Chapel Hill, North Carolina – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has notified its members that it will delay the start of the fall sports season until at least September 1, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The decision was voted on and approved by the NCHSAA Board of Directors. Originally, the start date for fall sports was August 1.
In addition to delaying the start date for fall sports, the first five days of the school year will be designated as a dead period for all sports, including fall sports, allowing schools to focus on the start of the school year .
Phase one of the NCHSAA Summer Conditioning Trainings will continue until further notice.
“For now, we believe that these steps bring hope to our student athletes and the ability to play fall sports. We know that many decisions are made regarding the reopening plan that their schools will follow,” NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker wrote in an email to the membership.
Tucker said that after each school district has a chance to finalize its reopening plans, NCHSAA will poll members to see what models to resume the sports they support.
“Please understand that this delayed start date is not ‘in the concrete’ and may be further delayed if we do not have improved DHHS data, or if there is some other reason to delay it further in September or more,” Tucker wrote.
Tucker also said that playing certain sports will be “more problematic” than others until there is a vaccine. However, Tucker said the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee believes that “we can and should offer a sports program, with all the necessary modifications, delays, etc.”
“In the coming weeks, we will continue to work with SMAC as we plan our next steps for the fall as well as determine when the team could be shared,” said Tucker.
This is a developing story and more information will be published soon.
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