Girls private league to play an ‘open season’
The Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland, the state’s largest girls private high school league, announced Thursday afternoon winter sports will resume next month under an open schedule. The Capital first reported the news
Heads of schools for the 29 members of the IAAM met this week to confirm its Dec. 15 plan to play a season that will begin Feb. 1 and run through March 13.
“The IAAM is aware of current restrictions related to athletics in certain Member School jurisdictions, however our goal remains the same; to continue to promote and create paths for athletic participation,” the IAAM wrote in a news release.
The release continued: “If contests are scheduled, any and all health and safety protocols will need to be worked out between schools.”
The IAAM’s winter sports season will include basketball, squash and swimming.
The league announced in December it would not offer an indoor track and field season due to the closure of Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex.
The league is scheduled to begin spring sports March 1 and play a complete schedule of conference games.
Under the open fall sports season that the IAAM’s counterpart, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, also chose, many schools decided to compete, though several, such as McDonogh and Severn School, opted not to play. Other schools, such as Annapolis Area Christian School, ended its season early as coronavirus cases rose, while others had their seasons cut short due to county or Archdiocese of Baltimore restrictions.
The MIAA last month pushed back its start date for the winter season to Feb. 8.
Carroll County Public Schools are the only system in Maryland currently playing winter sports. Baltimore County on Monday
canceled its winter season, joining Howard as the area counties that have canceled their respective winter seasons so far. Anne Arundel, Harford and Baltimore City remain in a holding pattern with no official announcements on cancellations or when their respective winter seasons might begin.
Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman lifted some restrictions on youth sports Wednesday to permit sports practices and skill sessions, “provided they are limited to a total of 25 participants outdoors or 25% of maximum capacity for indoor facilities, with no more than 10 people per activity at once.” Sports practices and skill sessions are again permissible at private schools.
Coaches, participants and spectators are also required to wear face coverings at all times, and a log must be kept of anyone entering the facility or participating in the activity.
St. Mary’s aims to begin tryouts on Feb. 1, though athletic director Allison Fondale is still reasonably uncertain whether games will be able to begin soon after, given the restrictions. If they don’t, the Saints will prepare alternatives for their winter athletes.
“We want to make sure that we’re honoring and recognizing our seniors. That’s always one of our top priorities,” Fondale said. “We talked about if we have games, what does that look like, and we also talked about what if we’re not able to have games. And if we’re not during that February month, then we would have to get creative and find other ways you know to recognize our seniors, but we would, you know, still under all the guidelines.”
Annapolis Area Christian School also intends to play should county restrictions lift. Key School will have a meeting to discuss its options next week, and Severn School is still unsure.