CHAPEL HILL — Definitive answers to several looming questions regarding high school athletics were given by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association this week.
The NCHSAA Board of Directors met on Tuesday and Wednesday using a virtual platform to tie together some of the loose ends regarding the unprecedented spring sports season caused by the novel coronavirus.
In a press release issued by the NCHSAA, several action items were voted upon and implemented following the two-day affair.
One of the biggest decisions rendered was the NCHSAA’s approval of a policy that mirrors the State Board of Education to extend the validity of pre-participation physical examinations “conducted on or after April 1, 2019.”
All student-athletes must have an updated and passed physical before competing in high school athletics.
Pairing with this decision was the acknowledgement to “allow academic eligibility for any student meeting local promotion standards during the fall semester” of the 2020-2021 school year.
The NCHSAA also made the motion to declare all basketball teams, male and female from all four classifications, “co-champions” for the 2019-2020 season. The state title games were set to be played on Saturday, March 14, but the NCHSAA suspended all play the day prior.
Lumberton High School’s boys’ team, which plays Richmond in the Sandhills Athletic Conference, was set to play North Mecklenburg High School for the title.
In soccer news, which is played in the fall (boys) and spring (girls) seasons, the Association changed its overtime policy after a short run allowing penalty kicks to determine the outcome of conference games.
The tiebreaker element was removed from play, and now teams will play “regular season contests to end as a tie in men’s and women’s soccer following two ten-minute overtime periods.”
Also changed was the soccer playoff calendar, which will see a Monday, Thursday format during the first rounds of the postseason.
With football season right around the corner, and still no formal changes made to the fall schedule, the NCHSAA “approved an adjusted contact definition and new contact limitations,” which was developed in partnership between the North Carolina Football Coaches Association and the NCHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
The last major bulletin passed with the approval of the distribution of grant funds in excess of $120,000 to member schools requesting and awarded through the inaugural NCHSAA Grant Program.
Also included in the press release was a statement by NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker, updating sports fans, coaches and student-athletes about what’s to be expected during the current suspension of all high school athletics.
“The NCHSAA Board of Directors discussed the COVID-19 crisis at length. We remind our schools, coaches and teams that we are acting as if we are in a ‘dead period’ for all in-person activities,” Tucker’s statement read.
“These restrictions remain in place until further notice. Virtual communication and activities to maintain relationships within teams is encouraged, but no in-person activities are permitted.”
She followed that up by saying the fate of the summer workout schedule and fall sports season is still unknown at this time.
“We understand that many people are interested in how schools and teams can get back to workouts, practices and competition. At this time, it is premature to speculate on a return date and whether or not the fall season will be impacted by COVID-19,” Tucker said.
“We will continue to listen to the advice and mandates of our state’s governor, Department of Health and Human Services, and medical advisors to inform our decisions going forward.
“Any decision made by the Board of Directors and Staff at a future date will be guided by those sources of information, erring on the side of health and safety,” she closed. “We will do our part to ensure health and safety for all of our athletes, coaches and communities.”
