Scott Swanson
Local athletes were allowed back on the fields and into the gyms this week for the first time since mid-March.
Monday, June 15, was Opening Day for many coaches and athletes, who were allowed to use school facilities for the first time since March 13, when local schools closed their campuses due to COVID-19.
The Oregon School Activities Association, which governs all high school extracurricular activities in Oregon, issued guidelines last week to allow some access to school facilities coaches and athletes under Phase 2 of the state’s reopening from the coronavirus pandemic.
Restrictions in the guidelines vary, based on the sport. Games involving balls have the most leeway. Under Phase 1 guidelines, issued on May 20, passing of a ball was not allowed in any sport, even “moderate risk” sports such as volleyball, soccer, baseball, softball and basketball.
Under the most recent Phase 2 guidelines, athletes in those sports, as well as “high risk” activities, which include football, can throw, pass and kick balls within a pod – as long as the ball is sanitized frequently.
Sweet Home’s swimming pool opened Monday as well.
At least, that’s where things are right now.
“Daily, everything just changes so rapidly,” said Sweet Home High School Athletic Director Nate Tyler late last week. “We ironed out some firm details. Coaches are trying to figure out what they can do with the opportunities presented by the OSAA.”
The most recent OSAA directive strongly emphasize personal hygiene, sanitizing surfaces frequently and maintaining “appropriate” distancing. The rules limit gatherings to 50 people inside and 100 outdoors on a single field or facility. They recommend that drills be done in pods of five to 10 students, smaller for weight training.
People considered high-risk – those 65 or older, or who have underlying medical conditions, are encouraged not to participate or supervise athletic practices.
Athletes who are not actively working out are encouraged to wear face masks.
Supt. Tom Yahraes said the district had to negotiate a bit with its insurance provider before it could open Monday. He said there were differences of opinions between OSAA and the insurers regarding what the governor’s intent was: to ban sports until after the end of the school year, which was Monday, or until July 1.
“Now our insurance is on board,” he said. “We were waiting for that. I think we are ahead of a lot of other school districts. They are still under previous interpretations. They did their scheduling for opening July 1.”
The rules are going to make it “a little more challenging” to hold the athletic camps that are part of the summer schedule in Sweet Home, he said.
Fortunately, Yahraes said, the school district’s insurance also covers the pool, which allowed it to open Monday.
Aquatics
School District Aquatics Director AJ Bronson said the pool is taking reservations for lanes in the big pool or the small pool for an hour at a time. After each hour-long session, staff will shut the pool down for 30 minutes to clean and sanitize surfaces.
People who want to enter the pool area will be required to answer 10 health-related questions, and have their temperature taken.
“If they’re good on all of that, we’ll let the in,” Bronson said
In addition to the regular lifeguard, a “social distancing guard” will be on duty to ensure that rules are enforced, he said.
Bronson said the pool will initially have limited hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but if there’s enough demand, it will expand its hours and open on the weekend.
He said it’s possible lessons will be offered by August, but that will require social distancing and no non-family contact.
“We’re looking at alternatives, maybe having a family member there or something.”
The Sweet Home Swim Club started Monday, after some swimmers worked out in a local pond for a number of weeks.
“We have one person per lane,” said Coach Jackie Price. “Basically, we’ll have longer practice times.”
The Swim Club already has four levels of swimmers, who work out in separate sessions, so it won’t mean massive changes to the modus operandi.
“Fortunately, since we’re kind of a small club, it kind of works out better for us,” Price said.
Football
SHHS Coach Dustin Nichol said he plans to start open-field practices Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
“We came up with dates and a calendar,” he said. “It’s a process of getting the plan we have in place and the rules that I expect kids and parents to adhere to.
“We are following more stringent rules than what has been passed down by the OSAA,” he added, noting that those are insurance-driven. “It’s been challenging, to say the least.”
Pop Warner youth football is planning to play at this point, and sign-ups for this fall ended Sunday, June 14. Justin Adams, president of MidValley Pop Warner, said that a schedule of refunds has been prepared if “we be forced by the State of Oregon or other governing body to fully cancel our season.”
Wrestling
Oregon’s rules do not allow wrestlers to do more than condition and mirror drills – with spacing. No interpersonal contact is allowed in a sport in which the entire point is to out-maneuver an opponent as competitors grasp one another.
Coach Steve Thorpe noted that the national wrestling federation has recommended a phased return to the sport.
“We’re planning on wrestling,” he said. “We’re going to start coming together and doing workouts with non-contact drills, weightlifting. Siblings and people in the same household will be able to have contact.”
Thorpe, who is president of Oregon’s wrestling federation and a member of the USA Wrestling’s executive board, said Oregon is “behind” other states in its return to the sport, which means his wrestlers may have to seek opportunities for competition outside the state.
Meanwhile, he said, they’ll obey the rules.
“Right now, the state of Oregon allows this many people with social distancing. That’s what we’re doing. We’ll rely on the data and hopefully get back to a situation that is safe. I think it is important that we keep everybody safe, but I also think it’s important to keep everybody mentally well, not isolating.”
He said he plans to get together with his wrestlers for that reason, and to make sure they’re ready to compete when the time comes.
Meanwhile, he said, he will encourage those interested in participating in other sports in the fall to do so.
“Our kids should be focusing on soccer, football, cross-country, volleyball. That’s what I want them to do, as multi-sport athletes.”
Baseball and Softball
At the youth level, all 2020 JBO state tournaments have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the organization’s website. Individual regions can host tournaments, but they won’t be officially sanctioned by JBO.
“After considering various options, we have decided that because of the ongoing public health uncertainty and with ongoing requirements of social distancing and restrictions on large gatherings, it would be irresponsible to hold the nine state tournaments,” a statement on the website said. “While the cancellation of 2020 JBO State is tremendously disappointing and heartbreaking, the health and safety of everyone involved must be the chief consideration.”
SHHS softball coach Karyn Hartsook said the state has “made it so restrictive, it’s almost impossible to play.
“We played a little last weekend. People are trying.”
She plans to “do some stuff” with her softball players after June 30, she said.
“We’re just kind of in a holding pattern right now,” Hartsook said.