LETTER FROM NCHSAA COMMISSIONER ON FALL SPORTS STATUS

[new_dawg]

Released earlier today (7-15-2020):
Good afternoon,

As you know, Governor Cooper announced yesterday the reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year. He also indicated that the NCHSAA would be making the decisions relative to sports. This morning, the NCHSAA Board of Directors approved the following rule and calendar changes:

· The start of NCHSAA fall sports is delayed until at least September 1.
· The first five (5) student days of the 2020-2021 school year will be designated as a “dead period” for ALL sports, allowing school staff to focus on the start of school.
· NCHSAA Phase One of the summer conditioning and workouts will continue until further notice.

For now, we believe these steps provide hope for our student athletes, and the possibility for playing fall sports We know that many decisions are being made relative to the reopening plan your school(s) will follow. After each LEA has had an opportunity to formalize and finalize those reopening plans, the NCHSAA Staff will survey the membership to determine how sports should and/or can fit into the various models that will exist across the state. 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.

We acknowledge that playing certain sports are more problematic at any time without a vaccine; however, we remain in consultation with our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) members, and they believe we can and should offer a sports program, with all necessary modifications, delays, etc. In the coming weeks, we will continue working with the SMAC 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.

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. Towards 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!

We Are
the NCHSAA!
QUE TUCKER
COMMISSIONER

 

[nepsy7]

They’ll keep pushing it back into the Spring. They’ll start play in the Spring, and after 2 or 3 games, they’ll shut it down permanently.

 

[mrhonda]

I'm trying to understand what is going on, but there are these continual "maybes", "at leasts", etc... But it's still frustrating. This virus is a virus. Short of an effective vaccine, it's not going anywhere. I understand safety is the main issue, as it should be. Even with an effective vaccine, it'll still remain. I understand they're watching the numbers. The numbers have been watched since spring. They're always going to variate. What's frustrating is that decisions are supposedly going to be made, but no one is taking the bull by the horns and making one. Even Governor Cooper can't seem to decide on a school opening plan. Like I said, I understand safety. I understanding watching the numbers, but someone needs to have the courage to make a decision. If they're too afraid to make one, then don't worry about it and just shut sports down until next school year, At least people can plan, knowing what the situation is,

 

[1955Wildcat]

I hate this because I don't know how many more Falls I have and I love HS football, but I understand it. There are only 3 ways we get out of this:

1-more effective treatments are developed which reduce the mortality significantly. This approach is receiving almost no capital allocation and little effort

2-enough of the population gets it and we achieve herd immunity. This is a long shot because we don't even know if getting it confers any immunity. You can get immunity from some infections, like say chicken pox and you won't get it again but that's not the case with the common cold. You can catch it in October and again in December. We just don't know enough about it yet to make the call on whether antibodies confer any lasting immunity.

3-an effective vaccine is developed. Even when it is, we have a nation full of knuckleheads who don't even take current vaccines because they are strap hanging freeloaders. Remember all those classmates who died of polio? Well I do. You don't, because guess what - we developed vaccines and people took them. Now, the more "educated" you are, the less likely you are to take vaccines.

Guess I am glad I am old. I am fed up with so many in this land.

Still, good luck to all.

 

[devilmac99]

I hate this because I don't know how many more Falls I have and I love HS football, but I understand it. There are only 3 ways we get out of this:

1-more effective treatments are developed which reduce the mortality significantly. This approach is receiving almost no capital allocation and little effort

2-enough of the population gets it and we achieve herd immunity. This is a long shot because we don't even know if getting it confers any immunity. You can get immunity from some infections, like say chicken pox and you won't get it again but that's not the case with the common cold. You can catch it in October and again in December. We just don't know enough about it yet to make the call on whether antibodies confer any lasting immunity.

3-an effective vaccine is developed. Even when it is, we have a nation full of knuckleheads who don't even take current vaccines because they are strap hanging freeloaders. Remember all those classmates who died of polio? Well I do. You don't, because guess what - we developed vaccines and people took them. Now, the more "educated" you are, the less likely you are to take vaccines.

Guess I am glad I am old. I am fed up with so many in this land.

Still, good luck to all.

You are pretty much spot on. I think this season is over and they just can't frame their lips to say it!

 

[Bullzye]

You are pretty much spot on. I think this season is over and they just can't frame their lips to say it!

Oh you’re most correct, it’s over. Bet the farm. There’ll be no HS football in NC this fall. But they’re gonna drag it out and put off saying so for as long as possible.

 

[ohio tarheels]

Follow the lead of Virginia and just push things back to after 1st of year and hope for the best

 

[Blue and Gold22]

You are pretty much spot on. I think this season is over and they just can't frame their lips to say it!

Mac- its brutal and I know you and I have been holding out hope but this is the hand thats been dealt. I hate 2020

 

[Sportsnut17]