Daily Blog…. May 20 2020

NFHS Guidelines Released…. NCHSAA To Develop Plan For Return to High School Sports

I feel pretty confident that there will be a return to school and athletics this summer and fall . With that said, when and what it will look like is where the uncertainty comes? In hopeful news the NCHSAA (North Carolina High School Athletic Association) has announced a end to the ..Coronavirus Dead Period … effective June 1 2020. The start of summer workout programs are currently on hold until the NCHSAA puts a plan in place. Until then no activities are allowed.

The NFHS (High School Sports National Federation) published the groups guidelines for a return to high school sports. The guidelines are recommendations for the state athletic associations to follow. The NCHSAA as well as state health officials will use the guidelines to put the plan together for the N.C. high schools. The recommendations are for a three phase process that takes in the risk factor for each sport. I will cover the NCHSAA plan in detail when it is made official.

The NFHS also made recommendations on the risk factor for each sport. The fall season sports included Football and Cheerleading as High Risk Sports when dealing with COVID-19. I will leave that for the experts to ponder. With the fall sports season officially starting on August 1 as of now, an emphasis needs to be put on the fall sports teams

Also on a positive note, plans are in place for high school baseball summer league.The league will include some of the high schools in the area. The summer league will not begin until clearance from state government and health officials.

For Youth Recreation sports also hoping to return to the field. I know of one area youth baseball league that is still planning to play this summer when cleared. I did read some positive news today related to South Carolina. The Governor included youth sports leagues in his reopening plan. Teams can begin practice on May 30 and begin the season the first part of June. Hopefully soon we all from kids to adults can safely return to the sports world. Yes health and safety is first, but sports is a part of life missing for many the last few months.