Some HS coaches want football moved to spring
Oro Valley Canyon del Oro coach Dustin Peace said he helped compose a letter seeking support from fellow coaches throughout Arizona to move the high school football season to the spring because of the pandemic.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association is moving towards starting official practices on Aug. 17 with the first games on Sept. 7, unless Gov. Doug Ducey, with guidance from State Superintendent of Education Kathy Hoffman, rolls back the start of opening schools from the current target date of Aug. 17.
Seeking backing, the letter was sent to all of the state’s football coaches on Thursday, the same day the AIA posted a video of Executive Director David Hines answering questions regarding playing the season in the fall.
Even if some districts are conducting online-only classes to start the school year, Hines said that players will still be eligible to play sports.
As of Saturday morning, 35 coaches, mostly from southern Arizona, endorsed the letter. Eight of the coaches were from the Phoenix metro area. The letter will be sent to high school principals, superintendents, athletic directors and the AIA.
Last week, New Mexico’s high school association decided to move football season to the spring because of the pandemic.
There is a fear that, without a vaccine, the surge in COVID-19 cases in Arizona could force Ducey to shut down schools as the fall season gets going, the same way he did in March, when the spring sports seasons were canceled.
“I just feel we are on a path to cancel the season, or districts will deem it unsafe not allowing schools to participate even if the governor and the AIA allow,” Peace said. “Friday nights are great but a lot of our coaches and myself haven’t seen our kids in five months.
“To step out on the field and play just a few games with so much uncertainty and guidelines seems difficult. Spring just gives everyone a better chance to provide a better experience of what it means to play high school football. We will have more time to navigate the obstacles that are changing daily.”
Not all coaches are in agreement. Gilbert Highland coach Brock Farrel said he received a copy of the letter, but is in agreement with what the AIA and the Gilbert Public Schools are doing at this time.
“We can always push back, but once time is lost, there is no going back, so proceeding forward with the option to be flexible is where I land,” Farrel said.
On Monday, the California Interscholastic Federation will announce plans for fall sports. There are reports that fall sports in California could start in January because of the surge in coronavirus cases in that state.
“I’m not against spring football, but I think that should only be an option if it’s not possible to play this fall,” said Scottsdale Saguaro coach Jason Mohns, whose program’s summer conditioning was put on pause in July by the district because of the surge in cases.
Some school districts in Arizona have not allowed any in-person, organized team workouts since March.
Twelve reservation schools have decided to cancel fall sports. On Thursday, Buckeye Odyssey Institute, which has not allowed for any summer conditioning work at the school, became the first high school in the Valley to cancel fall sports.
“I think that in Tucson we may get the feeling that this is headed down a wrong path because our superintendents have not allowed us contact with our kids, which is understandable,” Peace said. “It wouldn’t make sense that they would let us play if we are not teaching all kids in person.
“I know we can say, ‘Well, it is their decision to play or not,’ but it certainly is not like they want to make this decision. How sad for those kids and others that have cancelled or will cancel. I think we have an opportunity to help provide an answer for them.”
Marana coach Louie Ramirez said he believes it’s smart to be looking at the big picture and keeping student-athletes, coaches, staff, and their families safe.
“There are so many high schools that do not have the allocated resources to test kids on a weekly basis, track temperatures,” he said. “That is a lot of liability for a high school coach to make sure everyone is following the necessary protocol.”
Chandler Arizona College Prep coach Myron Blueford said there is no certainty that the highly contagious coronovirus won’t still have an impact on sports in the spring.
“I understand why we would want that as an option to consider but I still feel like fall is an option,” Blueford said. “I don’t think COVID is going anywhere any time soon. So there is no certainty that we won’t be in the same situation then as we are now.
“I feel we should be diligent in our precautions and continue towards the AIA’s plan to start in the fall. The data supports that is doable.”
Tempe Union High School District Athletic Director Dave Huffine said he spoke to several of the athletic directors and football coaches in his district about moving to the spring.
“Obviously, they would like to compete in the fall but across the board they understand that the health and safety of not only the student-athletes but the coaches, (athletic) trainers and staff is the number one priority,” Huffine said. “Schools are working hard to safely resume classes in various ways and the AIA and Mr. Hines have stated that if schools are able to open to in-person classes then athletics and activities could possibly begin with modifications.
“There is a crisis committee working on every sport to make it as safe as possible.”