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DA District Administration
How schools are restarting sports with safety at forefront
Indoor and outdoor workouts resume with some districts expecting fall competition
By: Matt Zalaznick
June 15, 2020
Students in several parts of the country this week are returning to
school sports activities, with extensive safeguards in place to stymie
the spread of coronavirus as young athletes eye competition that could
begin in the fall.
In Florida’s Duval County Public Schools, the nation’s 20th largest
district, students on Monday were allowed to resume outdoor
conditioning in the system’s first phase of restarting athletic
activities.
“Now knowing that it’s the governor’s expectation that football go on
next year, we need to take appropriate steps to ensure students are
physically ready,” Superintendent Diana Greene said on the district’s
website. “We are only a week behind our normal training schedule.”
The district plans to allow weightlifting on June 29 and practices on
July 13, though those dates could change if coronavirus concerns
increase.
“We are able to open our training program in a way that respects
the immediate health of players and staff in the COVID-19 environment
and with an eye toward our student-athletes’ health if full-contact
begins later this year,” Greene said.
The district worked with the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program to develop its health guidelines, including:
Group size cannot exceed 20 (i.e., 18 students with two coaches).
Groups should comprise the same students and coaches each session
Sessions can last an hour, with 15 minutes in between to allow groups to exit facilities.
Athletes’ temperature will checked before each session.
Masks are required for students and staff entering and exiting the facility.
No spectators allowed.
All student-athletes must bring their own water bottle and towel—no use of water fountains or water coolers.
Locker rooms will remain closed.
A designated restroom will be available. All other facilities will be closed.
Coaches are also required to keep thorough attendance records to support contact tracing if necessary.
School sports re-emerge from COVID-19
North Carolina’s high school athletic association has also allowed schools to resume 90-minute indoor and outdoor workouts.
Activities held outside are limited to 25 people while with indoor
sessions capped at 10, and groups must remain the same each day.
Along with rigorous cleaning off all facilities, schools must monitor
coaches and students for coronavirus symptoms. If any student in a
group tests positive, the whole group will have to quarantine for 14
days.
The association urges coaches and staff to wear cloth face coverings
while athletes should wear when not engaged in physical activity.
Everyone should maintain 6-feet physical distancing at all times.
Other states that have allowed sports activities to resume include Michigan and Pennsylvania.
“Your school district has to feel comfortable with putting things
together to keep kids as healthy and safe as possible,” Tim Johnston,
athletic director of the East Grand Rapids Public School District, told
MLive.com. I’m glad school districts have the ability to make some
local decisions with what they think is best for their schools and
kids.”
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