Could there be 2 high school football seasons this upcoming school year?

The Arizona Football Coaches Association is sending a letter to the Arizona Interscholastic Association on Monday, asking for varsity competition to begin Oct. 2.

If the AIA adopts the plan, then official high school practices would start around Labor Day to get ready for an Oct. 2 season opener.

But how will this work out in southern Arizona?

The Tucson Unified School District hasn’t even allowed for on-campus, organized conditioning workouts this summer, because of COVID-19. District superintendent Gabriel Trujillo, following the Pima County administration’s recommendations, has said fall sports won’t start until it is safe for students to return to on-campus learning.

That, he said, won’t be until at least Sept. 7.

In a letter last week from the Pima County Administration to the county school superintendents, it stated, “Due to the contact nature of many interscholastic sports, our health professionals would advise shifting Fall 2020 sports to Spring 2021.”

“I think it will be hard for the AIA to help serve everyone now that local health departments are providing the guidance,” said Oro Valley Canyon del Oro coach Dustin Peace, who, earlier this summer, tried to begin a movement to shift the football season to the fall, because Tucson teams haven’t been able to work out. “The AIA has been following state leadership and now education has shifted to local guidance.

“So backing things up will help more programs but will not help everyone. I don’t think this helps much at all in Tucson and does not help the programs that have already canceled fall sports. However, I do not think schools and areas should suffer from one another. For example, If Tucson is not ready Sept. 7, Phoenix shouldn’t wait. However, because Phoenix is ready and Tucson is not, we should not be punished by losing our season or games.”

Could this be headed to both a fall and spring football season? One for Maricopa County teams and small, rural teams in the fall, and one for southern Arizona teams in the spring?

In the 1980s, the AIA actually had two girls basketball seasons — one in the winter and another in the spring.

This might something the AIA needs to at least examine.

“I think that would widely be accepted by Tucson schools,” Peace said. “One model will not fit everyone’s needs, so breaking it up like this gives us options for everyone to have a season.”

Tucson coach Justin Argraves said he doesn’t see how the southern Arizona schools will be able to start the same time as the Phoenix schools if Tucson teams will only be in Phase 1 if they are allowed to start fall sports on Sept. 7.

“This will further extend the start date for official competition for us, especially if other schools across the state do not have to start in Phase 1 come September 7th,” Argraves said. “Obviously, this will impact how scheduling will be conducted especially with games that involve Phoenixarea high schools versus Tucson-area high schools.”

Argraves said his team is scheduled to play seven games against Valley schools with four of those in Phoenix.

“At this time, I don’t think it’s out of line to think that Tucson-area schools could possibly end up scheduling locally on a completely different time table if we are not cleared to start by September 7th. We are all hopeful for a 2020 season but we also understand the importance of returning when it is safe for our kids while also being able to maintain a safe environment.”

Marana coach Louie Ramirez said he would like to remain on the same timeline as Phoenix for fall football.

“But the AIA needs to have flexibility for the Tucson schools that will not be able to start practices in September,” he said. “All of us are currently in Phase Zero.”

The AIA will be meeting with its crisis team Tuesday to go over the surveys it received last week from member schools regarding how to start the fall sports seasons.

The state association could be making a final determination on all of its fall sports some time this week.