The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
COVID-19 testing would be huge issue
A new order from the Ohio Department of Health posted Aug. 1 provided renewed hope for schools that shut down fall sports in line with county recommendations.
The ability to resume practice shifted focus toward the start of competition later in August. For now, in accordance with measures already stated in previous orders, participation in contact sport competition requires athletes and staff members to receive a COVID-19 test 72 hours in advance of competition and show up to play with a negative result in hand.
Between the cost and time required for testing results to return, schools face an uphill battle to comply with the state’s testing guidelines. Mayfield athletic director Keith Leffler expects the cost of each test to be $150, which would add up quickly to stage football and soccer contests.
“Even if it’s 100 people at $150 a pop times 10 games it’s $150,000,” Leffler said. “And you’re not going to have spectators so there’s nothing offsetting that cost. Then factor that in for boys and girls soccer and you’re over a quarter of a million dollars.”
Football, soccer and cross country are currently designated as contact sports by the OHSAA among those to be played this fall. Cross country’s status seems likely to change, as it was omitted from the contact sport category in the ODH order and the OHSAA released a statement Aug. 2 it is working to confirm details with the state within its contact sports definitions.
The expectation around the state is that, by the time competition is permitted to begin, the testing requirement will be lifted. Mentor athletic director Jeff Cassella, who also serves as president of the OHSAA’s Board of Directors, pointed to language in the organization’s memo sent July 31 as an indication such guidelines won’t impede high school sports when they’re
deemed safe for competition.
“I think, honestly, for high school athletics, it isn’t feasible,” Cassella said. “If you look at the guidance the OHSAA put out on Friday, it specifically stipulates in there that we’ll be returning on the 21st of August as long as the governor gives the OK and the testing piece has been removed. It’s right there in the document.”
Regarding the tentative state date of Aug. 21 set for contact sports of soccer and field hockey, the OHSAA stated “These dates are subject to change and subject to the approval from the Governor’s Office/Ohio Department of Health and with the stipulation that COVID-19 testing will not be required.”
Although the number of student-athletes, coaches and trainers required for soccer matches is lower than football games, competition occurs multiple times a week which pose
a convoluted obstacle for schools.
Berkshire athletic director Brian Hiscox said the testing requirements were already known by his administration and coaches. If they remain in place, a sport like soccer would likely require teams’ schedules to be reorganized.
“Two games in a threeday span and you have to get tested 72 hours before, it’s one of those things where you just have to get creative and look at it if it comes to that,” Hiscox said. “There’s a lot of good athletic directors in the Northeast and I don’t want to say it would be anything new because a lot of us deal with this in spring sports anyway, readjusting schedules and trying to make things work. This would just be another little wrinkle that’s rolled into it.”
The start of competition for football and cross country — pending a change in designation — is dated the week of Aug. 24.
Gilmour athletic director Sean O’Toole said the extreme cost and turnaround time for testing poses concerns. The Lancers’ athletics remain paused after the Department of Health order as the Cleveland Council of Independent Schools continues to evaluate the status of fall sports, and awaits a possible change in testing requirements from the state.
“There’s a lot of unknowns,” O’Toole said. “Everyone’s asking why we paused. We’re just trying to get our I’s dotted, T’s crossed and trying to figure out what is the safest, best way to bring our kids in to compete in the fall.”
Cassella noted the testing requirements mandated by the state were implemented more for non-academic competition, such as AAU basketball events or The Basketball Tournament, where participants traveled into Ohio from out of the state.
When it’s decided that
high school sports may begin competition, the expectation is the testing requirement will be lifted by Governor Mike DeWine or the Ohio Department of Health. Until then, Cassella hopes to see those in the high school athletics sphere do their part to ensure Ohio’s COVID-19 statistics improve.
After a single-day high of 1,733 cases were reported July 30, 1,533 cases were reported July 31 and 928 on Aug. 1.
“It was great to see a nice little drop yesterday but I think the numbers are going to have to start to come down,” Cassella said. “The kids are going to have to keep doing what they’re doing, following all the protocols that are in place in the schools that are there. I’m pretty confident the OHSAA will have discussions with the governor’s office in relation to that. Hopefully it becomes reality that we can play at some point.”