CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice announced Friday that youth sports can restart in West Virginia beginning June 8 followed by games starting June 22.
“These are low-contact youth sports,” Justice said.
He also announced during his state capitol coronavirus media briefing that high school sports and band activities sanctioned by the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission would be allowed to begin summer conditioning activities June 8.
“Our medical experts now believe it is safe,” Justice said.
The guidelines will include mandatory social distancing when the youth sports games restart on June 22, Justice said.
“What this means is that we’ll be able to have a little league game provided we keep an absolute distance between the fans that are there, the moms and the dads that are watching those kids,” he said.
Justice mentioned baseball, soccer and equestrian events as some of the low-contact youth sports allowed to resume.
The SSAC has been working to put together guidelines for summer conditioning. Justice said the guidelines will keep the players in small groups, hopefully buying time when there can be larger group activities when sports resume in the fall.
MORE Read SSAC guidelines here
“First of all, we need to bring the kids back and keep them apart and let them get back into shape, to get their conditioning done,” Justice said.
He said safety would be the top priority.
“Protect our kids in their reconditioning, protect our kids in their practices and we move forward so we’ll be able to have something as we move back to normal,” Justice said.
High school sports abruptly ended on March 12 when Justice began shutting down activities in the state has the virus became more active in the U.S. Eventually no state championships were crowned in high school basketball and there were no spring sports seasons.
Gov. Justice also announced Friday remaining adult sports facilities will be allowed to reopen June 8 including indoor tennis courts and outdoor basketball courts.
“Our guidance will follow very soon,” Justice said.