WEST PLAINS – Cheney High School will have to wait a few more months to make its second appearance in the Greater Spokane League.
At a July 30 meeting, the consensus among District 8 athletic directors — which includes the Greater Spokane League and Mid-Columbia Conference — was to move all fall sports to a newly created spring season, a move approved by school principals at a meeting last week in Spokane. The decision is the latest outcome from the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s (WIAA) creation of a fourth athletic season as a respond to allowing sports to continue in light of the increased spread of COVId-19 pandemic in the state.
District 8 officials said they were declining to participate in the “alternative” seasons during fall provided by the WIAA’s new season schedule and would move all fall sports competitions to the new season, Season 3. Season 3 begins March 8 and concludes May 2, with a pre-practice schedule set for March 1 – 7.
Alternative seasons occur with sports that allow their main and post seasons to take place in one season, but also hold competition — a type of preseason — in another season. In a post on the GSL’s Facebook page, Director Ken VanSickle cited one of the reasons for the decision was “the out-of-season coaching window.”
In an Aug. 3 news release, the WIAA clarified policy concerns surrounding football during this period, which runs Sept. 28 – Nov. 30. The policy allows 20 football practices, with 10 of those in pads and with full contact, adding it will extend the summer coaching window into fall.
As an example, a football team that conducts eight practices during the summer coaching window, with three in pads, would then have 12 remaining practices – including seven in pads – in the fall coaching window.
“Since the window allows coaches the opportunity to work with players, we didn’t think it made much sense with the culminating events in the spring,” VanSickle said.
“It would be the equivalent of summer camp,” Cheney High School athletics director Jeff Chandler said of the fall window.
Chandler said some Blackhawks coaches have taken advantage of the summer coaching window to hold practices and workouts. Those have been limited by the requirements to follow health and safety guidelines for disease spread prevention issued by the state and WIAA for counties under Phase 2 of Washington’s reopening plan.
Some of the WIAA restrictions under this phase allow practice only in “pods” of six – five players and one coach. Pods must maintain six-feet of physical distancing, do not rotate between coaches and avoid using locker rooms are several of the conditions.
Chandler said there has been no weight room work either, with players doing conditioning and running workouts. Coaches have refrained from using balls as well, although their use with proper cleaning afterwards is allowed under Phase 2 guidelines.
Medical Lake School District athletics is following suit over in the Northeast A League. In an email athletics director Justin Blayne all Cardinals fall sports have been moved to Season 3.
“We will not offer any sports or activities this fall through the remainder of the calendar year,” he added.
In order for sports to begin, counties where schools are located must be in the appropriate phases of the state’s reopening plan from the virus. For most, this is Phase 3.
“Hopefully we’ll get to Phase 3 with these restrictions,” Chandler said of recent measures such as requiring mask wearing and social distancing.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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