High school sports kick off
Fall season opens with golf, football, volleyball, bowling, cross country, swimming and diving.
Flip on the lights.
Fasten your face masks.
Orlando area high school athletics awakens from a COVID-induced slumber this weekend with the official opening of fall sports, which includes football, volleyball, bowling, cross country, golf, and swimming and diving.
Schedules are still evolving even as private schools in Orange, Lake and southwest Volusia counties kick off football seasons Friday with five games. Public schools in Lake (Friday), Osceola (Monday) and Seminole (Tuesday) counties are among the first in the area slated to start regular season play for non-football teams.
“Our kids have taken this seriously. They are not taking practices for granted anymore,” said Foundation Academy football coach Brad Lord.
Foundation hosts Orangewood Christian at its on-campus stadium in Winter Garden on Friday at 7 p.m. That game serves as one of the first meaningful high school outings since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports in mid-March.
Other football games Friday include Orlando’s Faith Christian at Mount Dora Christian Academy and Central Florida Christian at Zephyrhills Christian. Deltona Trinity Christian is home against Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian. West Oaks Academy hosts Clearwater American Collegiate at Ocoee Bulldog Field.
Athletic events will look and feel a lot different for players, coaches and spectators. Extra precautions have been put in place by schools and school districts in an effort to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
“Friday night comes with lots of excitement, but apprehension as well,” Foundation athletic director Lisa Eaves wrote in an email.
Foundation and MDCA, like other private schools and public school districts in the Orlando area, will require spectators to follow social distancing measures while inside stadiums and wear masks when seated in stands at events this fall. Temperature checks will be administered to all upon entry to Friday’s football games.
Lord said splash guards, designed to help contain saliva droplets, were installed on facemasks of helmets last week. He said players have had no issue adapting to preseason workouts while wearing masks.
“I think these kids are going to come out of this more appreciative,” Lord said.
Mount Dora Christian is asking fans to purchase tickets online throughout the season because no ticket booths will be open on the day of games. Friday’s game against Faith Christian will be streamed online for free on the NFHS.org and Varsity Sports networks.
Freedom High School in Orange County plans to stream all its athletic events via the NFHS platform, which requires a subscription. All schools in Osceola County have committed to doing the same.
All fall sports in Volusia County get underway on Friday, Sept. 18. Osceola and Lake must wait until Friday, Sept. 25, to start playing football games. Volleyball tips off Saturday, Sept. 19, in Osceola County.
Most Orange County and Seminole County public schools are playing football season openers on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Orange County is limiting spectators for public school fall sports events and cutting cheer and dance teams and marching bands from the football game-day experience due to COVID-19 precautions. Junior varsity and freshman football seasons for Orange County Public Schools have been postponed until the second semester.
OCPS programs will be permitted to distribute no more than two free tickets per player and coach per game. That means about 280 fans will be permitted at football games between teams that field 60 players
and 10 coaches.
A district spokesperson wrote in an email Tuesday OCPS will cover the fall sports tab for transportation, game officials and security for its 20 member schools. Those costs are typically paid through the home school’s ticket sales. The district has applied for federal CARES Act emergency funding but has yet to gain approval.
Although a specific number was not provided, Osceola County’s school district will allow 50% capacity at indoor and outdoor events with mask and social distancing requirements in place for spectators.
School District of Osceola County spokesperson Ryan Adams said that, as in Orange County, the district will assist member schools with the cost of paying for game-day operations.
Cheer teams and marching bands will be allowed to perform during football games with some restrictions, such as no stunts for cheer squads and no brass instruments for bands.
Procedures for both indoor and outdoor athletic events will be similar for Seminole County public schools, where cheer teams and marching bands will be permitted to perform at home games and some in-county away games.
Seating in Seminole County will be limited based on the size of the venue, according to spokesperson Mike Gaudreau. The district plans to meet Friday to discuss funding options for the school year, which could include streaming games online.
Lake County and Volusia County have not yet finalized return-to-play procedures for their member schools.