MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Nearly three months after the suspension and eventual cancellations of the state basketball tournaments and spring sport seasons, high school athletes could return to practice facilities on Monday. County school systems have been given the green light to start offseason workouts.
The WVSSAC released guidance last week on how teams may return to offseason conditioning drills and eventually sport-specific practices. WVSSAC Executive Director Bernie Dolan says the guidance strikes a necessary balance on student safety and the need for athletes to condition for their respective seasons.
“That’s really what we were torn with. You know everybody is chomping at the bit after being out for three months and we wanted to make sure that it was a controlled, safe environment on their way back in,” Dolan said.
“Part of that is the social, emotional and physical well-being of the student-athletes and the coaches to get back and be part of a team as they try to restart a new normal life.”
Counties across the state had moved their traditional three-week practice window from June to July prior to the release of the SSAC plan. This window will be in ‘Phase III’ of the plan. One significant difference this year is that teams cannot compete against other schools. Teams traditionally compete in football 7-on-7 scrimmages or basketball tournaments during this time.
“Ultimately, we are trying to keep our kids as safe as possible so that we don’t have any outbreaks in June or July that interfere with August and September when we are starting to play.”
Although the parameters for the remaining seven weeks of the summer prior to the August 3 launch of official preseason practice for some fall sports are set, Dolan says there is room for updates to the initial plan.
“We have said this is a living document and as guidance changes, our guidance may change.
“At the end of every week, we’ll probably have to reevaluate and see if anything changes on our guidance for future.”
Not all county school systems across the state will be allowed to open on June 8. For example, Harrison and Monongalia Counties will open but Marion will not participate in Phase I or II yet. Some teams may be at a competitive disadvantage if their June and July windows are compromised.
“We think there will be some opportunity for difference. But not when we come to August 3rd, and that’s what we want.”
As testing numbers ramp up around West Virginia and the number of positive cases remains comparatively low to surrounding states, the seven scheduled weeks of conditioning and practices could provide further indicators of how the state is managing the effects of COVID-19.
“I think it is going to help our schools. First of all, we are going to know if we are going to have any outbreaks or whether or not we are still doing a good job of trying to contain it. It will also help schools come the first day of school, and the first day of real practice when you have a number of kids coming.
“The four weeks of conditioning and the three weeks of the summer period, I certainly think those are trial runs for regular practice.”
47 of West Virginia’s 113 high school football teams have a game scheduled against an out-of-state opponent this fall. Madonna and Wheeling Central Catholic have eight out-of-state games scheduled. Magnolia has seven, Jefferson and Paden City each have five. Situations could arise where a West Virginia school could have one or more of those games canceled depending on conditions in surrounding states.
The current football playoff manual states that a team must play at least six opponents in their class or higher (waivers can be granted for teams with signed contracts against opponents that recently changed classes) and a minimum of eight games to become playoff eligible. Dolan says those requirements could be tweaked if needed.
“Looking at the number of schools you have to play in your class as well as the number of games you have to have, both of those (requirements) will be looked at if we anticipate any issues.”
The first football games of the season will be played on the week of August 24. Dolan says although it is too early to tell what seating capacities may look like, schools are preparing for ways to alleviate congestion on game night.
“I think we are too far away from saying we will have a hundred percent capacity, eighty percent capacity or whatever. But I do think people can start looking at how we get people in and out of games without having to stand in line. Do we push online ticketing so that you know you have a ticket? You don’t come up to the gate and find out that you don’t, or it is sold out because it could be a smaller venue.”