Coupeville’s Willie Smith and fellow Northwest League Athletic Directors have a plan to return their athletes to play. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
This is the way.
It’s not everyone’s way, but it will be our way.
Coupeville High School, and its rivals in the Northwest 2B/1B League are breaking free from Washington Interscholastic Activities Association guidelines, and have set their own path for returning to playing sports contests.
As everyone deals with the fallout of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the WIAA is allowing individual leagues far-greater flexibility to make their own schedules.
With that in mind, NWL Athletic Directors approved a plan in which their athletes will play traditional spring sports first, followed by fall sports, before closing the 2020-2021 school year with winter sports.
The plan has been submitted to the WIAA for approval.
Actually playing games will depend on whether counties reach new metrics set by Governor Jay Inslee and the state health department, however.
Their plan — Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery — divides the state into eight regions.
The North region includes Island, Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan Counties.
NWL mates Coupeville, La Conner, Concrete, Mount Vernon Christian, Orcas Island, and Friday Harbor sit in that region.
Chimacum (Jefferson County) and Darrington (Snohomish County) are in the Northwest and Puget Sound regions, respectively.
All regions started in Phase 1 of the plan this week. Once a region moves to Phase 2, schools can begin playing games.
To reach Phase 2, a region must meet four metrics:
**10-percent decline in COVID-19 case rates over the past two weeks.
**10-percent decrease in COVID-19 hospital admission over the past two weeks.
**ICU occupancy under 90 percent.
**Test positivity less than 10 percent.
The NWL return to play plan calls for three six-week seasons, with some overlap.
Athletes will begin practice for the next season during the last week of the prior season.
“Think of it as if all of our teams that are playing would be in a state tournament and the next sport is getting ready for their season,” said Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith. “That is the goal, isn’t it?
“So our coaches will be working together to formulate a practice plan/requirements for those student-athletes that are playing multiple sports.”
Spring sports:
Baseball, softball, girls tennis, and track and field, running from February 22 to April 3.
“This fits better in current phases of all counties/regions, and is only one week earlier than normal spring sports start dates,” Smith said.
Starting with spring sports has multiple benefits.
All sports are played outside, which lowers risk of transmission, and spring athletes would be rewarded, as they were the ones who lost an entire season when state schools were initially closed in March, 2020.
Fall sports:
Volleyball, football, cross country, boys tennis, and girls and boys soccer run from March 29 to May 8.
Previously, when Coupeville was in the 1A division, soccer was played in separate seasons, but that changes with the Wolves now in 2B.
Pushing fall sports into the middle allows for a greater chance schools will be eligible to play football (a “high-risk” sport) and volleyball (an indoor one).
Winter sports:
While most of the NWL schools wrestle, Coupeville does not, opting for girls and boys basketball.
Hoops, being played indoors, currently sits at the very top of the “high-risk” chart for prep athletics in Washington state.
Having extra time for case numbers to recede as flu season fades and vaccinations rise is highly-important.
“(The wait) will give us an actual opportunity to play,” Smith said.
No decisions have been made public on whether athletes will be required to wear masks while playing, or if fans will be allowed at games.
While no one knows anything for sure during the Age of Coronavirus, the NWL plan offers hope for coaches and athletes.
“It just makes more sense to me,” Smith said. “With the current conditions of each county and region (as we are now lumped into), that this would give us the best chance of getting all three seasons in.”
Going forward, NWL AD’s plan to meet two weeks prior to the Feb. 22 start date to review where league schools stand in relation to being eligible to play.
While the league could start play without all eight schools being eligible, if the AD’s decide they don’t have enough schools ready, it’s possible the start date could be bumped a week at a time.
There are also two back-up plans being worked on in case things get really dire.
In one, the league would use a two-season (spring and fall sports) calendar, while in the other, a one-season calendar dedicated to just spring sports could be employed.
While seasons will be shortened, the games should be as competitive as normal.
“League championships are still on the line this year, so we are playing for something and games are meaningful,” Smith said.
He added that All-League teams will also be voted on for each sport.
Schools plan to release info on fees, paperwork turn-in, and requirements for physicals in the next week.
They ask parents and students to NOT flood their schools with questions, as the plan is being worked on and will be sent to the public as soon as it is completed.
While the primary focus has been on high school sports, middle school athletics have not been forgotten.
“Middle school sports are still a work in progress,” Smith said. “Though I do have some alternate plans I’m working on should our middle school league not offer athletics for middle school this year.”
While things are still topsy-turvy, having a solid plan to aim at gives the AD’s hope.
“As with all things COVID, this plan is a living, breathing, ever-changing document, though it does give us a date and plan that is actually tangible,” Smith said.
“As I’ve told our coaches and administration, I am cautiously optimistic and excited about this plan and feel it gives our kids the best chance of playing this year.”
