There was some good news last week, but it came too late to save a basketball or a wrestling season, as high school seniors lost out on another opportunity to play and showcase their talents after having its 2020 spring season canceled as well.
“From our hearts, we’re sorry,” said NIAA Assistant Director Donnie Nelson. “Time has simply run out on the winter sports season, and the basketball and wrestling seasons are now officially over. We certainly feel for our seniors.”
Close to a year after seeing high school sports shut down, athletes are preparing to get back to playing the sports they love.
Last week, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a new directive with guidance to further open schools for in-person learning and to allow full-contact sports to resume.
High school football can now be played, along with boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, volleyball and girls golf.
“We’re looking at the drop in the positivity rate, the drop in the number of cases,” Sisolak said. “A lot of the kids, and I fully understand, they want to get back on the field, they want to have practices, they want to have their games. Some students are hoping for scholarships to move on to college. We’re going in the right direction, and we decided it was time. Now, it’s up to the local districts. Clark County, I don’t know if they’ll participate. That will be up to them. But there’s been a lot of demand in Washoe and the rural counties to allow us to move forward.”
High school football was scheduled to begin practice on Feb. 13, with all other fall sports beginning Feb. 20.
After missing the first few days of practice, it may be possible to start games on March 5 or March 6.
“In order to allow NIAA-regulated full-contact sports to take place, the NIAA must develop a mandatory COVID-19 testing and mitigation plan that then must be adopted and followed by each school district and school intending to allow full-contact sports,” Sisolak said. “A plan must require a minimum of weekly testing of coaches, staff and athletes participating in those sports.”
Each district must approve a plan and follow NIAA guidelines to participate.
Football players and the coaching staff will be required to take a test once a week during the season.
Players in other fall sports do not have to be tested.
However, only coaches and staff in other sports have to be tested at the start of the season.
“We have completed all the required documentation so that we conduct the testing in house,” Jensen said. “Our chief nurse, Marian Tyree, will be the lead of this project. There was minimal cost to register HCSD as a testing facility, but the receipt through March is at no cost to the district. We will gladly do all that we are required to do to make this possible in accordance with the current requirements to allow athletics.”
Jensen added there are concerns out there, but is comfortable moving forward.
“Though, we will gladly test in order to make this opportunity available to our student athletes, the guidance will be difficult in that should there be one identified COVID case, the program is shut down for a period of time,” Jensen added.
Transportation has been brought up as an issue as well, but under the directive, capacity has been increased to 66 percent.
Jensen noted that safe transportation will meet the needs of the teams that are traveling to other schools.
Clark County, except Moapa Valley High School and other private schools, have already canceled the fall sports season. Moapa Valley — a rural school in Overton, between Mesquite and Las Vegas — has held in-person school this year for students.
Due to the shortened six-week season, there will be no state championships contested. However, leagues can have a regional championship.
Football could play a playoff or bowl game if it can be fit into the schedule.
Outside of high school sports, full contact sports for travel, club and private leagues remain prohibited.
“The resumption of full-contact sports only applies to sports regulated and governed by the NIAA,” Sisolak said. “We’re taking the step of allowing full-contact sports to resume competitions for NIAA only because they are able to be highly regulated and overseen by a school district, including a regular testing environments.”
Spring sports are scheduled to be played April 16-May 22 with practice starting April 3.
The spring sports include baseball, softball, boys golf, swimming and track and field. All of those sports have been cleared to compete.
It’s not known if fans will be allowed to attend games as of now.
“We are seeking clarification on the 250 threshold,” Jensen said. “We are uncertain if that includes the student-athletes. However, we are supportive of having spectators to the extent possible. We will do our best and provide clarification as we receive that information.”
