January 2021 - 22

COVID-19 Effects
The ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic has
no doubt impacted schools and, specifically, high school
athletics. According to our survey results, 41 percent of
respondents said they had to cancel at least one sports
season this year in light of health and safety concerns.
Additionally, nearly 91 percent of respondents reported
altering their athletic schedule - playing conference-only
slates, scheduling close-proximity schools, pushing a season
to a different point in time, etc.
Some administrators noted the importance of
communication over the last 10 months, both with the studentathletes
and parents while going through lots of training on
protocols with the rest of the coaching staffs. Many others
pointed to stockpiling PPE and sanitizer while limiting fan
attendance in areas where games have been permitted. That's
evident by 83.6 percent of administrators polled pointed to
facility sanitization as a concern this year. Additionally, 92
percent found the health and safety of student-athletes and
staff the most concerning issue of the year.
" We try to follow the state guidelines and increase and
enhance cleaning procedures, " one administrator noted.
What have you done to accommodate local,
state, and federal regulations to safely return to
athletics amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
For certain sports, we had to play at different times
during the year. Seasons were shortened and we had
no state tournament this year. "
" We bought thermometers, conducted daily
temperature checks, and had fewer athletes on
buses.
We meet with our county health department every
week to gauge the safety of return to play. We use
those guidelines as well as those that we have
developed in conjunction with the conference and
local decision-makers to make sure that our players'
safety is the top priority. "
" Followed all CDC, state department of health,
conference, and national association guidelines.
We moved all competitions to after 1/1/2021. We
also have strict practice protocols with respect to
distancing, masks, and limited contact. "
" All student-athletes wear a mask where mandated.
The number of fans that can attend a game is limited.
Masks must be worn by fans both inside and outside
functions.
What To Watch For:
Athletic Directors Sound Off
On Concerns for the Future
" The safety and well-being of our student-athletes
and their families being negatively affected
because of the ramifications that could come from
our state reversing our decision in early September
to 'return to play' on 9/28 instead of the planned
December date. At the moment there are no
potential solutions as we are entering the second
week of competition with minimal schools that have
had to shut down. Only one school in the state is
totally shut down, with five other schools that have
one to two teams quarantined for two weeks. "
" The continued pressure (perceived or real) on
athletes and families to specialize in order to
secure college athletic opportunities. The belief
among athletes and families that club sports
participation is more important and more valuable
developmentally than school sports participation.
Continue to emphasize the importance of multisport
participation and the value of education
and values-based athletic participation. Be more
proactive in messaging to athletes and families that
gaining college opportunities are much more about
their daily effort and attitude than who they play
with, for and against. For most athletes and sports
the belief that club sports training and competition
are better than school-based is a myth. Club
sports typically help the top 5-10% of players
while everyone else is subsidizing those players'
opportunities through expensive participation and
travel fees. Most athletes would be better served
by playing bigger roles on their school teams and
investing the time they spend traveling in skill
development and strength training. "
" Lack of hiring of good qualified coaches... Kids
that spend all their time in the video game chair
and cell phone...Technology, as good as it is, is
ruining our participation numbers... Kids are lazy
and many do not like to work hard... "
" I am greatly concerned about the behavior of
spectators. It is not a problem that involves a
great many people, but it only takes a few each
season to tarnish a school. "
" Loss of participation. Mental health of studentathletes
and coaches alike. The cost to maintain
competitive teams. Whether COVID-19 will
allow spring sports and sport schedules and
participation in 2021-22. "
" Being able to fund the programs and meet the high
standards set by parents. I fear the athletes will stop
playing school sports and focus on clubs only. "
20 JANUARY 2021
January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2021
