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IHSA announces modified 2020-21 sports schedules
BLOOMINGTON–Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Wednesday, July 29, additional regulations to youth and adult recreational sports.
The guidance, released by Pritzker, sets four levels of play allowed based on public health restrictions:
•Level 1–No-contact practices are allowed and they must be outside.
•Level 2–Intra-team scrimmages allowed, with parental consent for minors; no competitive play.
•Level 3–Intra-conference or intra-region or intra-league play/meets only; state or league-championship game/meet allowed for low-risk sports only.
•Level 4–Tournaments, out-of-conference/league play, multi-team meets, out-of-state play allowed; championship games allowed.
Lower-risk sports can currently play at levels 1, 2 and 3. Medium-risk sports can play at levels 1 and 2, while high-risk sports can play at level 1.
The categories for risk level are:
•Lower risk–Archery, badminton, baseball, bass fishing, bowling, climbing, crew, cross country, cycling, disc golf, scholastic golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, ice skating, ropes courses, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, sideline spirit, skateboarding, softball, swimming/diving, tennis, track and field and weight lifting.
•Medium risk–Basketball, fencing, flag football or 7-on-7 football, paintball, racquetball, soccer, volleyball, water polo and wheelchair basketball.
•High risk–Boxing, competitive cheer, competitive dance, football, hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, rugby, ultimate frisbee and wrestling.
The guidance will be regularly updated as public health conditions change and new information becomes available. The guidance does not pertain to professional or college sports.
IHSA announces schedules
Hours after Pritzker released his update on sports guidance, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) released a modified schedule for the 2020-2021 school year after its board of directors meeting on Wednesday, July 29. The plan has been sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for final approval.
The pandemic led the board to propose scheduling changes for the upcoming school calendar. These include playing all sports over a shortened fall, winter, summer and spring seasons.
IHSA boys and girls golf, girls tennis, cross-country and girls swimming and diving will remain as fall sports. These sports will begin their seasons on Aug. 10 as scheduled.
Per the Governor’s announcement, fall sports will begin with competition limited to conference opponents and other schools in the same general geographical area. Schools will be provided more details in the coming week about the scheduling limits, and scheduling will continue to be assessed throughout each season.
“The board believes this plan offers the most realistic chance for student-athletes to participate in interscholastic sports while balancing the challenges of a new academic setting and IDPH Guidelines,” said Erie High School Principal and IHSA Board President Tim McConnell. “We are an education-based athletic association, and school has to come first. By delaying the majority of the team sports in the fall, it will allow our schools and students the chance to acclimate to what will be, for many, a totally new educational experience.”
State series tournament decisions will be made on a sport-by-sport basis as the seasons progress. The IHSA board of directors has made postseason opportunities a priority. This could include seeking other non-traditional means to conduct events.
The board also extended the current Phase 4 Return To Play guidelines, which will allow sports slated to be played in the winter, spring and summer seasons an additional 20 days of contact for teams between Sept. 7 and Oct. 31 following IDPH Phases 4 guidelines.
The board also verified that their by-laws do not prevent schools who are conducting remote learning from participating in IHSA sports and activities. Participation will remain a local decision, regardless of each district’s learning plan.
The board discussed IHSA activities such as bass fishing, speech, journalism, music and scholastic bowl, but did not take action on those activities.
The sports by season are:
•Fall (Aug. 10–Oct. 24)–Boys and girls golf, girls tennis, boys and girls cross country and girls swimming and diving.
•Winter (Nov. 16–Feb. 13)–Boys and girls basketball, wrestling, boys swimming and diving, cheerleading, dance, boys and girls bowling and girls gymnastics.
•Spring (Feb. 15–May 1)–Football, boys soccer, girls volleyball, girls badminton, boys gymnastics and boys and girls water polo.
•Summer (May 3– June 26)–Baseball, softball, boys and girls track and field, girls soccer, boys volleyball, boys and girls lacrosse and boys tennis.
The first week of IHSA football is set to take place on March 5.