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Will there be a 2020 season?

Illinois just shut down fall high school sports, so we know for sure those cross-border games aren’t happening. (I think Davenport Assumption, Clinton, North Scott, and Davenport West had games scheduled with Illinois schools, at least before last Friday’s revision from the IHSAA.)

Pleasant Valley, also.

The original schedules had 5 games against Illinois schools and 3 against Nebraska schools.
 
Illinois just shut down fall high school sports, so we know for sure those cross-border games aren’t happening. (I think Davenport Assumption, Clinton, North Scott, and Davenport West had games scheduled with Illinois schools, at least before last Friday’s revision from the IHSAA.)
From coach statements to the media and firsthand, it sounds like the Iowa 4A QC metro schools (and Muscatine) will possibly play each other (that’s five games), the other two open weeks are up in the air.
As for IL, I thank God for leaving that mess... and it is a mess.
 
And surprise surprise! It looks like the first Illinois kid announcing a transfer to play in Iowa this fall is going to ... (drum roll) ... Dowling! What a shocker.

Domenic Virelli, a D-2 prospect as a long snapper and offensive lineman from Nazareth Academy, announced on Twitter that he’s enrolling at Dowling and intending to play this season.
 
And surprise surprise! It looks like the first Illinois kid announcing a transfer to play in Iowa this fall is going to ... (drum roll) ... Dowling! What a shocker.

Domenic Virelli, a D-2 prospect as a long snapper and offensive lineman from Nazareth Academy, announced on Twitter that he’s enrolling at Dowling and intending to play this season.

Well, this thread had a decent run.
 
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Social Distancing
  • Coaches are responsible for ensuring social distancing is maintained between players as much as possible. Recommendations include:
    • Spacing between players while stretching and performing drills so that players remain 6 feet apart.
    • Avoid close congregating of players while receiving coaching instruction.
    • The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee recommends that workouts should be conducted in “pods” of students, with the same 5-10 students always working out together. Coaches should keep a record of who is in each pod to facilitate contact-tracing if necessary.
    • Schools should take steps to separate the different levels of their football programs into different areas so that potential contamination can be limited in case of a positive case. This includes use of locker rooms.
    • The IHSAA will be expanding the team box for the 2020 season to each respective 10-yard lines, providing 30 additional yard for players and personnel to spread out. This adoption is for players only. Coaches are still mandated to be inside the 25-yard lines. Coaches may enter the expanded team box area for supervision purposes only.
    • Only essential personnel are permitted on the field of play.
      • The field of play is defined as the area within the boundary lines and the goal lines.
      • Essential personnel are defined as players, coaches, athletic trainers, and officials.
      • All others, i.e., ball attendants, managers, video people, media photographers, etc. are considered non-essential personnel and are to be on the sideline, maintaining social distance of 6 feet apart.
    • Coaches and officials should follow 6 feet social distancing when interacting with each other.
    • Depending on team size, schools should consider whether roster limits (including travel rosters) should be implemented to improve social distancing.
    • For the mock coin toss, the referee, umpire and one designated representative from each team. Coin toss should take place in the center of the field with designated individuals maintaining social distancing of 6 feet. No handshakes prior to and following the coin toss. For the overtime procedure, same procedure as used at the start of the contest for the coin toss.
    • Teams shall NOT exchange handshakes following the contest – teams can acknowledge opponent with other appropriate non-contact measures.


Scrimmages
  • For the 2020 football season, scrimmages against another school are still permitted. Intra-squad scrimmages are also permissible.

