There will be a 2020 high school football season in West Virginia

[TDHelmick]

Been on the Potomac River in WV most of Memorial Day weekend at a friend's camp. Lots and lots of folks on the water. There is no such thing as COVID to these people. None. One person gave my buddy the finger because we don't shake hands and another called me a foul name. I thought I was bad about preaching to let go of some fear but I'm not even half close to the extreme right of these people.

There is no social distancing. No masks to be seen anywhere. Restaurants open. Sharing drinks, kissing, hugging the whole nine yards. Rural states like WV just don't care about this thing because it has not affected them. I am extremely cautious compared to these folks.

So in a nutshell let me just summarize this...THERE WILL BE A 2020 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON IN WEST VIRGINIA

NO PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 20 HAS DIED FROM CORONAVIRUS IN West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky or Ohio. Read that again and be thankful.

And if states like Maryland don't have fall sports, and you are a senior, I would be headed across the river to play my final season. Mass transfer exodus. I could see the same in Maryland if say places like Montgomery, PG and Baltimore don't have football but a county like Carroll or Calvert County does. Massive transfers.

High School sports decisions are about to get real crazy.

 

[Lagmeister]

Been on the Potomac River in WV most of Memorial Day weekend at a friend's camp. Lots and lots of folks on the water. There is no such thing as COVID to these people. None. One person gave my buddy the finger because we don't shake hands and another called me a foul name. I thought I was bad about preaching to let go of some fear but I'm not even half close to the extreme right of these people.

There is no social distancing. No masks to be seen anywhere. Restaurants open. Sharing drinks, kissing, hugging the whole nine yards. Rural states like WV just don't care about this thing because it has not affected them. I am extremely cautious compared to these folks.

So in a nutshell let me just summarize this...THERE WILL BE A 2020 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON IN WEST VIRGINIA

NO PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 20 HAS DIED FROM CORONAVIRUS IN West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky or Ohio. Read that again and be thankful.

And if states like Maryland don't have fall sports, and you are a senior, I would be headed across the river to play my final season. Mass transfer exodus. I could see the same in Maryland if say places like Montgomery, PG and Baltimore don't have football but a county like Carroll or Calvert County does. Massive transfers.

High School sports decisions are about to get real crazy.

Wolf and Northam..... PA and VA. For people with the inclination and the wherewithal, they might be getting out of those states too.

 

[TDHelmick]

Wolf and Northam..... PA and VA. For people with the inclination and the wherewithal, they might be getting out of those states too.

The discussions are heating up about when to begin sports again in secondary schools. I can't help but think back to several times here where Lag has mentioned the way things used to be when there were no playoffs or championships. You finished the regular season in football and it was over.

Well, I'm on the voting side of returning to such a format for this coming school year. No playoffs, no championships. Just let the kids play games and be done. Because if there is football this fall, some states will and some won't field teams. Some counties will and some won't. Some schools will and some won't. When a player tests positive for COV the whole team will not be playing that week or longer. When a school gets an infection (big or small) those kids won't be hosting or traveling to play a game. So you end up with some teams maybe getting in a full schedule, others less. I don't see any fathomable way to set up a point system that fairly determines a playoff format.

I don't want to see COV determine who wins championships. Just play the regular season if possible and learn to enjoy just playing a game.

CANCEL THE POST SEASON if we do have sports.

 

[Lagmeister]

The discussions are heating up about when to begin sports again in secondary schools. I can't help but think back to several times here where Lag has mentioned the way things used to be when there were no playoffs or championships. You finished the regular season in football and it was over.

Well, I'm on the voting side of returning to such a format for this coming school year. No playoffs, no championships. Just let the kids play games and be done. Because if there is football this fall, some states will and some won't field teams. Some counties will and some won't. Some schools will and some won't. When a player tests positive for COV the whole team will not be playing that week or longer. When a school gets an infection (big or small) those kids won't be hosting or traveling to play a game. So you end up with some teams maybe getting in a full schedule, others less. I don't see any fathomable way to set up a point system that fairly determines a playoff format.

I don't want to see COV determine who wins championships. Just play the regular season if possible and learn to enjoy just playing a game.

CANCEL THE POST SEASON if we do have sports.

A great thing for the WMD community would be for all local schools to just play local games. Even if some games get cancelled at first, they can be rescheduled for when the playoffs were usually played. There would also be no incentive to keep the regulars in so as to 'tune up' for the playoffs. Parents can be requested to sit 6 feet apart if not in their immediate family.... masks be damned because who is going to send in the outside constabulary.

Let the kids play!!! Keep homecoming flexible to when all the local schedules are finished, which is to say it would be the second game - since everyone would play each other twice - only it would be the last game.

 

[FHHSAHS]

Agreed. Just play a local schedule, however many games you can. No playoffs, no out of area teams to try and figure out logistics. Just play some ball.

