Health order may block contact sports
Despite fears about the spread of COVID-19, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has made it clear that plans remain in place to resume high school sports this fall.
In a lengthy email to school administrators that included several scenarios, the OHSAA gave the OK for teams to begin practicing this past Saturday.
But there remains a major hurdle to clear for contact sports to kick off their seasons later this month: a standing order by the Ohio Department of Health that would make competition in those sports virtually impossible.
An 11-page order was issued late Saturday night, creating a ripple felt throughout the state.
Most notably, the order forbids teams in contact sports to hold scrimmages or contests against other teams without each team member proving that he or she has passed a coronavirus test within 72 hours of that competition.
Football, boys and girls soccer and field hockey fall under the category of
contact sports currently limited to practices and intrasquad scrimmages. Cross country, girls tennis and boys and girls golf are considered non-contact sports.
OHSAA spokesman Tim Stried said the order was merely an extension of an order already in place since a state of emergency was declared in Ohio.
“In our conversations with Gov. (Mike) Dewine and the ODOH, we’ve explained that it’s not feasible, or even possible for that matter, for high school sports to operate under that protocol,” Stried said. “We keep reassuring people that it’s an ongoing conversation, and we’re hoping to get modifications that will allow our student-athletes to compete in scrimmages and competitions without COVID-19 testing.”
Desales athletic director Tom Neubert said there is no chance contact sports will be contested in the fall without modifications to the ODOH order.
“Soccer teams play up to three times a week, so there’s no way you could perform that many (COVID-19) tests on players, let alone afford it,” Neubert said. “Something a lot of people don’t realize is that there’s a tremendous cost in keeping athletic facilities up to code, and that’s a hardship for some schools.”
Stried estimated that at least 40 schools statewide have either canceled or suspended fall sports, based on the recommendation of local health officials.
In his order this past weekend, Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance D. Himes stated that if games for contact sports do go forward, they must follow a detailed protocol.
Some of the rules for players, coaches, athletic trainers, support staff and officials include:
• Each participant have a negative COVID-19 test result before traveling to competition.
• A PCR COVID-19 test must be administered to each athlete and team member no more than 72 hours before the start of competition. The results must be in hand prior to competition, and no one with a positive test can participate.
• All participants must remain in isolation with teammates and team staff from the time the COVID-19 test is administered until completion of the competition.
• At all times, team members are to adhere to a general quarantine and limit contact with others to teammates and team staff.
• Athletes and staff are required to have daily temperature checks administered by staff and complete a daily COVID-19 symptom questionnaire as long as the competition continues.
• Athletes and staff are required to wear face coverings (masks) at all times while outside room and within their quarantine areas.
The order will stay in effect until the state of emergency declared by Dewine no longer exists or the state health department rescinds or modifies the order. sblackledge@dispatch.com @Blackiepreps jwoods@dispatch.com @Woodsnight