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Safety Regulations Adopted for Fall Games
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TSSAA Plan Offers Guidance for Football Season

Safety Regulations Adopted for Fall Games

By Chris Tramel

 

As the start of football season fast approaches the TSSAA Board of Control has finally voted on a contingency plan for high school teams. The board also implemented a list of restrictions and safety measures should games begin as scheduled.

 

Through the "Option 2 Hybrid Plan" the TSSAA preserves the potential for an 10-game regular season, and full playoff format, but also lays out for what could become an eight-game season with a reduced playoff field.

 

Once the state of Tennessee reaches the date of August 4 and the governor’s executive order declaring a State of Emergency still stands, region games originally scheduled for Week 1 of the prep football season will be moved to later, common dates that TSSAA already has modeled. As each week passes where no contact is allowed, the next week’s region games are rescheduled.

 

Safety measures in place include temperature checks for all players, personnel and fans entering a football facility, and Covid screenings for athletes, coaches, and team personnel. Schools are also encouraged to limit attendance promote social distancing during games.

 

"At this point the decision is not affecting anything that we've been doing since June 1," DCHS Head Football Coach Steve Trapp told the Smithville Review. "They do have a plan in place. I feel that they've done their job, and the plan, at this point as it stands today, with the order that is in place from the governor, we can not have contact practices until after August 29th. As it stands today, our first game will not be until September 18th. What TSSAA voted on was that if the governor exempts us from that order, or allows us contact practices prior to that, then we could get going."

 

Trapp explained that the start of the season all lies with the governor. "We could play August 21st, and play our regular schedule, if the governor would allow us to have contact practices. The plan is in place to get started as soon as he lets us. If we have to ride out the whole order, and we're allowed to start practice after the 29th of August, then our first game won't be until September 18."

 

"The one thing we do not have is a definite game number one date," Coach Trapp continued. "We do have a plan in place once we are exempt from that order or the order expires. If we do get to play, there are going to be things that are different, which things have been different for months now. If people do decide to come watch us play, we just wish that they will honor the things that will have to be done."

 

"As far as me, as the head coach, and our coaching staff, and these guys, we're working and preparing to put a good product on the field. Ultimately that's what it's all about ... it's these kids. Just bare with us, and support us."

 

The TSSAA's safety guidelines will be implemented throughout the fall sports seasons and to all sports, cheerleading and band, as well as others involved in those activities.

 

Included in those guidelines:

 

  • Players, coaches and personnel will have to take a temperature check prior to practice every day. Anyone whose temperature measures 100.4 or greater must be sent home immediately and may not return to participation until he/she provides documentation that they have tested negative for COVID-19 or obtained a medical evaluation by a physician verifying that COVID-19 is not the cause of his/her fever.
  • No coach, player, or team personnel may participate in practice or a contest without first completing appropriate COVID-19 screening.
  • No scrimmages, jamborees, 7-on-7 practice, or other types of practice with other teams is permitted.
  • At contests all coaches, players, team personnel, officials, administrators, and fans must have their temperatures checked before entering the facility.
  • At each contest a symptom checklist shall be posted prominently.
  • At contests in localities where fan attendance is permitted, member schools are encouraged to limit fan attendance to a number that will allow adequate social distancing (e.g., 1/4 to 1/3 of typical seating capacity, depending on the characteristics of the particular venue) and should mark/designate bleachers or seats in order to promote social distancing among spectators.
  • Member schools will require that all fans wear facial coverings at all times while onsite.
  • The temperature check and questionnaire requirements, as well as the social distancing requirement, shall also apply to members of a school band or pep band, cheerleaders, or other similar student groups attending a contest in a supporting role.
  • If a public address system is in use for a contest, the host school will make public service announcements at various times during the contest to remind those in attendance to use masks and maintain physical distancing.
  • Concession stands are discouraged, but not prohibited.
  • All coaches must complete the free NFHS online course “COVID-19 for Coaches and Administrators.

 

The board also voted on contingency plan for the girl's soccer season. Should the season not start as scheduled on August 17, the plan calls for the season to begin September 7, with state championships beginning Nov. 11-14. Teams that don’t play a maximum number of games and are eliminated from the postseason, but could play extra games until the post season ends.