WIAA votes 8-3 to bring sports back in two phases
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
The Southern Lakes region is one step closer to the return of high school sports.
In a special meeting July 23, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association voted 8-3 to bring back fall high school sports.
The two-phase return involves sports deemed “low-risk,” including cross country, girls golf, girls swimming and diving and girls tennis, starting practice Aug. 17. “High-risk” sports like football, boys and girls volleyball, and boys soccer will be able to practice Sept. 7.
“The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control considered a number of season schedule models and resolved to maintain fall interscholastic opportunities with a delayed start, as well as an alternate opportunity for schools unable to start and administer the traditional fall season,” according to a WIAA press release.
Sports may begin with “prescribed acclimatization protocol,” which involves proper hygiene, social distancing, no shared equipment, and potential COVID testing, among other guidelines.
The WIAA factored in the sensitive nature of COVID and its concerns, as many school districts continue to work toward best practices to bring back in-person instruction.
“Because of the board’s action, while they can’t make any guarantees that things will work out as we plan them, they have given us the opportunity to at least hope and work in that direction,” WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson said.
“We understand this decision will make some happy and others disappointed, but we will do our best to deliver to our membership what they have directed us to do,” he added.
The end of the fall sports seasons remained unchanged, but the board indicated the season may or may not culminate with a traditional tournament series. The length and beginning of the tournament series will be determined in the coming days.
In addition, the winter and spring season calendars were not altered.
At this time, safety is a priority for everyone involved in sports, this doesn’t just mean for schools and communities but for global sport too, no one wants to bring it fully back just in case infections ramp up again, that is why it is important for everyone to remain vigilant on and off the pitch.
Sport is an important part of many people’s lives and the absence of it has been hard on them, but as it becomes re-introduced there have been supporters getting back into the swing of things and trying to find some joy out of it all, this includes things like having zoom watching parties, placing bets on their favorite teams (if you are contemplating an ‘if bet’ you may want to see how if bets explained before placing one), they are also throwing their support behind their teams online so they know that they are always there. There is a lot coming from this.
Area ADs on board
The ruling provides a bit of clarity in this uncertain time, according to East Troy Athletic Director Reid Oldenburg.
While the rule allows for competition, the final decisions are still up to the school and local health officials.
For example, Madison-area schools have already cancelled the football season.
“I was not surprised by the decision made by the BOC,and I also know that it was a very difficult decision to make. The state of Wisconsin is very diverse and has many districts and communities with various plans, procedures, regulations, and risk levels,” Oldenburg said.
“For me, the decision simply provided some clarity and gave something for Athletic Directors to work towards. I am happy that we can provide opportunities for our students, but I also know there are many decisions yet to be made, and ultimately we need to make sure our students, schools, and communities stay as safe as possible,” Oldenburg added.
In Elkhorn, Athletic Director Dan Kiel said he is simply happy to give kids the opportunity to get back to doing what they love.
“I was hoping that we would be able to phase sports in as had been previously planned, but I think the WIAA listened to their member schools and gave our kids an option to play. They are leaving it up to local county and district decisions. I am grateful for at least the opportunity to have at least a compressed season,” Kiel said.
“We will be playing at EAHS as long as our district and local health department allow us to do so. We are working with the other Southern Lakes Conference schools to come up with a plan in each sport, and the schools hope to give their athletes this opportunity,” Kiel added.
Safety first in Delavan
In Delavan-Darien Athletic Director Guy Otte said he is working on the safest way possible to make certain the Comets can play in a few weeks.
“I think the sooner we can get students back in the buildings and participating in athletics, clubs, etc., the better,” Otte said. “As long as that can be done safely.”
He said the Delavan-Darien School Board is discussing the WIAA decision at their next board meeting.
“We are developing protocols for each sport for whenever they start – the new normal,” Otte said.
Another component of the WIAA Board’s decision provides schools, which are unable to start fall sports in 2020, an opportunity in the spring to conduct their fall seasons. The board directed the executive staff to develop details and calendars for an alternative three-sport season in the second semester of the 2020-21 school year to be presented at a later date.
The alternate three-sport season plan was derived from a proposal submitted to the WIAA executive staff by school district administrators from the southwest area of the state.
The board also approved an executive office social media initiative to promote and encourage safe practices to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The campaign #TeamUpToBeatCOVID launched last week in efforts to enhance the likelihood of returning to school and school activities by following safe practices.
“The WIAA encourages school and public involvement and interaction in the campaign on all Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platforms,” the release states.
A fluid situation
Kiel understands the fluid nature of the restart.
“We are going to have to remain flexible and schedules have to be redone. We are working with the other conference schools to do this for each sport. We have to balance what we can do and what we can’t based on the individual circumstances of that sport,” Kiel said.
He said many people have been involved in the process.
“We have worked with our district’s medical staff and our local health department to come up with protocols that all coaches and athletes have to follow, which involve good hygiene, physical distancing when feasible, screening questions, and accurate attendance along with disinfecting any shared equipment,” Kiel said.
“We are going to do what we can to provide our students the opportunity to play this fall,” he added.
Oldenburg said a big benefit to sports is the mental and emotional well-being of student-athletes.
He’s excited that kids will be able to smile again.
“We feel the student’s mental and physical well-being needs to be considered when these decisions are being made,” Oldenburg said. “Historical data showed how the overall mental health was negatively impacted during the school closings last spring.
“We want kids being involved and back together with coaches and peers, but we know that a lot of work needs to get done in order for this to happen in a safe manner,” Oldenburg said.
