It appears the Illinois High School Association is preparing for Friday night lights this fall.
The IHSA has submitted Return to Play guidelines to the Illinois Department of Public Health. If approved, the guidelines would go into effect for all summer contact day activities as regions reach Phase 4 of the governor’s reopening plan as soon as June 26.
In the proposal, contests are limited to up to 50 participants, including players coaches and referees, and if a school chooses to allow fans, they are only allowed at 20 percent of capacity.
Multiple groups of 50 or fewer participants will be permitted in a facility as long as 30 feet of distancing is maintained between the groups. Areas for each group must be clearly marked to discourage interaction between groups.
Nic Kearfott, athletic director at Normal Community High School, agrees with the guidelines.
“I think they are good. It gives us a lot of flexibility and gets the kids and coaches back to sports specific contact days,” said Kearfott.
In addition to the new rules for contests, schools must maintain a daily record of athletes participation and symptoms they present, and take temperature checks on athletes before the start of practices.
Coaches, participants, officials and spectators may choose to wear a mask, but won’t be required.
Brien Dunphy, athletic director at Peoria High, believes there will be football this fall.
“I am confident as anyone,” said Dunphy. “I can’t imagine August, September and October without football.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday that professional football may not happen this year.
“Unless players are essentially in a bubble – insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day – it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci told CNN. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.”
