One thing is clear at this point as it pertains to the resumption of high school sports in Kentucky for the fall season. That being that all options are on the table as for how to not lose another season of sports for high school athletes across the Commonwealth.
YourSportsEdge.Com recently asked Kentucky High School Athletic Association Commissioner Julian Tackett several questions about the beginning of fall athletics and how decisions would be made as to the start of the seasons and possible changes to the layout of schedules for individual sports.
As for a timetable on getting the fall seasons up and rolling, the Commissioner says much will lay in the hands of the Governor and state education officials. Tackett noted “as the Department of Education’s designee related to anything interscholastic athletic and sport-activtiy related decisions, we will work in concert with the Governor’s orders and directives, education directives as well as industry guidance in starting sports back up at the interscholastic level. We will not be acting in contradiction to any order or phase step.”
Tackett went on further to point out “we will closely monitor the data we are given from the state and other health officials, and then make determinations. A large factor in that decision will be the status of our member campuses which are currently (and through at least May 31) shut down for all activities, not just within our rules, but within the orders of the Governor.”
As for the possbility of having to delay the start of fall sports seasons, Tackett noted that at this time, this far out, that anyting is possible. He added “any and every possibility will be discussed if it looks (as we get MUCH closer to the normal start of practice) as though we cannot start on our regular dates.”
Continuing in the area of possible delays, the Commissioner was asked about the possibility of modifications to postseason schedules for fall sports, especially football, where the postseason lasts five weeks. Along his recurring theme of all options are on the table at this point, Tackett said “2020-21 may not look like any other year but the priority is NOT to lose another sports season. A much higher priority than maintaining status quo simply for the sake of status quo.”
As you look at the “fall sports” in Kentucky high school athletics, golf would appear the easiest one to get started again on schedule, even with some social distancing guidelines still in place. As for the possibility of starting one sport, such as golf or cross country, while delaying others, such as football, volleyball, and soccer, Tackett stated that would be a decision to be made down the road. “Certainly it is easier to conduct golf activities with minimal modification if social distancing requirements remain rigid, but that is a bridge that will be crossed once more data is known.”
There has also been much discussion lately about the summer “dead period”, and whether or not there might be changes in that schedule in wake of the cancellation of spring sports, and effectively a mandated “dead period” being in place since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. While acknowledging that anything is on the table at this point, Tackett added, “as of May 5, there will be no adjustment to the regularly scheduled June 25 to July 9 dead period.”
The tentative scheduled first date to start regular season games or matches for fall sports are:
Cross Country – August 17
Football – August 21
Golf – July 31
Soccer – August 10
Volleyball – August 17
