to 100%. The ones that are most affected are my seniors. This is a big year for them. We have eight returning this year and I fully expect them to have a great season, no matter what it is.”

Brighton’s volleyball team has been practicing with three nets set up in the outfield of its softball field.

The MHSAA Representative Council also approved additional offseason activity for football and spring sports.

Football and all spring sports can have 16 practice days, with football taking place in helmets only. Football’s 16 days can be spread from Aug. 24 through Oct. 31, while spring sports can schedule those days from Sept. 8 through Oct. 31.

A calendar for a spring football season will be released later this fall upon approval at a later Representative Council meeting.

After working with his players for two months of conditioning and practices, Pinckney coach Rod Beaton welcomes the opportunity to keep his group engaged.

“It goes into those things that necessarily don’t get talked about as much when it comes to organized sports, football, whatever it may be,” Beaton said. “It’s not just the outcome of the game all the time. It’s the social-emotional well-being of these people and their mental health. Having the opportunity to get those guys back out, get them engaged, be able to foster and continue relationships with our kids, it’s always a great opportunity for us. We’re going to embrace it.”

Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillKhan.