COVID resurgence threatening fall sports
EL CENTRO — As the COVID-19 numbers in Imperial County are increasing, the likelihood of having fall sports that would begin in December is diminishing quickly.
As of Wednesday, Imperial County was one of nine counties in California that remain in the purple tier in the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The color signifies “widespread” infection and requires many activities to be heavily restricted.
With the local percent of positive coronavirus tests at 12.02 percent and the (unadjusted) seven-day average number of new COVID-19 patients per 100,000 population at 17.74 as of Tuesday, the outlook isn’t rosy, but there is no definitive verdict yet.
“The state has not yet revised the youth sports guidance and the Public Health Department is unable to comment until the guidance is updated and shared, Public Health County Officer Stephen Munday said in an email.
Munday said what’s important for the community to remember is that group gatherings are still not permitted outside of the recent guidance for private gatherings of no more than three households and what’s allowed in specific industry guidelines.
“However, none of that has any bearing on youth sports since they have their own guidance which doesn’t allow this until it is updated,” he said.
Public Health Department Public Information Officer Maria Peinado said Munday and Public Health Department Director Janette Angulo are communicating with local school district representatives on a regular basis to clarify information.
The California Interscholastic Federation in the San Diego region is reporting fall football practice will resume Dec. 12 with or without Imperial County schools.
The county high school football teams, the CIF reports, would then only be playing other county schools whenever the numbers improve enough if the season is delayed further.
The local schools understand their plight, but still plan to open practices and other “fall” sports in December.
“We are hopeful that the county will be able to move to the red tier by the Dec. 12 start date for fall sports, said Imperial Unified School Superintendent Bryan Thomason.
Thomason said contingency plans are being discussed with San Diego CIF and local district athletic directors if the county remains in the purple tier and is unable to play or resume in-person instruction.
Brawley Union High School Athletic Director Billy Brewer said having fall sports in December depends on the numbers, and right now they do not look good.
Brewer said he thinks more people in the county need to be tested for the coronavirus.
He said for any high school sports to start there has to be a return of students to the classroom, even if it’s a hybrid instructional model.
“We need to have some kids back in school,” he said. “We need some percentage of kids when athletics are (starting).”
Brewer said the start of high school football season could be pushed back to the spring.
“A lot of people will make choices on whether to return to school or stay at home (when the time
comes),” he said. “It’s not looking good, but it’s certainly doable.”
Central Union High School Athletic Director Josh Wise did not want to even consider that fall sports and high school football would not start on time in December.
If the time comes where it becomes apparent fall sports cannot start on time, schools will rely on the superintendent and coaches to contact the students, who as of right now, plan on returning to football practice on Dec. 12.
“Right now we are preparing to practice on Dec. 12,” Wise said. “It is one and a half months away. We are going to play the season. We are ready to play.”
He said there are plenty of options available to the schools on how to schedule and play games, but added they are not preparing to postpone the season while other schools are playing.
“We will do whatever the county and state tells us what to do,” Wise said. “We can’t predict the future. We see what’s
taking place.”
The county has three metrics to meet before moving to the red tier, and according to county statistics, not one has been met.
When the numbers do decrease enough the county would have to wait two weeks before the state would put it into the red tier. Once the county is in the red tier, the state would monitor it for another two weeks to ensure the numbers are stable before allowing schools to reopen.