Practice/Game Protocols
  • Sanitizing: Hand sanitizing should be used as much as possible. The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee recommends using hand sanitizer when going to and from the field. Players are encouraged to provide their own hand sanitizer and/or sanitizing wipes.
  • Mandatory Timeouts: An officials’ timeout will be taken every 4 minutes of game clock time in order for teams to properly sanitize and hydrate during the contest. This timeout is to be two minutes in length. In addition, the intermission between the 1st and 2nd quarter and the 3rd and 4th quarter should also be two minutes in length in order to allow for proper sanitizing and hydration.
  • Masks: Masks are encouraged but not required to be worn by players, game officials, chain gangs, ball retrievers, statisticians, managers, athletic trainers and coaches. It is recommended that if worn, players and coaches wear a mask that is a solid color. There is no prohibition on the color of the mask.
  • Shields: Plastic shields covering the entire face (unless clear and integrated into the face mask and attached to the helmet) shall not be allowed during the contest.
  • Mouth Protector: It is recommended that players keep their tooth and mouth protector in their mouths at all times. Each time they touch their tooth and mouth protector, they should sanitize their hands.
  • Gloves: Unless made of unaltered plain cloth, gloves must have a permanent, exact replica of the NOCSAE glove seal or the SFIA glove seal. This seal must be visible and appear legibly on the exterior wrist opening of the glove. Non-athletic gloves, worn solely for the purpose of warmth, and made of unaltered plain cloth and which do not enhance the contact with the ball do not require a stamp indicating compliance.
  • Skin Coverage: Players are encouraged to cover up as much of their bare skin as possible. Using long sleeved dry weave shirts and tights can cover bare skin.
  • Spitting: Spitting is to be prohibited.
  • Use of Water: Water is to be consumed only. Players should not rinse their mouth, rinsing their mouth piece, or pour water on their faces or necks.
  • Game Balls: The ball should be cleaned and sanitized throughout the contest using sanitizing solutions recommended by the ball manufacturer. During games, it is recommended that each time there is a fourth down, a new football be brought into play. It is recommended that each team provide at least two reliable, knowledgeable ball attendants for each contest and that they maintain the appropriate social distancing guidelines throughout the contest.
  • Facility Sanitizing: At the conclusion of each game, it is necessary to sanitize both the home and visiting team benches and any other areas that may have been used by either team. Spectator areas, locker rooms, training rooms, restrooms, concession stands and press box should also be cleaned and sanitized.


Game Officials
  • Football game officials that have registered to work this fall but elect not to work as a result of COVID-19 need to contact Laura Brooker at officials@iahsaa.org prior to August 27 regarding refunds.
  • Game officials are responsible for bringing their own beverages and own food items to the site.
  • Officials are responsible for bringing their own hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.
  • If available, dressing facilities for game officials should be large enough for them to use social-distancing protocols and should be properly cleaned and sanitized prior to their arrival.
  • Maintain social distancing of 6 feet while performing duties.
  • Officials Conferences: The authorized conference for the game officials’ timeout should take place between the 9-yard marks and not at the sideline for social-distancing purposes.
https://www.iahsaa.org/covid-19-fall-football/
 
The schedules for the MVC schools are out. They will play MVC divisional games Weeks 3-7. They’re mostly playing some cross-divisional games Weeks 1-2, with a few exceptions.
  • Looks like Dubuque Hempstead is playing Western Dubuque Week 2 (schedule says “WD” so I’m guessing it’s the Bobcats and not West Delaware - Western Dubuque originally had Assumption that week)
  • City High hosts Davenport Central Week 1 (originally a Week 9 game at Davenport)
  • Linn-Mar hosts Xavier Week 2 (that was on the original schedule Week 4)
  • Waterloo West plays Waterloo East Week 1 (as originally scheduled)
 
And surprise surprise! It looks like the first Illinois kid announcing a transfer to play in Iowa this fall is going to ... (drum roll) ... Dowling! What a shocker.

Domenic Virelli, a D-2 prospect as a long snapper and offensive lineman from Nazareth Academy, announced on Twitter that he’s enrolling at Dowling and intending to play this season.
That’s a hell of a commute from suburban Chicago to Des Moines...I’m sure it’s for the academics...as all their “transfers” are.
 
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And surprise surprise! It looks like the first Illinois kid announcing a transfer to play in Iowa this fall is going to ... (drum roll) ... Dowling! What a shocker.

Domenic Virelli, a D-2 prospect as a long snapper and offensive lineman from Nazareth Academy, announced on Twitter that he’s enrolling at Dowling and intending to play this season.


Mommy and daddy are renting an apartment for 3 1/2 months so a D2 Long Snapping Specialist prospect can play football?? To each their own I guess.
 
To be fair, that would be pretty devastating news to find out there won't be football in the fall in Illinois.
This doesn't seem to be school hopping so much as just wanting to get to actually play.
 