 

[theprocessworks]

#turkeyday

 

[eaglesinsider]

Governor DeSantis in Florida said last week that there will be HS football this fall and there will be fans in the stands.

Also, some good news from Milan, the epicenter of Italy's outbreak:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...potency-top-italian-doctor-says-idUSKBN2370OQ

 

[TDHelmick]

Governor DeSantis in Florida said last week that there will be HS football this fall and there will be fans in the stands.

Also, some good news from Milan, the epicenter of Italy's outbreak:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...potency-top-italian-doctor-says-idUSKBN2370OQ

Thanks eagle.

I had a round table discussion on Friday so to speak with several local athletic directors and MPSSAA heads. There still are no clear cut answers to all the questions obviously concerning the start of high school sports in Maryland. All we can do is prepare for several scenarios.

The top question (for any state) is always going to be "what happens when a student-athlete(s) test positive for COV?". No single school admin will be allowed to make that call. It will all have to be standard policy. As will liability policy. That's one thing, but what I took from the discussion was this...

It is seemingly next to impossible to implement a post-season format based on certain scenarios that are likely to play out. One being a point system that is based on number of games, number of times you can play an opponent, forfeit rules, in-season rescheduling, etc. If a team can't go one week due to illness who is to decide forfeits and bonus points. I am in favor of a regular season only that extends until Thanksgiving weekend.

Most of us seemed fairly positive not everyone will field a team even if we have fall sports. Most also agreed that there is likely to be many restrictions in regards to sports travel. That is why I foresee local county/regional teams playing more than once.

I can also say the MPSSAA (and likely most every state sports organization) that has no fall post-season will be go bankrupt. They all lost basketball and spring playoff revenues, losing football playoff revenue is a death sentence. Without football even college athletics is in big trouble financially. I also have multiple ADs tell me that if they cannot have fans in the seats, there is no way possible they can afford referees and buses. Finances will speak as loud as the virus in decision making.

But for step 1, I believe kids of all ages should be permitted to start training again with safety protocols in place very soon if not already.

For those living in this area, there is plenty of chatter about the old AMAC being put into place for just this fall and maybe winter depending on COVID. That means Allegany, Garrett, Mineral and Hampshire County will all play each other in every sport multiple times to avoid travel issues. That could all change though, especially considering West Virginia is likely to be far ahead of Maryland in regards to progression. It's all wait and see still, but those scenarios have been discussed.

 

[eaglesinsider]

Thanks eagle.

I had a round table discussion on Friday so to speak with several local athletic directors and MPSSAA heads. There still are no clear cut answers to all the questions obviously concerning the start of high school sports in Maryland. All we can do is prepare for several scenarios.

The top question (for any state) is always going to be "what happens when a student-athlete(s) test positive for COV?". No single school admin will be allowed to make that call. It will all have to be standard policy. As will liability policy. That's one thing, but what I took from the discussion was this...

It is seemingly next to impossible to implement a post-season format based on certain scenarios that are likely to play out. One being a point system that is based on number of games, number of times you can play an opponent, forfeit rules, in-season rescheduling, etc. If a team can't go one week due to illness who is to decide forfeits and bonus points. I am in favor of a regular season only that extends until Thanksgiving weekend.

Most of us seemed fairly positive not everyone will field a team even if we have fall sports. Most also agreed that there is likely to be many restrictions in regards to sports travel. That is why I foresee local county/regional teams playing more than once.

I can also say the MPSSAA (and likely most every state sports organization) that has no fall post-season will be go bankrupt. They all lost basketball and spring playoff revenues, losing football playoff revenue is a death sentence. Without football even college athletics is in big trouble financially. I also have multiple ADs tell me that if they cannot have fans in the seats, there is no way possible they can afford referees and buses. Finances will speak as loud as the virus in decision making.

But for step 1, I believe kids of all ages should be permitted to start training again with safety protocols in place very soon if not already.

For those living in this area, there is plenty of chatter about the old AMAC being put into place for just this fall and maybe winter depending on COVID. That means Allegany, Garrett, Mineral and Hampshire County will all play each other in every sport multiple times to avoid travel issues. That could all change though, especially considering West Virginia is likely to be far ahead of Maryland in regards to progression. It's all wait and see still, but those scenarios have been discussed.

Iowa started back with baseball and softball today as well. They normally play those two sports as a summer sport so they will play a shortened season with games starting July 1.

MaxPreps is keeping a running list that is frequently updated here so you can see how MD stacks up to other states:
https://www.maxpreps.com/news/qiL5G...ool-sports-in-all-50-states-amid-pandemic.htm

I just hope the state is flexible and adaptable to changing information. As I said at the start of this I had the benefit of being in Italy when things went south and have kept track of how they have handled things. They will resume soccer on the 17th and they said they are hopeful that they will allow fans back in the stands before the season ends on August 2nd. That's a total 180 from a month ago, which is what this virus has required, decisive, flexible leadership that can take actions and then adjust those actions on the fly as new information comes in.