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\u201cAt this point, with school and sports \u2013 tell me what we\u2019re doing and I\u2019ll be OK with it,\u201d Columbia Central football coach Jason Hoath said following the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The football contingency plan was the final agenda item for a meeting that also defined pandemic-related regulations for competition for the 2020-21 school year, as well as setting a contingency plan for girls soccer play this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barring an exemption from the governor, girls soccer regular-season play would begin Sept. 7, with the state tournament set for Nov. 11-14. Teams that do not qualify for the postseason or are eliminated from the postseason would be allowed to schedule additional contests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Board also clarified that students taking classes virtually will be athletically eligible at their schools<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the meeting\u2019s onset, a number of guidelines were suggested for all sports — most immediately, volleyball, golf and cross country — by the TSSAA state office. The guidelines, established in collaboration with the governor\u2019s office and with the sports medicine advisory council of the National Federation of State High School Associations are intended to \u201cmitigate risk surrounding practice, surrounding contests, knowing the games themselves are a risk,\u201d Childress said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is not \u2018TSSAA vs. the governor\u2019s office,\u201d Childress stressed. \u201cEverything\u2019s been a joint effort. I don\u2019t want it put out there that we are in conflict. We continue to work in partnership with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the guidelines, which were voted on and accepted by the Board of Control, are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— COVID screenings will be required for all coaches, players and team personnel prior to participating in practice; anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will be sent home, not to return until they have tested negatively for COVID or can provide verification from a doctor that COVID is not the cause of their fever;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— No scrimmages, jamborees, 7-on-7 competition or other practice with another team will be allowed. There will be no competition against another team until the first official contest;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— For contests, all participants and fans must have a temperature check before entering the facility; anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater will be denied access;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— Member schools are encouraged to limit fan attendance to a number that will allow physical\/social distancing (preferably one-fourth to one-third of typical capacity);<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— Member schools will require facial masks to be worn at all times on site, excepting children under the age of 2;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— Bands, cheerleaders other student groups and anyone in \u2018supporting roles\u2019 will be subject to the same temperature checks and social distancing expectations;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— When possible, public service announcements reminding those in attendance of mask and social distancing expectations should be made;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— Concession stands are discouraged;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
— All coaches must complete a COVID-19 online course currently available through the National Federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These regulations will apply for the entire school year, Childress said, because \u201cwhenever (Lee) lifts his order \u2013 the pandemic will still be in place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maurice Patton is the editor for Southern Middle Tennessee Sports. He can be reached by e-mail at mopattonsports@gmail.com<\/a> or on Twitter at @mopatton_sports.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Maurice Patton So there\u2019s a plan. Unless the plan changes. During a specially called meeting Wednesday, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association\u2019s Board of Control voted to play an eight-game regular-season football schedule \u2013 based on teams\u2019 originally established schedules — beginning Sept. 18, followed by a four-week postseason with the top two teams … Continue reading Contingency plans set for football, girls soccer<\/span>