You won’t hear it on local media because it doesn’t fit the “ private school recruiting narrative” but Valley “recruited” a kid 5 days ago (Landon Nelson - announced on twitter just like this kid. Hearing Waukee has one as well.
 
Iowa is going to be gaining a bunch of new athletes if we're one of the only states around continuing to offer high school athletics. And, can you really blame them? Kids and their families only get one shot at this, and it has already been damaged. Looking to salvage what they can.
 
Yeah well, the reality is once a team has one or more kids (or coaches) test positive then the proverbial fecal matter hits the fan and all bets are off...including the season. I applaud the effort and optimism by the IHSAA but it’s going to take some real cojones on the part of school administrators/IHSAA to keep the season alive this year...but you never know.
 
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Yeah well, the reality is once a team has one or more kids (or coaches) test positive then the proverbial fecal matter hits the fan and all bets are off...including the season. I applaud the effort and optimism by the IHSAA but it’s going to take some real cojones on the part of school administrators/IHSAA to keep the season alive this year...but you never know.
Question for clarification:
Surely a couple of positives wouldn't shut a whole team down, would it?
That would be absurd if that would be the case. Just sit the one or two for the 2 weeks (Or whatever) and play on. HS Baseball this year didn't do that (with a few exceptions).
 
I’d like to think not but I know of baseball programs that canceled games with one positive test. I mean let’s be honest, this is football, how in the hell do the 22 kids on the field “social distance” (unless you’ve got a Barry Sanders and in that case most players couldn’t get within six feet of him). I read the IHSAA guidance and though well intentioned, I just think it’s rather impractical but again, it’s at least an attempt. Perhaps I missed the protocol from the IHSAA as to what a player/team must do when an individual(s) tests positive. And seeing how the various school administrators, teachers and parents have reacted with respect to the academic calendar, it’s not a reach to assume there will be schools who will opt out if the virus surges.

On another note, this article is truly disturbing
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...-illinois-high-school-association/5543771002/
 
So here’s my question(s), if everyone in school is social distancing as much as possible and wearing masks. Do they still shutdown schools if a case arises? Because if so what’s the point? And how does a case in another part of the school translate to sports shutdowns? So so many unknowns
 
It depends. If they follow the IDPH guidance in the strictest sense, then all ‘close contacts’ to a positive case should isolate 14 days.
But, we know only about 8% of those who even feel sick enough to get tested turn out positive.
And the isolation guidance is a suggestion, not a mandate.
So, if administrators use an approach of isolating anyone sick as soon as possible, and otherwise using the suggested precautions. Then cases should remain at manageable levels, hopefully.
 
Any bets he'll play for Nazereth in the spring?

I saw something from a Quad Cities reporter about the Illinois athletic association rules. If a player transfers out of state to live with a relative like an uncle or something, he would not be eligible to compete if he transferred back to Illinois later that school year. However, if his parents move out of state and he transfers, and then they move back later in the year, he would be eligible in that case.

So if his parents (or one of his parents) moved to Des Moines for the fall semester, and then they moved back to Illinois in November/December, he could indeed play football in Iowa this fall and again in Illinois next spring.
 
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I can't believe there would be any athletes from out of state who would want to transfer to Iowa when we are about to have all kinds of music and art teachers die of the Corona. They already sent their orbits in
 
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Well FB camps began today and hopefully they will continue until official practice starts. May the kids stay healthy and safe, sure was nice to see kids active and having fun.
 
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People who keep talking about this situation in a negative way are part of what feeds the fears and perpetuates the problem.
Baseball went well. With kids sitting in the dugouts together everyday.

If someone gets sick, then pull them out and keep them out until they are no longer contagious.
Like everyone has always done for illnesses.

Take precautions, but it's time to start living again without constant fear.
Very few catch it. Even fewer have a serious case. And, zero kids in Iowa have died.
 
Ultimately what it comes down to is do you want to be the elected official, or president of a university, or superintendent, or principal, A.D., etc that gives the ok for teams to play, then have people get seriously ill and have lasting affects, or even die. It's not so much of a liability issue, as much as a whose going to be the first one to jump. Once someone jumps in an says hey the water is fine then you will see others take the leap. I've said it since before the shut down, it isn't the illness itself that is scaring most people, it is the unknown with it. Once people have had a chance to study it, and hopefully get a vaccine, then that fear of the unknown goes away.

