FRANKLIN, Mass. — A decision Tuesday from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association: high school sports will go on this fall with the pre-season starting September 14. However, which sports will start is still unknown.
"Although the schedule is done – you know who you're going to play – we don't know what that's going to entail," said Ron Dowd the athletic director for Walpole High School.
At WHS, athletic fields usually find kids doing summer workouts, but those will remain empty until after school is back in session.
“A lot of different challenges,” Dowd said. “A lot of unknown and it seems like things are changing by the day.”
The MIAA set the September 14 date with the idea that school is back open and "all" students can get adjusted to a new routine. The organization felt student-athletes shouldn't get an upper hand with the "new normal" by starting early.
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“You’re always trying to build a well-rounded student, a well-rounded person and that’s certainly what we’re trying to do,” Dowd said. “So education has got to be the number one focus; how do we get the kids back in there, but also what can we provide safely?”
We still don't know which sports can be played. That decision will come later from the governor and the Department of Education. From there, the MIAA will release more guidelines.
The sports that are allowed to be played this fall by the MIAA will have to follow guidelines determined by the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs [EEA] and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [DESE].
The MIAA’s COVID-19 Task Force recommended to the organization that they reconvene three days after the EEA and DESE release those guidelines.
Under Phase 3 of Massachusetts’ reopening plan, the state lists football, soccer and lacrosse among “high risk” sports.
“We’re preparing for all different types of scenarios. We’re preparing for ‘Shouldn’t we be doing this?’, ‘Should we be?’, ‘Do you get supplies?’ especially with budgetary issues coming into play right now,” Dowd explained.
The state will also release transportation guidelines on August 1. The MIAA added any post-season or tournament play is still to be determined.
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