GHSA announces initial plan to let athletes begin summer activities
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WCHS softball coach Drew Owens, shown last year during a summer workout, will be allowed to work out his players when the conditioning program begins in two weeks. (Photos/Mark Turner)
The Georgia High School Association began the process of restarting high school athletics in Georgia, announcing a plan for summer conditioning to begin on June 8.
Since the middle of March, high school athletics in the state has been shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reopening the state earlier this month, GHSA officials are following suit with a plan that, hopefully, will allow high school competitions to begin when the 2020-21 school year opens in a couple of months.
“We really excited,” WCHS athletic director Craig Turner said. “It's great to have a plan to get our kids, our athletes back on campus. “The coaches, the kids, and the parents have all been wanting to restart things, so we're excited about getting to do something.”
The first phase of the plan begins June 1, as athletes in any sports can begin normal summer conditioning drills. While most of the attention has been focused on preparing football, softball, volleyball, cross country and competition cheerleading athletes for the upcoming season, other sports such as baseball and basketball also normally have summer activities.
The plan calls for all conditioning workouts to be voluntary, with no balls or sports-specific equipment allowed. Each school must have an Infectious Disease Prevention Plan in place prior to the athletes and staff opening the conditioning workouts. Athletes and coaches will be screened prior to the workouts, and only 20 athletes and coaches, per sport, are allowed to meet at a time. All locker rooms and showers are off-limits, and weight room equipment must be cleared before and after each training session. Hand sanitizer should be readily available, and each athlete should bring a water bottle. Social distancing rules will apply during the workout sessions, and face masks are recommended while in the weight room.
“We're excited, but the most important thing is make sure everyone is healthy and safe,” Turner said. “Everything we're doing is geared toward the safety of our athletes and coaches. We want to keep everyone healthy because this only works if we take care of that part of the plan. We have to do it in a safe way.We have to focus on doing it the right way. Keep the kids and the coaches safe, and start getting them accumulating to working out again. The GHSA is letting us take some small steps, and if things keep getting better, then we'll be able to ramp it up a little and move toward a more normal summer of working out and starting practice.”
Turner has been in constant contact with the coaching staff since the pandemic began in March. Turner, the coaches and the rest of the school administration are working to make sure the local plan is in place come June 8. The GHSA removed a big hurdle as they have extended the deadline for athletic physicals until July 27, which will allow athletes with a physical record on file to participate in the June workouts.
“I think we all are relieved to see some movement in the right direction,” Turner said. “We want to see our athletes, and all of our students, be able to get back on campus. One of my biggest worries was about physicals. They usually end when athletic season ends in May, but the GHSA decided to extend the current physicals through July 27. That gives us some breathing room to get all of the physicals done.”
GHSA executive director Dr. Robin Hines sent out a memo to member schools late last week, detailing the plan.
“The plan is restrictive and provides for conditioning only,' Dr. Hines said in the memo. “As the data related to COVID-19 continues to improve, restrictions may be reduced after input from out health care professionals and guidance from our Governor. Please make every effort to follow the recommendations and restrictions included in the guidance provided. As you return to conditioning, keep in mind that the majority of your athletes have “deconditioned' the past two months and need to work into what would be normal for this time of year. Reduce the work and gradually increase the workouts with time.”
Hines asked that the local school system be heavily involved in the process of restarting athletics around the state.
“There has never been a more critical time for athletic departments, school administration, and system level administrators to work together.”
During the meeting with the GHSA Board of Trustees, Hines originally asked that the start date be June 1, but some board members asked the date be moved back.
According to the minutes of the meeting, Fulton County Schools' Steven Craft, Atlanta Public Schools' Jasper Jewell, and Henry County Schools' Curt Miller all pointed put with would be more difficult for the larger school systems to be ready by June 1.
“I don't have any problem with the plan itself, its' the June 1 date,” Miller said. “If we could just push that back a week, it would make things easier on the larger systems.”
GHSA president Glenn White agreed, saying, “I'm fine with the June 1 date, but if moving it to June 8 will help our larger systems get things in place and make it safer for our kids and coaches, then I have no problem with that.”