The NFHS released guidelines on Tuesday regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible return of prep sports this fall season. For athletic directors, trainers, coaches, educators and officials, these are unprecedented times, indeed.
“I believe it’s going to be a challenge in every way. As an athletic director, we can always all hope and pray that our coaches can follow our directions in any situation. I need to have trust and faith that they will, and I need to provide them as much resources to help them out,” McKinley Athletic Director Bob Morikuni said. “We all need to understand (that) until COVID-19 is totally under control, we need to do our absolute best to keep us safe, because if not, I assume we start this quarantine cycle all over again.”
The NFHS also grouped competitive cheer and boys lacrosse in the higher-risk category.
Moderate risk: basketball, soccer, water polo, ice hockey, field hockey, swimming relays, girls lacrosse and 7-on-7 football. Volleyball, baseball, gymnastics, tennis and track events pole vault, high jump and long jump are also moderate risk, but could be classified as lower risk “with appropriate cleaning of equipment and use of masks by participants.”
Lower risk: in track and field — individual running events, javelin, shot put, discus. Also, individual swimming, golf, weightlifting, alpine skiing, sideline cheer, single sculling. Cross country is also considered lower risk by using staggered starts.
The NFHS guidance advisory includes these points of emphasis:
1. Decreasing potential exposure to respiratory droplets by using face coverings and social distancing.
2. Testing regimens, specific guidelines regarding mass gatherings and response to a student or team testing positive for COVID-19, including contact tracing, are all under review.
3. Due to the near certainty of recurrent outbreaks, state associations must be prepared for periodic school closures and the possibility of teams isolating for two to three weeks while in season.
The guidance also has phase levels for pre-workout screening, limitations on gatherings (no more than 10 people) and closure of lorckerrooms during Phase 1. Also, guidelines on facilities cleaning, physical activity and athletic equipment — no sharing. During drills, athletic equipment must be cleaned prior to use by the next individual.
It all sounds like a tremendous amount of detail and execution for student-athletes, coaches and trainers. Some “Phase 1” examples of limitations listed by the NFHS:
Phase 1
>> A basketball player can shoot with a ball(s), but a team should not practice/pass a single ball among the team where multiple players touch the same ball.
>> A football player should not participate in team drills with a single ball that will be handed off or passed to other teammates. Contact with other players is not allowed, and there should be no sharing of tackling dummies/donuts/sleds.
>> A volleyball player should not use a single ball that others touch or hit in any manner.
>> Softball and baseball players should not share gloves, bats or throw a single ball that will be tossed among the team. A single player may hit in cages, throw batting practice. Prior to another athlete using the same balls, they should be collected and cleaned individually.
If that sounds excruciatingly painful, Phase 2 is relatively normal.
Phase 2
>> Lower-risk sports practices and competitions may resume.
>> Modified practices may begin for “moderate risk” sports.
>> There should be no shared athletic towels, clothing or shoes.
>> Students should wear their own appropriate workout clothing (no sharing), and individual clothing/towels should be washed and cleaned after every workout.
>> All athletic equipment, including balls, should be cleaned intermittently during practices and contests.
>> Hand sanitizer should be plentiful at all contests and practices.
>> Athletic equipment such as bats, batting helmets and catchers gear should be cleaned between each use.
>> Maximum lifts should be limited and power cages should be used for squats and bench presses.
>> Water bottles must not be shared.
Phase 3
>> Gatherings of up to 50 individuals, indoor or outdoors.
>> Minimum distance of three to six feet per individual when not directly participating in practices or contests.
>> Adequate cleaning schedules should be created and implemented for all athletic facilities.
>> Modified practices may begin for higher-risk sports while continuing pre-practice screening as in Phases 1 and 2. Shower immediately after practices/games.
See the NFHS guidelines here.
NFHS story
https://www.nfhs.org/articles/guidance-for-state-associations-to-consider-in-re-opening-high-school-athletics-and-other-activities/
Meanwhile, in the Midwest, youth sports are planning to reopen during June.
Comments