Several States Delay High School Football Seasons Due to Coronavirus

With the coronavirus pandemic making an impact on the sports world, football fans wonder if the 2020 season will be delayed or canceled. For high school football, it’s more complex since it’s a state-by-state situation. Some states have decided to delay the start of football while others are on a wait-and-see approach despite the season starting in less than a month in most places.

“We meet weekly with our sports medicine advisory council, and you know we examine the data and look at where we are and in all of these types of things and make the plan for the next week,” Rob Hines, the executive director of the Georgia High School Association said to WSB-TV in Atlanta. As for coaches, their No. 1 concern is player getting sick from COVID-19.

“For me, one of my biggest fears is losing a kid. We don’t want to lose anybody to COVID whether it’s a coach or player,” Daniel Bruner said who is the head coach for Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia. It’s likely most states will delay the 2020 football season while some could cancel it. Here’s a look at what some states are planning to do as high school football season approaches.

Alabama

Alabama is scheduled to start the season on Aug. 20 and 21, but have not made a decision on whether to delay the season due to the pandemic. Alabama High School Athletic Association executive director Steve Savarese said he’s optimistic about the season starting on time. 

New Mexico

New Mexico made the bold decision to cancel fall contact sports of football and soccer, but the hope is to have those sports played in the spring. The decision was made earlier this month and it became the first state to cancel high school football for the 2020 season. 

New Jersey

New Jersey’s plan includes players starting fall practice on Sept. 14. Teams will play a six-game regular season followed by a shorten postseason. “High school sports are school-based, so we need to first ensure all is in order with the opening of our schools,” Colleen Maguire, NJSIAA chief operating officer, said in a release.

California

Because California has been hit hard with the pandemic, it has been reported high school football will start in either January or February of 2021. Governor Gavin Newson said most schools in the state will start with having online classes. And with rising cases in the state, summer workouts were shut down last week, according to High School Football America.

Texas

It’s likely Texas, a state well-known for high school football, could delay the start of the season, but for how long is unclear. “That’s a true contact sport, I don’t see how we can pull that off,” Dallas ISD superintendent Michael Hinojosa said to MSNBC. A private school league in Texas called TAPPS has pushed the season back by five weeks. 

Ohio

The state of Ohio is looking at possibly playing in the spring, but the goal is to have football played this fall. “Our objective is to have fall sports,” Ohio High School Athletic Association Jerry Snodgrass said. “Whatever we need to do, we’re gonna do it to try to get there. Two, we want fan attendance.”

Georgia

Georgia is another state dealing with growing COVID-19 cases, but there has been no indication of the football season being delayed. The Georgia High School Association remains optimistic about football being played, and full-on football practices begin on July 27.