NCHSAA delays official start of fall high school sports season until at least September.
Much, if not all of what is known about the feasibility of a fall high school sports season in the state of North Carolina is still up in the air at this point in time.
But one alteration that is set in stone is that the fall sports season in the state, if held at all, will certainly not be starting on time.
On July 15, the day after Gov. Roy Cooper announced guidelines for schools to reopen this fall, the N.C. High School Athletics Association sent out an email to member schools informing them that the NCHSAA Board of Director’s had made the decision to officially postpone the start of the fall sports season until at least September.
In addition, the NCHSAA Board of Directors approved a change that designates the first five days of the school year as a “dead period” for all high school sports so that schools and students can focus on the start of the school year.
The email included a statement from NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker, who stated that the steps taken provide hope for the possibility of fall sports but that the September start date is not “in cement” and could be further delayed if needed.
“For now, we believe these steps provide hope for our student athletes, and the possibility for playing fall sports,” Tucker said in the statement. “Please understand this delayed start date is not “in cement” and can be delayed even further if we do not have improved data from DHHS, or some other reason exists for delaying further into September or beyond.”
“Each NCHSAA Board Member believes in the value of education-based athletics and is committed to SAFELY offering a fall, winter, and spring sports program during this school year; however, there is also a commitment to the health and safety of students and coaches,” Tucker continued. “Toward this end, we all will continue to follow the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services relative to the data and how we all safely move forward. We are in this together, and we will play again!”
The NCHSAA’s email also mentioned that schools would continue to remain in Phase One of the organization’s summer workout plans for now, but that decisions on movement into Phase Two would be discussed over the next few weeks.
“In the coming weeks, we will continue working with the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee as we plan our next steps for the fall, as well as determining when equipment could be shared – i.e. balls – and/or if we can move into Phase 2 of the summer workouts/conditioning,” Tucker noted in her statement.
However, Tucker provided student athletes with some hope in her statement, suggesting that the NCHSAA’s committee believes the state can and should offer a sports program this fall, with all necessary modifications.
“We acknowledge that playing certain sports are more problematic at any time without a vaccine; however, we remain in consultation with our SMAC members,” Tucker said. “And they believe we can and should offer a sports program, with all necessary modifications.”
On Monday, the Georgia High School Athletic Association Board of Trustees voted unanimously to postpone the start of the football season until September, but Georgia’s other fall sports remain on schedule.
Some states, including the state of California, have taken more drastic measures in an attempt to salvage their fall sports seasons. In California, the decision was made Monday to postpone the entire fall sports season until at least December.
In North Carolina, Cooper’s decision to allow school districts to choose between the “B” and “C” reopening plans opens up a new can of worms for the NCHSAA.
As many districts in the eastern section of the state opt to open the school year with remote learning, questions have risen on how students would be able to get to practices and games without buses picking them up in the mornings.
Other problems, such as the need for schedule restructuring, are sure to crop up, but for now, the NCHSAA has until September to prepare solutions.