Another delay
No-contact period extended
The Hawaii High School Athletic Association executive board unanimously approved on Monday the extension of the “no-contact period” for the high school sports calendar through Sept. 13 due to concerns over the growing number of coronavirus cases in the state.
The HHSAA issued a news release on the decision stating, in part, that “means there shall be no instructional or developmental sport-specific activity allowed between high school coaches and studentathletes through at least that date.”
Maui High School principal Jamie Yap, the Maui Interscholastic League voting member of the HHSAA executive board, said that the state Department of Education decision earlier this month to begin the school year with nearly universal distance learning — schools in Hana and Molokai will be conducting face-to-face instruction due to internet concerns in those remote areas — was a major factor in Monday’s decision.
Four of six fall sports — football, cheerleading, girls volleyball and cross country —were previously pushed back to start no earlier than Jan. 1, 2021. Air riflery and bowling had been allowed to proceed under a decree from the HHSAA executive board on Aug. 5.
“I think with riflery and bowling being the other two sports that were on hold, but we went to 100 percent virtual — I think that’s the step that pushed everything back,” Yap said.
Air riflery and bowling are deemed “low risk” by the HHSAA, but the start dates for those sports now cannot be any earlier than Sept. 14.
“The (low) risk sports would be the ones that would be in question, so right now no one is starting anything because of the state’s high count and because we went to 100 percent virtual,” Yap said. “September 13th will take us through four weeks if I’m not mistaken, so that’s the minimum, the four weeks which is what Oahu was told.”
Yap noted that with the anticipation that distancing learning will continue through the first quarter — which ends in early October — the Sept. 13 date could be pushed back.
The HHSAA news release on Monday’s decision said: “Applicable start date penalties for violations will be enforced according to HHSAA regulations, which include, but are not limited to, the suspension of a coach for part or the entire season.”