There won’t be any high school sports in Virginia until at least mid-December, and the traditional fall sports season — including football, cheerleading and volleyball — will be delayed until at least February 2021.
That’s according to a plan approved Monday by the Virginia High School League’s executive committee, which makes rules for public high school sports in the commonwealth.
The plan calls for a delayed and condensed series of athletic seasons, but would keep all sports in the season where they are currently aligned.
The decision comes as many Virginia school districts have announced plans to start the upcoming school year with virtual learning options to continue slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
A look at the high school sports plan approved by the committee:
- Basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swim/dive, wrestling: The season would run from Dec. 14 through Feb. 20, and the first contest date would be Dec. 28.
- Cheer, cross-country, field hockey, football, golf, volleyball: The season would run from Feb. 15 through May 1, and the first contest date would be March 1.
- Baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field: The season would run from April 12 through June 26, and the first contest date would be April 26.
“We would like to thank everyone for their understanding and support,” the league said in a Facebook post announcing the decision. “We would also like to thank the VHSL Executive Committee and athletic administrators for their work. The health and safety of student athletes remains our main priority as we move towards a season.”
The Virginia High School League is responsible for overseeing athletic competition among public high schools in Virginia. The league’s executive committee is made up of 37 members and includes principals, superintendents, school athletic directors, lawmakers and state officials.
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