WIAA Guidance to Resume Summer Activities
Friday, June 19th, 2020 -- 6:41 AM
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association has released guidance and recommendations for member high schools to resume summertime athletics programming and other activities beginning July 1“Within what has been a rapidly changing and evolving environment, we’ve done our best to research, examine and assemble the best advice we could identify,” Executive Director Dave Anderson said. “This mission and responsibility is larger than just sports.”
The guidelines include identifying the level of risk associated for each sport as recommended and modified by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Sports competitions, by their nature, are categorized as lower, moderate and higher risk based on potential exposure to respiratory droplets, the amount of physical contact and the duration of contact.
Local health departments are to be consulted to determine the risk level.
A high-risk level means no more than 10 people are allowed to gather at a time. Those 10 people should be screened for COVID-19 symptoms, locker rooms are not be used and people must stay six feet apart. If the six-foot rule cannot be followed the sport is not allowed. That means a player may shoot a basketball in a practice setting but the ball may not be passed to other teammates. A football may not be snapped or passed to other players. The same rule goes for volleyball and other sports which use a single ball.
A moderate risk level means no more than 10 people may gather indoors but outdoor gatherings can be increased to 50 people. Players and coaches should still be screened for COVID-19. In this risk level, locker rooms may be used but social distancing should be enforced. A single ball may also be used and passed between players as long as the players sanitize their hands and the ball before use.
A low risk level allows gatherings of 50 people inside and outside. Here, a record should be kept of everyone who is present. "Moderate risk" sports may begin practices and competitions.
Lowest risk level has no limits on gathering size. Still, social distancing is to be enforced and a record of those present needs to be kept. In the lowest risk category, all sports and practices may begin.
The WIAA guidance document also addresses the progression for returning to summertime training and conditioning; team practices; competitions; disinfection of facility, equipment and implements; hygiene practices; transportation to-and-from events, and social-distancing expectations.
Additional information, including sport-specific guidelines and other best-practice resources will be provided to member schools as they become available in the coming days and weeks, or when new information from leading health organizations requires amending.
The “Guidance for Summer Activities” can be accessed on the WIAA website at: www.wiaawi.org. Navigate to the “Health” page link at the top of the homepage and navigate to the “Infectious Disease” page.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.