The WIAA has released sport-specific guidelines and guidance to address situations, examples, and drills that apply to the various sports offered by the Association.
Click Here To Read The Full Document
The guidelines give a little better idea of what the return of Fall Sports may look like.
The WIAA is recommending that athletes and coaches check their temperature at home before attending a practice or game. As previously recommended, anyone with illness symptoms or a temperature of 100.4 degrees or above should stay home.
The WIAA has given guidelines for social distancing including recommending that coaches and players stay at least six feet apart from each other whenever possible . It is also recommended that players items on the sidelines be at least six feet apart and only essential personnel be on the field of play. It is recommended that ball shaggers, managers, video crew and others all be on the sidelines and maintain proper social distancing.
Media should maintain good hygiene and practice social distancing and they should contact host schools to make them aware that they are coming and follow whatever procedures are put in place for safety.
Spectators are requested to maintain social distancing between households and follow public health guidelines.
Concession stands are not recommended, access to the press box should be controlled and teams are not to exchange handshakes before, during or after the games.
Players are not required to wear masks, but they are also not prohibited and the color of the mask does not matter. Coaches and others are encouraged to wear masks, especially when they are not able to maintain social distancing during practice and games.
One recommendation for all sports is that if a player is seen touching their mouth or mouthguard, they must stop practice and sanitize their hands. Mouthguards should remain in their mouth and players are encouraged to bring their own sanitzer and water bottles. Hydration stations should not be used.
The WIAA is also recommending that each team have a COVID-19 coach who will respond to COVID-19 concerns and provide training for coaches, officials and staff on safety protocols.
Here is a brief look at recommended regulations for each WIAA Sport.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR FOOTBALL
- Footballs must be cleaned on a regular schedule
- Drills for the High Risk Level and Moderate Risk Level can be performed. High Risk Level are drills that reduce exposure and contact with other individuals. That includes footwork, stances, steping and throwing to stationary objects.
- Drills for the Moderate Risk Level are drills that reduce exposure and may involve contact as long as protective equipment is in place that would reduce the likelihood of respiratory particle transmission between participants. This includes, shell drills on air, passing and catching drills as long as the quarterbacks are throwing to the same receivers, run blocking with sleds, partner handwork and tackle drills with pads.
- All of the other contact drills can only be done at the Low Risk Level.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR VOLLEYBALL
- Players must have their own kneepads and towels.
- High Risk Level- Ball handling work without a partner, conditioning, weight lifting
- Moderate Risk Level– Players may work with a partner without switching
- Low Risk Level- Players may live drill and scrimmage with teammates
CONSIDERATIONS FOR BASEBALL/SOFTBALL
- No dugouts should be used during practice, but are permitted during games. Players should have their own batting helmet, bat, cathing equipment and baseballs need to be sanitized.
- High Risk Level– Individual drills, individual tee work where the player puts the ball back on tee him/herself. Batting practice with pitching machine use.
- Moderate Risk Level– Players playing catch, bunting drills, short toss, and small group drills.
- Low Risk Level– Intrasquad scrimmage and more drills that use contact
CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOLF
- Players should all use their own equipment and it should not be shared.
- High Risk Level Activity– Range and Practice Green play can take place without competitions. No more than four players per group. Holes will be filled to allow for easy retrieval and flags should not be touched for any reason.
- Moderate Risk Level Activity– Normal golf groups are permitted and walking or riding in carts in permitted. Practice facilities are limited to 50 people.
- Facilities are fully operational without restrictions at the Low Risk Level.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SOCCER
- Benches should not be used during practice with no sharing of equipment.
- High Risk Level– Drills that can be done include Conditioning, Speed and Agility and Ball Skills.
- Moderate Risk Level– allows players to work in a pod without switching, and short bursts of contact.
- Low Risk Level– allow for live scrimmages, competitions and double headers.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR CROSS COUNTRY
- Athletes should bring their own watches.
- High Risk Level– Conditioning, Speed and single lane track work. No running in groups.
- Moderate Risk Level– Working with a partner without switching partners.
- Low Risk Level– Traning may be done is groups and multiple lanes may be used. Wave starts should be considered.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SWIMMING AND DIVING
- High Risk Level– No competitions may be held, swimmers and divers may work on their own, dryland or virtutal training.
- Moderate Risk Level– Practice can be done with a maximum of 10 people indoors. Light drill work can be done and work with a partner can be done if no switching takes place.
- Low Risk Level- Live drills and activities can take place and multiple partners can be at practice.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR TENNIS
- Everyone should have their own racket.
- High Risk Level– Play with family members, use every other court, consider having single play only, consider wearing gloves, and limit the number of participants at practice. It is also recommended that each player have their own individually numbered ball and not touch anyone else’s ball.
- Moderate Risk Level– Small group play can take place and single and double play is allowed. Players should only use their numbered balls.
- Low Risk Level– Tournament and League play may resume, activities are allowed with social distancing, but players should still only use their numbered balls.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR BASKETBALL
- No benches should be used during practice
- High Risk Level- Players should each bring their own ball or use the same school issued ball that can be sanitized after. Drills include conditioning, speed, individual ball skills and individual offensive and defensive work.
- Moderate Risk Level- Drills can include more than one person, passing the ball and offensive work, boxing out, rebounding drills and station work.
- Low Risk Level- Includes full team practice and competitions.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRACK AND FIELD
- There should not be any sharing of equipment
- High Risk Level– Drills include conditioning, no button sharing and no use of hurdles, mats or pits. Throwing can be done but throwers must retrieve their own implements.
- Moderate Risk Level– Use of hurdles may be added, blocks can be shared but must be disinfected in between use, long jump and triple jump may be added. Sprint and hurdles should use every other lane and middle and long distance runners should be spaced out.
- Low Risk Level– Use of buttons is allowed. High Jump and Pole Vault opens and meets can take place vs single opponents
CONSIDERATIONS FOR WRESTLING
- Wrestlers should have their own headgear and equipment.
- High Risk Level- Wrestlers may drill without partners, shadow wrestle or train with videos.
- Moderate Risk Level- Wrestlers may work with one partner in short bursts doing light takedowns, escapes and reversals.
- Low Risk Level- Wrestlers may wrestle full matches, partner condition and wrestle with multiple partners at practice.
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