Football given go ahead
While Warriors opt out, rest of state ready to go
PROVIDENCE — Football is a sport where preparation is everything. That’s why it was paramount for the state’s high school football sector to avoid the wait-and-see approach to play games that hovered over winter sports for a few weeks.
Four days into the first week of practice, the long-awaited green light has come. Through an announcement made by DEM Director Janet Coit during Thursday’s COVID-19 briefing at Vets Auditorium, football is no longer a high-risk sport. It’s been shifted to the moderate-risk category with clearance for games to begin in conjunction with the R.I. Interscholastic League’s upcoming Fall 2 season.
Forced to sit out the traditional fall months, football can proceed forward knowing that every rep that’s taken between now and the first games on March 26 will be meaningful.
“We thought we would be able to play. We wanted to be able to play … anything to get our seniors on the field one last time,” said Cumberland head coach Josh Lima. “Having the official announcement is always the best thing. Now we can move forward with a purpose.”
Added Shea head coach Dino Campopiano, “We’re so relieved to get out there knowing that it’s going to take off on time. I think I can speak for all the coaches when I say that everyone is happy for the young athletes.”
A dramatic pivot in football’s fortunes wouldn’t have been permissible if the state’s COVID-19 figures remained alarmingly high. As the positive rate has decreased since the start of the year, another piece of data proved to be handy in helping all concerned parties arrive at the conclusion that was rendered Thursday.
During the fall of 2020, 33 states participated in outdoor contact football. The list includes New Jersey and New Hampshire – two states the RIIL has been in frequent contact with throughout the quest of reopening interscholastic sports in a safe manner. None of those 33 states saw their seasons end in premature fashion. Six of the 33 states took the field without a mask requirement.
Closer to home, Rhode Island’s schedule is similar to what was adopted by Massachusetts and the state of New York. Then there was Connecticut and the decision that was made to toss football in the same graveyard as last year’s spring sports. It was about taking all the facts and figures and making a call that proved to soothe a football constituency that gathered multiple times last fall to protest on the Statehouse steps.
“We were in almost daily contact with the Interscholastic League. I knew practice started this week and asked them when they needed a decision. They said by the end of this week,” said Coit. “Looking at what was going and seeing that things were moving in the right direction, I said you’ll definitely have a decision by the end of the week.
“It was really a Rhode Island decision,” Coit added. “In terms of timing, the first games aren’t scheduled until a month from now. Having this decision so they start conditioning and working with helmets and pads and build up strength … now you’re worried about whether people are fit or if the fields are ready for them.”
Having less time to prepare isn’t a concern. When it comes to finding creative ways to stay in shape at a time when most in-school gyms were deemed off limits, veteran coaches like Campopiano and Lima understand that the majority of programs are in a similar boat when it comes to getting in football shape.
“You eliminate some of the schematics. Your offense and defense will be limited … short turn around and short season,” said Lima, “but we’re not overly concerned. Our guys will be able to do what we need to do.”
Added Campopiano, “Everyone is going to be a few steps behind and that’s okay.”
Similar to the sports from the fall and winter seasons, the RIIL is mandating that football players wear masks. The only dramatic modification to football involves coming together for pre-snap huddles – an understandable adjustment at a time when six feet apart continues to be stressed. Other than that, the game will still be played on a field that’s 100 yards long, with 11 players on each side of the ball, and consisting of four quarters.
“It gives everyone relief knowing they can work towards competitions instead of worrying that it may not happen,” said Mike Lunney, RIIL Executive Director.
In terms of schedules, schools like Shea and Cumberland find themselves with an open date on their hands. Woonsocket’s decision to opt out leaves the Raiders and Clippers – as well as Burrillville and East Providence – with four guaranteed league games. Preliminary schedules that were obtained by the Times/Call showed that each R.I. team was listed to play five regular season games.
The open date could be filled with an opponent that was originally part of Central Falls’ schedule. Thursday saw the Warriors become the second RIIL school to punt on the Fall 2 season. As a D-III participant, C.F. was slated to face Chariho, Classical, Coventry, Johnston, and Juanita Sanchez/ Wheeler/PCD Co-op.
“The amount of signups is not where it needs to be in order to play this season,” said C.F. athletic director Anthony Ficocelli.
Officially, the Fall 2 sports lineup will include football, girls’ volleyball, game-day cheer, and Unified Volleyball.
Also Thursday, DEM awarded clearance for boys lacrosse to be included as part of the spring season.