WIAA releases its guidelines for return of sports
High school sports in Wisconsin now have some direction for getting back to play.
On Thursday afternoon, the WIAA released a set of guidelines that allow schools to resume athletic activities with coach contact beginning on July 1.
The 16-page document categorizes each sport into one of three “risk levels” and includes local control based upon the risk level for COVID-19 transmission as determined by local and state health departments.
“Within what has been a rapidly changing and evolving environment, we’ve done our best to research, examine and assemble the best advice we could identify,” WIAA executive director Dave Anderson said. “This mission and responsibility is larger than just sports.”
The WIAA shared its guidelines with athletic directors and other administrators. The decision regarding how and if sports can operate in compliance with health officials’ guidelines is in the hands of each school’s district administrator. “The health and safety of studentathletes remains the top priority in determining all return-to-play considerations,” WIAA communications director Todd Clark said in an e-mail. “... Member schools should consult state, local and tribal health departments to deter
mine the most current level of risk when initiating return to activities and when they might progress through the (risk) levels.”
One key element to the WIAA’s guidelines is that different parts of the state will have different risk levels, citing that “not all areas are using the same criteria and what is allowable during specific risk levels will vary from area to area.”
Section A of the document lays out conduct of conditioning, practice and competition sessions in each of the four different risk levels: high, moderate, low and lowest risk.
The high risk level is defined as no gathering of more than 10 people at time whether inside or outside.
Workouts in this level are to be conducted in “pods” of the same 5-10 students working out or practicing together while maintaining at least six feet of separation.
Equipment should not be shared at this level without being cleaned and disinfected between use. For example, a basketball player can shoot but the team should not pass a ball with multiple players touching it; a quarterback handoff also would not meet the requirements.
The moderate risk level allows for up to 50 people gathering outdoors for a workout or practice but no more than 10 inside, although groups or pods are restricted to 10 people or fewer at a time.
The “lower-risk sports,” such as individual running and throwing events, golf, weightlifting and cross country running with staggered starts, can resume practices and competitions in this phase. Balls that have been disinfected can be shared or passed between players who sanitized their hands prior to sharing.
The WIAA recommends that “vulnerable individuals should not participate in any practices, conditioning activities, contests or events during Risk Levels 1 and 2.”
That group includes people age 65 and older and others with serious and underlying health conditions.
The low risk level allows gathering sizes up to 50 people both indoors and outdoors, including vulnerable individuals being able to “resume public interactions” while practicing social distancing. Pods are not limited to 10 people in practices.
Moderate risk sports such as 7-on-7 football, basketball, soccer, contactless ice hockey, field hockey and swimming relays can begin practices and competitions. Volleyball, baseball, softball, gymnastics, tennis, pole vault and jumping events are moderate risk but could be classified as lower-risk with appropriate cleaning of equipment and use of masks.
Modified practices can start for higher-risk sports; epidemiology data and experiences from other states and other levels of competition will be used to determine when higher-risk sports can begin competition. Higher-risk sports are listed as wrestling, football, boys lacrosse, rugby, competitive cheer and dance.
The lowest risk level has no limitations on gatherings, although social distancing is to be kept by those not directly participating in practice or competition, and players and coaches should still be checking temperatures and symptoms. All sports can practice and compete in this risk level.
Other notable guidelines include:
❚ Coaches, officials and other personnel are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings at all times. Other noise making devices such as air horns can be used instead of whistles.
❚ Hygiene practices are to include no handshakes, high-fives or fist bumps.
❚ Disinfecting balls, equipment and other frequently used items should be done “at least daily” and between uses.
❚ Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher, or any symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as shortness of breath, chills, cough, sore throat or new loss of taste or smell, is asked to stay home.
❚ In high and moderate risk levels, emphasis should be on individual skill drills rather than on competition in sports that require frequent closeness between large groups of players.
❚ Inter-school competition is encouraged to be held only between teams from the same area. Traveling increases chances of spread, especially if a team from a higher-risk area travels to a community with lower levels of COVID-19.
❚ Transportation to events has to follow social distancing requirements, which means multiple buses or vans or guardian transportation are likely to be needed.
❚ Who is allowed into events is grouped into tiers. Schools will decide which tiers are allowed at an events. Tier 1 is essential personnel, such as athletes, coaches, officials, medical staff and other event staff. Tier 2 is media. Tier 3, listed as non-essential, is spectators and vendors.
❚ Schools should consult with local health departments to determine whether weight rooms can be used safely after June 30.
Contact Curt Hogg at chogg@gannett.com.