Ultimately in this situation like so many right now, you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.
 
Well, I'm glad the IHSAA has had the fortitude to allow sports to resume.
Not playing has significant consequences as well. For the 100,000+ of students, coaches and families.
Which has the bigger impact? What benefits all of society more?
No one has to play if they or their family don't feel safe. Sports are an optional extra-curricular activity and families can decide what level of risk they are willing to accept.

I think this quote from Keating summarizes the decision well:
"So where we're at on this a little bit is (analyzing) benefit-risk. ... If we think the risk is too great physically, then we are going to have to give up the emotional and social benefits. We did that in spring. And if we feel that the emotional and social benefits are significant and we feel like, physically, we can limit the risks, then we're going to try to do that. I guess what I'd say is neither Jean nor I take this lightly. There are 150,000 kids that we have to worry about. And no two communities are the same. No two counties are the same. The virus doesn't impact any two human beings exactly the same. And so we just keep looking and looking and looking for that definitive information. And it's elusive."
 
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Cases have dropped to 6 total positives in Johnson County yesterday. 5 positives reported so far today.
And, many students have been back since August 1st.
But, can't play Iowa College Football. Too risky. bs.
 
Excellent dialogue in the prior posts. One has to truly question the decision of the Big 10, surprised? not one bit, it’s indicative of the current state of collegiate administration (time will tell with the SEC). I hope the IHSAA sticks with their decision and the fall sports schedule is as successful as the summer...just wished the revised FB scheduling was a little more thoughtful.
 
Got to think the Big XII call (if it holds) will be a big positive for Iowa high school football to continue. Had Iowa and Iowa State both shut down, as well as numerous lower divisions in Iowa, not sure IHSAA could stand alone moving forward.
 
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Got to think the Big XII call (if it holds) will be a big positive for Iowa high school football to continue. Had Iowa and Iowa State both shut down, as well as numerous lower divisions in Iowa, not sure IHSAA could stand alone moving forward.
They stuck with baseball and softball with everything else cancelled.
 
They stuck with baseball and softball with everything else cancelled.

We cant keep using baseball and softball as an example because Iowa is the only state that plays summer baseball and softball and more importantly none of those kids were in a classroom setting like the fall athletes will be among many more people. I hope we get thru it and play but im not to confident we finish the season when schools are in full swing because of the isolation guidelines you could miss 3 of your 7 game season with 1 positive test. We will know alot more in next couple weeks when schools are in full swing.
 
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We cant keep using baseball and softball as an example because Iowa is the only state that plays summer baseball and softball and more importantly none of those kids were in a classroom setting like the fall athletes will be among many more people. I hope we get thru it and play but im not to confident we finish the season when schools are in full swing because of the isolation guidelines you could miss 3 of your 7 game season with 1 positive test. We will know alot more in next couple weeks when schools are in full swing.
The whole team won’t be done if they’re following guidelines, only the positive case and any that can be traced to them according to guidelines.
 
The whole team won’t be done if they’re following guidelines, only the positive case and any that can be traced to them according to guidelines.
Your 100% wrong as every county treats it different. Large schools can isolate freshmen or sophomore teams and coaches from the varsity but at smaller schools you may only have 3 to 4 coaches if that, and they all coach the same kids so 1 positive case by a team member will shut them down for 2 weeks. Not to mention the chances are greater when they get back in the classroom will all the other students.
 
Your 100% wrong as every county treats it different. Large schools can isolate freshmen or sophomore teams and coaches from the varsity but at smaller schools you may only have 3 to 4 coaches if that, and they all coach the same kids so 1 positive case by a team member will shut them down for 2 weeks. Not to mention the chances are greater when they get back in the classroom will all the other students.
So I may not be 100% wrong if each county treats it differently. We may both be right depending on team and county.
 
If you are following guidelines a single positive test result should not take down an entire team. Unless they change the guidelines from being exposed to someone with COVID to being exposed to someone who was exposed to someone with COVID.

I am sure we will see cases where a team will be shut down after multiple positives, but if one positive test takes down an entire team that would be very poor planning and execution by the school, whether it be a big or small school.
 
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