Number of players, activities restricted
As student athletes prepare to compete in their favorite sports this fall semester, the North Carolina High School Athletics Association is preparing for the worst.
The NCHSAA lifted its dead period and allowed schools to send their teams back to practice and workouts on Monday, June 15. However, just like with the rest of the state, athletic activities will be handled in a series of phases to prevent the spread of COVID-19 early on.
In phase one, which will last an indefinite amount of time, teams will have to limit the number of participants in any given practice, prohibit the sharing and even the use of many supplies, require strict and regular cleaning of facilities and equipment and more. The NCHSAA emphasizes that these guidelines will be subject to constant reevaluation as new data becomes available.
“The health and safety measures outlined in this plan were formed utilizing CDC, DHHS, and NCHSAA information at this time,” reads the NCHSAA summer guide issued on June 8. “It is recognized, however, that the information and circumstances concerning COVID-19 remain fluid and variable. Therefore, these guidelines are subject to change in conjunction with new knowledge of COVID-19 or changing social conditions.”
Macon County Schools took advantage of the lifted dead period immediately and allowed practices and workouts on June 15, but players and coaches found a much different experience waiting for them than what they saw last year. Franklin High School football, for example, is taking no-contact rules to the extreme. Not only can the players not wear their pads or tackle yet, they can’t make any physical contact in drills or even pass a ball between themselves. Assistant coach Matt Bradley said the arrangement is tenable, but there are limits to how much it can benefit the players.
“You can’t pass to another player, you can’t block another player and you can’t even have everyone working in the same group,” Bradley said. “It has been good for improving the basic fundamentals that some kids miss when they’re first starting out, but to say that it’s been ‘pretty difficult’ is a very loose term.”
Because all schools are subject to the same rules, Macon County teams won’t be at a competitive disadvantage. However, losing out on summer practices does lengthen the time it takes to get everyone up to full speed. FHS athletic director Blair King said the expectation is for the NCHSAA to ease restrictions as much as safely possible later this summer.
“Our expectations are to be full contact and back to normal come August,” King said. “That is our hope and what our kids deserve and need.”
Even if they aren’t practicing normally yet, FHS junior Chris McGuire said he’s just happy to get out on the field and play football with his friends again.
“I’m just glad to be back out there with my teammates and also with all the coaches,” McGuire said. “I can’t wait till this virus is gone and we can put on full pads and get to practicing normally again, and also I’m just ready to be back on the field with all my teammates.”
For more information on the NCHSAA’s plans for phase one and beyond, go to bit.ly/3dNIsBd.