The Mississippi High School Activities Association website posts “MHSAA school guidelines for falls sports due to the pandemic.” It begins with a note:
“This is not an exhaustive list and there might be additional steps in each community to help prevent the spread of virus. Even when taking all precautions, there will still be risk of transmitting illnesses. Everyone should stay vigilant about the health of members of their teams. These guidelines are to be integrated with the NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) guidelines and the MHSAA Mississippi Sports Medicine guidelines. The situation with COVID-19 is rapidly changing. Please keep up with the latest from the CDC and the Mississippi Department of Health.”
There are guidelines for the fall sports – football, volleyball, cross country and swimming. Many are basically the same for all four, including “no mask no entry.”
For venues – stadiums and gyms – other guidelines include the following:
— Post social distancing signs inside and outside of facilities.
— All game day personnel should be screened prior to working the event.
— Provide hand sanitizing stations.
— Auxiliary persons (ticket takers, concession stand workers, security, media and volunteers) should be screened prior to working an athletic event.
— Concession stand workers wear masks and gloves.
— Create plans for line management and proper food preparation per FDA and CDC guidelines at concession stands.
— Only clock operator and public address announcer allowed in the press box.
— Have public address announcer broadcast social distance reminders.
— Restrict pedestrian flow in common areas.
— Create and communicate media guidelines.
Guidelines for dressing rooms include sanitizing before and after use. Dressing rooms should be large enough to allow social distancing and times spent there should not be excessive.
“For the most part, these are reasonable guidelines,” said Eupora athletic director Alex Rawls. “I don’t think we will have an issue with our fans. The temperature around town is they want to return to a normal season. Folks are ready for some football and volleyball and cross country. Something to entertain them.”
Louisville athletic director Tyrone Shorter said, “There are a lot of things we were planning on doing anyway.” But he added social distancing will be difficult in the stands and at concession stands, especially at halftime of football games when there is always a crowd as fans clamor for a hot dog and something to drink. He said that might require extra people to regulate social distancing.
The guidelines recommend restroom attendants at stadiums and gyms. McAdams athletic director Kenyon Ross said that could be problematic. “That’s one we’re going to have to look at.”
Ross said most of the guidelines are reasonable and he is confident that spectators will accede to social distancing requirements. “People are ready for sports to come back so I think they will fall in line.”
Kosciusko athletic director Macy Wilbanks said limiting personnel in the press box for football games to the clock operator and PA announcer could be a problem. “We’ll have to relocate the broadcasting crew. I’m not sure if that includes coaches. We will have to get clarified on that.”
There are guidelines for bands and spirt teams.
Bands must wait until both teams exit the field at halftime.
Cheerleaders and dance teams should practice social distancing on the sideline, there will be no visiting between teams and cheerleaders and dance team participants should remain separated from fans and others.
For football, the sideline team box may be extended from the 25-yard line on both ends of the field to the 10-yard lines to allow better distancing. The coin toss should be limited to the referee, umpire and one representative from each team, without hand shakes.
For volleyball, visiting teams should arrive in uniforms if possible. Players should provide their own materials, such as water bottles and towels.
The guidelines recommend a four-team maximum for tournaments during the week and 10 teams on the weekend.
The guidelines suggest a staggered start for cross country. That would mean runners would essentially be running against the clock rather than against other runners.
French Camp cross country coach Joe Watkins said, “I think that would cause a lot of problems logistically and it would take away all competition.”
Winona cross country coach Chris McRae served on a Mississippi Association of Coaches committee that reviewed the recommendations for the sport “With what we do, social distancing is very doable,” he said. “In cross country, runners can run six feet apart.”
To prevent gatherings, results will not be posted.
After each of the 12 races at the state meet at Choctaw Trails, the top 15 runners who are designated all state receive their medals and mount a stage. That will not be the case this year.
A full list of guidelines can be found on the MHSAA website – www.misshsaa.com.
