Banks School District, CORONAVIRUS, Sports

Fall sports season moved to spring, seasons condensed

Sports fields in Banks on August 5, 2020. Photo: Chas Hundley

OREGON – The fall sports season will be shifted to spring 2021, seasons will be condensed, and out-of-season coaching restrictions will be waived, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) said in a Wednesday, August 5 press release issued after the OSAA executive board meeting.

There will essentially be an optional season beginning August 31 and extending to December 27 where local districts, at their discretion, can participate in OSAA-sanctioned activities such as conditioning, practices, and interscholastic activities if all directives from the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Department of Education, and Governor’s Office are followed. 

This is made possible by a vote by the OSAA board on Wednesday to waive normal restrictions on out-of-season coaching.  

Three seasons of seven overlapping weeks each will follow, with winter sports such as swimming, wrestling, and basketball beginning December 28 and ending March 7, traditional fall sports beginning February 22 through May 2, with football extending slightly further than that, and spring sports such as baseball beginning April 19 and ending June 27. 

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A chart showing the overlapping seasons can be found at www.osaa.org/docs/osaainfo/Adopted20-21OSAASeasonCalendar.pdf.

“Today’s decisions by the Executive Board provide a framework to maximize the potential opportunity for students in Oregon to participate in three seasons during the 2020-21 school year,” said Peter Weber, OSAA Executive Director. “The Board recognized that a one size fits all approach isn’t what’s best for students across the state. By waiving policy to allow regional participation this Fall, local school districts will have the discretion for participation in those areas that are able to do so safely per state directives.”

“Shifting the season calendar later in the school year provides additional time for more schools to return to a hybrid or on-site learning format while providing flexibility for local school districts to make decisions this Fall that are best for their school communities as health metrics and state guidance in this area continues to develop,” the OSAA said in the press release. 

Visit http://www.osaa.org/coronavirus for the latest OSAA information regarding the coronavirus pandemic. 

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Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.

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