The Mercury (Pottstown, PA)

Pottsgrove votes to allow fall sports

Pottsgrove votes to allow sports following new Montco guidelines; Most sports can play but football put in doubt

- By Owen McCue omccue@pottsmerc.com @Owen_McCue on Twitter

All fall sports except football are allowed to play at Pottsgrove High School this upcoming season based on a decision made by the district’s School Board Tuesday night

The Pottsgrove School Board voted 5-4 to approve a plan for fall sports structured around guidance from the Montgomery County Office of Public Health released Tuesday.

With Montgomery County’s current COVID-19 positivity rate currently between 1 and 5 percent (3.1 percent according to the most recent data provided by the DOH), Pottsgrove’s low and moderate-contact sports, which include tennis, golf, soccer, field hockey, cross country and volleyball, are allowed to compete in interschol­astic competitio­ns.

For the time being, Pottsgrove’s football team will only participat­e in drills and workouts that maintain social distancing.

Pottsgrove’s decision to follow Montgomery County’s guidelines does leave the status of fall sports fluid.

If Montgomery County’s COVID-19 positivity rate falls below 1 percent and weekly case incidence are less than 10 per 100,000, then higher-contact sports like football would be allowed to compete.

Inversely, if the county’s cases rise above 5 percent, only the low-contact sports, golf, tennis and cross country, would be allowed to compete with moderate-contact sports sticking to individual-level drills with distancing protocols in place.

The Pioneer Athletic Conference is set to begin official team conditioni­ng and workouts on Sept. 7 and games on Sept. 25.

Fellow Pioneer Athletic Conference schools Pottstown, Norristown and Pope John Paul II have had their fall sports seasons cancelled/postponed. The Phoenixvil­le School Board adopted a plan allowing golf, singles tennis and marching band to compete.

Tuesday night’s board meeting included

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 ?? AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP FILE ??
AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP FILE

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