Fall high school sports expected to be played
CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini remains optimistic that there will be a fall sports season of some sort. What that will look like is still anyone’s guess.
There hasn’t been a high school sporting event held since March 9 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The remainder of the winter sports postseason was canceled on March 10. The CIAC held out for as long as it could for hopes of some type of spring season, but ended up becoming the last state in the country to cancel the season on May 5.
Now everyone waits to see what transpires for the fall season: when will it start, how long will it be and will there be any different sports played?
“I don’t think we are in danger of not being played. If we deem it’s not safe for them (the normal fall sports) to be played in the fall, we will consider playing them in the spring,” Lungarini said. “It will depend on what phase of Governor (Ned) Lamont’s plan we are in and what new information we have for contact tracing, testing and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.”
To say this is on Lungarini’s mind constantly would be a vast understatement. “I’ve spent every waking minute of the day thinking about this. Even to have a regular season, to start football practice on Aug. 17, a significant amount will need to change,” he said.
Much will depend upon where the state stands in Gov. Ned Lamont’s reopening phase. We are currently in the midst of Phase 1. Phase 2 is scheduled to happen on or around June 20.
Phase 2 includes gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors with social distancing still in place. Summer baseball will also be a part of that phase.
The CIAC will allow virtual coaching and conditioning by coaches for all seasons with players beginning June 1. Still, Lungarini feels any teams would need several weeks of conditioning before games begin, especially with most everyone having been stuck at home since mid-March.
“You have to take into strong consideration the conditioning of the athlete,” Lungarini said. “It’s not the best decision to go back to games (right away). Kids need to be reconditioned and need time for skill development.”
If the second phase reopening goes well, Phase 3 will begin around July 20. That would include up to 100 people allowed in one setting outdoors.
“If we are in Phase 4 of the governor’s plan by late August or early September, we can play our sports as scheduled,” Lungarini said. “If we are in Phase 2 or Phase 3, the restrictions would be much greater than Phase 4.”
Lungarini said earlier this month that schools must be “back on campus” and not distance learning for sports to be played this fall. He feels the seasons will start late to begin with.
“Right now, from the information we have, I think the start of the fall most likely will be impacted. I don’t think schools will be open by Aug. 17,” Lungarini told Hearst Connecticut Media on May 7. “We have to keep in con