If Ben Smith and other Wolves get to play this fall, their season will start later than normal. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Fall prep sports, if they happen in 2020, will begin later than in most previous years.
As the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Executive Board met Tuesday and made that decision.
The board opted to push the start of the high school football season until Saturday, September 5, and the start of practices for all other fall sports until Monday, Sept. 7.
The original start dates were August 19 and 24, respectively.
Coupeville’s first football game, from a schedule put together before the pandemic seized the stage, was originally to be a home game Sept. 4 against Port Townsend.
Now, in a best-case scenario, practices would begin the next day instead, with games not starting until mid to late September.
Football players need to put in 12 practices to be eligible for games, while all other athletes need 10 prior to their first contest.
But this is where a big “BUT…” comes in.
Under current WIAA guidelines, the only sports which can compete in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan are “low risk” activities such as tennis and cross country.
To play “moderate risk” sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball, a school will have to be in a county in Phase 4 of the four-phase plan, while the WIAA has yet to set a time frame for “high risk” sports (football and wrestling) to start competition.
Island County is currently in Phase 3, but positive cases of COVID-19 have increased in recent weeks.
Also, Washington state officials have frozen the ability for any county to move up a phase, and no county can currently apply for Phase 4.
So, while Tuesday’s announcement is a glimmer of hope, it is only that – a glimmer.
In a press release Tuesday night, the WIAA said the following:
The Board will continue to work with staff, member schools and state agencies to monitor the impact of COVID-19.
The Board plans to make its next statement concerning the start of fall sports on July 22nd following its next scheduled meeting.
In the interim, a committee of Board members, staff, and select WIAA stakeholders will work to create a fall schedule with the adjusted start dates.
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