The Kentucky High School Athletic Association voted Thursday to move ahead with sports this fall after votes on two options to further delay the start of seasons failed.
The board of control was presented three options by Commissioner Julian Tackett, who took some subtle shots in his comments at parents and social media about COVID-19 misinformation concerning KHSAA plans that has been put forward in recent months.
During discussion among the 18 board members, it was obvious there was a split among urban and rural areas. Two members from Louisville and a third from northern Kentucky were in favor of the option that would have delayed the start of the season in soccer, football, volleyball, and cross country until Sept. 28. It would have also pushed back the start of the postseason into November.
The second option failed on a 15-3 vote.
A third option would have seen soccer and volleyball begin Sept. 28 with football and cross country unchanged from starting their seasons the week of Sept. 7. That option failed on a 13-5 vote.
Proponents of delaying the start of sports seasons wanted them closer align to the time with Governor Andy Beshear’s recommendation of in-person classes starting statewide on Sept. 28. However, several districts outside the “golden triangle” of Louisville/Lexington/northern Kentucky have opted to begin in-person instruction this month.
The plan to begin full practices next week in all sports must now be approved by the State Department of Health and the governor, who can reject the KHSAA plan.
Full practices will begin Monday in football, soccer, volleyball and cross county to include intra-squad scrimmages. There will be no preseason scrimmages against other schools in these sports.
First games/events in each sport also remain the same – September 7 for cross county, soccer, and volleyball. The first football game can be played Sept. 11.
Football players will be limited to no more than eight quarters of game play per week.
Game limits also remain the same for each sport – 14 games for soccer, 24 games for volleyball, nine games for football, and nine meets for cross country. Teams eliminated from the postseason would be allowed to play additional games prior to the state championship as long as they don’t exceed the game limit.
The weekly cap on games played will be four for volleyball, three in soccer and golf and two meets a week for cross country.
Several board members understood the gravity of their vote following the cancellation of the boys’ and girls’ Sweet 16 basketball tournaments as well as entire seasons of baseball, softball, fishing, and track and field.
Tackett said schools can expect to see attendance limits at sporting events, and the KHSAA will work to address those in the coming weeks. He also said masks will be required at sporting event as long as the statewide mask mandate remains in place.
The commissioner also said people need to “think long and hard” about what they do during the Labor Day weekend and fall break so that a COVID-19 outbreak does not stop the fall sports season.
Golf is considered a low-touch, low-threat sport and began play July 31. They have continued for the past three weeks without any major outbreaks or incidents reported.
The KHSAA Board of Control also voted to hold the state cheer championships in January and the cheer dance competition in February.
