Unlike a year ago, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is set to begin its sports season on time, with all the sports playing this year.
The basketball and wrestling season was completely wiped out in 2020-21 and fall sports played in March and April of 2021.
Well, fall sports is back in their regular spot on the calendar and the season is now under way.
This past Friday, interim executive director of the NIAA, Donnie Nelson, held a video call outlining some of the regulations that will be in place for the upcoming season.
The NIAA plans for a return to a full schedule of high school sports across the state, which includes full regional and state championships.
There will be some COVID-19-related guidelines in place.
For volleyball games, everyone inside the gym must wear a face covering at all times, other than the athletes. Volleyball is the lone fall sport that is played indoors. Volleyball players in uniform will not have to wear masks.
“All persons other than a team’s game-eligible student-athletes must wear a mask when anywhere indoors; locker rooms, restrooms, competition area, spectators, everywhere indoors,” said Nelson. “This applies to non-roster, out-of-jersey student or adult managers, coaches, contest officials, event workers, school staff, spectators, i.e. everybody.”
Should a school or a school district have in place regulations that go beyond Gov. Steve Sisolak’s Directive 048 (which spelled out new mask requirements for 12 of Nevada’s counties), visiting teams must adhere to the stricter requirements.
The guidelines in Directive 048, establishes counties with over 100,000 people must mandate face coverings for all K-12 students in an indoor setting regardless of vaccination status.
This only applies if the counties fall into the CDC’s “Substantial” or “High” categories for COVID community transmission.
Nelson said that his office is still reviewing the governor’s directive, stating the announcement the NIAA’s “initial interpretations.”
In addition, football, basketball and wrestling teams, the three sports the NIAA defines as “full and close contact” will require non-vaccinated team members (coaches, volunteers, or others with a direct connection to the program) to have weekly COVID-19 testing.
Testing for football teams began on Monday throughout the state.
The NIAA hopes to issue formal directives to its member schools soon, Nelson added.
“The most important thing is education-based athletics and activities still have the opportunity to play, as of now,” Nelson said. “And we are very excited looking forward to a fantastic fall season which is ready to begin.”
The NIAA’s next community update is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 19, at 3 p.m. on YouTube.
The NIAA is expected to hold biweekly meetings throughout the year.
