The OSAA Executive Board decided last week to continue suspension of spring activities, but not not cancel any other remaining state championships for the time being.
The season is suspended through April 28, in line with the governor’s orders to close schools through that date. The executive board met Wednesday, April 1, and will meet by conference call again April 15.
“They are in favor of continuing to align with the governor’s orders,” OSAA executive director Peter Weber said. “If the governor ends up shutting down schools for the rest of the year, with no in-person learning, then we’re going to shut down.”
Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Virginia already have canceled their spring sports seasons.
The executive board discussed parameters for a possible truncated season, such as limiting the number of contests in a week by activity.
“We’re all still working through what the specifics and details would be on that, so you don’t have a baseball team trying to play eight games in a week, or something like that,” Weber said.
If the governor orders that in-person student learning is shut down for the remainder of this school year, the OSAA will continue to align with the school closures and also cancel its Spring activities and state championships, the OSAA said in a statement.
OSAA staff say Western Oregon University has shut down all of its athletic facilities until June 30 and will not be able to host the 3A, 2A, 1A track and field state championships
The OSAA is contacting other potential track venues to determine interest and availability.
At their meeting last week, board members discussed the potential of shifting spring activities and state championships into the summer, and were not supportive of that concept.
Concerns included increased staffing and personnel costs for school districts already facing uncertain financial impacts, scheduling issues regarding facility availability, plus student/family commitments for jobs, travel, etc.
OSAA staff have been working with Dr. Mick Koester, the organization’s chief medical advisor and chair of the OSAA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, to develop acclimatization guidelines that the board approved to emphasize student safety if schools are able to reconvene this spring.
Included would be:
– An initial seven-day period with practices only, no contests;
– Limiting practices to once per day and no more than three hours in length;
– Maintaining the current requirement of no more than six consecutive days without a rest day;
– Continuing heat warnings as appropriate to weather and baseball pitch count limitations;
– Limiting the number of contests allowed in a week specific to each activity (more details to come later); and
– Emphasizing late afternoon starts and weekend contests when possible to limit loss of class time.
The board also approved guidelines proposed by Dr. Michael Koester, chair of the OSAA sports medicine advisory committee. A seven-day, practice-only acclimatization period would be instated before contests could begin.
During that period, practices would be limited to one per day, no more than three hours in length.
To limit loss of class time, schools would emphasize weekend contests or late-afternoon starts.
The possibility of extending the school year into late June, which would allow for more time to complete the spring season, has financial implications. Districts have been paying teachers during the shutdown and would have to compensate them for work beyond their contracts.
“If they extend the school year, then it’s going to come at a cost,” Weber said.
Should the season begin, the OSAA would need a new venue for the 3A, 2A and 1A track championships. Western Oregon University, scheduled to play host to the meets May 28-29, has closed its facility through the end of June.
Rob Younger, former Sweet Home football coach and now executive director of the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association, said he is “very encouraged” by the board’s patience in processing the situation.
“I’m very encouraged that they’re doing what’s best for kids,monitoring and just their mentality in going forward with this process,” he said. “We’re communicating with OSAA staff, who are trying to do everything they can to keep spring sports alive as long as they can.”
Visit http://www.osaa.org/coronavirus for OSAA policies, plus health and safety resources, related to COVID-19.