The S.C. High School League heard consideration today that would flip fall and spring sports seasons starting in September, but decided to go with their own proposal for high school sports starting next month.
The initial proposal comes from the Lexington County School District One officials to do the season flip. Sports like baseball, softball – traditionally spring sports would play starting in September, with football would start in January 2021 under Lexington’s proposal.
Dr. Greg Little, Lexington County District One Superintendent, made the presentation to the High School League (SCHSL) executive committee.
“I believe students learn life long lessons by participating in sports,” Little said. “It calls for us to think outside the box and demands us to think outside the box. Safety is out number one priority.”
Little said that the plan had been shared with nearly 90 athletic directors and administrators across the state and got a lot of feedback before presenting to the SCHSL executive committee.
“If we start with high risk sports now runs the chance of it being canceled or postponed,” Little said. “We are no where close to being prepared to those high-risk sports at the moment.”
Sports like football and wrestling are considered high risk sports, as is lacrosse and competitive cheer.
Lexington County District One Athletic Director David Bennett said a state plan needed to be made, and not let each school district do their own thing, comparing it to the wild west.
“We need a state plan for our state to follow to get everyone on board,” Bennett said. “Our plan is to have athletics. We need athletics. We need to find a way to have athletics. This plan is about all student athletes. Unprecedented times calls for out of the box thinking.”
Executive committee member Mike Beasley made a motion to deny the Lexington County proposal and it passed 16-1 to not use the Lexington plan.
The SCHSL also came up with their own proposal as well and kept the sports in their current season, dealing with just fall sports to start. They didn’t address winter or spring sports as they are currently assigned.
“We have to be prepared to be fluid in whatever we do,” said Jerome Singleton, SCHSL executive director. “We don’t have a one size fits all. We have to be able to make adjustments. As long as the opportunity for schools there should be opportunity for sports.”
The opening day for fall sports to start practice was originally scheduled for July 31, but has been pushed to Aug. 17. First regular season football game would be Sept. 11, but could start as late as Oct. 2. The last regular season game would be Nov. 20 for all fall sports. The SCHSL proposed seven football games and would start with region play to decide playoff spots and then if teams have open dates after that, they can be fill with non-region games. Playoffs would be reduced from five rounds to four rounds. It is also recommended that girls’ tennis and volleyball start with region play as well.
“There is risk involved, but decisions have to be made,” Singleton said. “There is nothing carved in stone. It is fluid. If we need to move the season, we will do that.”
The SCHSL came to their decisions based on surveys and feedback they got from schools around the state. Singleton added that there is flexibility in the league’s plan to move fall sports if a season is interrupted. The league’s proposal passed 14-2.
Lexington School District One Plan
Under the Lexington proposal, the following sports would be played during these dates. The number in parenthesis would be the number of athletic contests held in the regular season for those sports during the shorten season. There would be four 10-week periods for the school year to hold sports. The risk category – low, moderate, high – is also listed by the sports as well. The National Federation of High Schools Sport made the rankings of which sport is low, moderate or high-risk sports.
Fall (Sept. 21-Nov. 17)
Girls tennis (12)-Moderate risk
Baseball (16)-Moderate risk
Softball (16)-Moderate risk
Girls lacrosse (12)-Moderate risk
Girls golf (8)*-Low risk
Swimming (4)*-Low to moderate risk
Cross-country (5)-Low risk
*Girls golf and swimming would be held from Sept. 7 to Oct. 30.
Winter (Nov. 23-Jan. 29)
Basketball (girls and boys) (16)-Moderate risk
Spring I (Jan. 25-April 2)
Football (6)-High risk
Volleyball (12)-Moderate risk
Competition Cheerleading (4)-High risk
Spring II (March 22-May 28)
Boys soccer (12)-Moderate risk
Girls soccer (12)-Moderate risk
Boys tennis (12)-Moderate risk
Wrestling (8)-High risk
Boys lacrosse (12)-High risk
Track (5)-Low to moderate risk
Boys golf (8)-Low risk
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
