With the release of Phase One COVID-19 regulations for high school athletics, a gleam of hope shines through for fall sport athletes. The release details were sent in an email from the superintendent on Sept. 8, conveying the mandates and outlines for the upcoming season. 

Starting Sept. 22, athletes in water polo, indoor volleyball and cross country can begin conditioning in person. A coach will be assigned to a small group with a required distance of six feet between each player. There is to be no physical contact or sharing of equipment and all activity will take place outdoors. Players are permitted to use their own ball individually for ball-specific drills, but none are to be supplied by the coaches or other players. No parents or visitors are permitted to stay or watch in order to keep contact to a minimum.

These workouts are voluntary and there will be alternative activities to participate in if the student or the student’s family does not feel comfortable attending. All athletes must follow the CDC guidelines and pass a screening process administered by the coaches. It will be the responsibility of the coaches to monitor hygiene, remind students to wash their hands and to use hand sanitizer. Athletes must adhere to all protocols in order to participate. 

There will be designated areas to keep a six feet distance and put belongings. Masks are encouraged before and after workouts, but not required during the workout.

As of now, there are no details regarding what Phase Two will look like. For more information, check the Phase One Athletics Guidelines.