IHSA approves Return to Play Guidelines. What does that mean for high school sports?
The long awaited announcement every high school athlete, coach, athletic director and supporter has waited over two months to hear became a reality late Friday afternoon.
The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors has approved Return to Play Guidelines developed within the current structure of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan that provide the first step in IHSA student-athletes returning to participation, which may begin Saturday, June 6.
The return to play announcement gives IHSA athletes the opportunity to work out for the first time since March 12 when the IHSA suspended activities due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Collinsville Athletic Director Clay Smith said the Kahoks are anxious to get back on the playing field.
“The Kahok Athletic Department is committed to getting our kids and coaches back on the field while keeping everyone safe,” Smith said. “We will work to develop a plan that adheres to all safety guidelines.”
The Return to Play Guidelines were developed by the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and have been approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“I commend the IHSA SMAC for crafting a plan that fits within the framework provided by state leadership, and refuses to compromise safety,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “The IHSA Return to Play Guidelines offer some important first steps in allowing student-athletes to re-acclimate both physically and mentally to athletics, but, more importantly, they allow each school to assess their own individual situation and determine if and when they want to proceed.”
An IHSA member high school may not conduct workouts under the Return to Play Guidelines unless they have local school district approval and are located in a Health Region currently in Phase 3 (or better) under the governor’s Restore Illinois plan. Any school within a Phase 3 Region of the state could begin to implement the Return to Play Guidelines on Saturday, June 6.
The Return to Play Guidelines are aimed at student-athlete acclimatization and general physical fitness, and will not include any skill or sport training elements. The guidelines detail the allowable activities for student-athletes and coaches, as well as the safety precautions and social distancing that must be adhered to in order to maximize safety.
“Our kids have been without sports and school for over two months, which has taken a toll on their physical and emotional health,” said IHSA SMAC member Dr. Cynthia R. LaBella, the medical director at Institute for Sports Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “We purposely designed this first phase to focus solely on strength and conditioning so that kids can gradually rebuild their fitness levels in small peer groups with coach guidance.
“This will get kids moving again with their peers in the safest way possible, which will have a huge positive impact on their physical and emotional well-being”
The IHSA’s Return to Play Guidelines will remain in place until the IHSA or Illinois Department of Health announce further guidelines.
“We will continue to seek input from our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, while following guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health on what potentially happens next in late June,” said Anderson.
Columbia High School athletic director Scott Horner said the guidelines are a step in the right direction.
“I’m thankful that we will be able to start seeing our athletes and begin the road to the 2020 season. It’s a process and we have to be diligent in following the guidelines so we can continue to progress into the next phase of recovery.
IHSA Stage 1 of Return to Play
As a result of the governor’s Restore Illinois Plan, beginning Saturday, June 6, IHSA member schools are permitted to open for voluntary strength and conditioning sessions.
School districts should work with their local health departments on current restrictions in their area prior to beginning contact. Local school administration determines the permitted activities at their school.
Prioritizing the health and safety of all students and staff must remain the focus of each IHSA member school. Outdoor workouts are highly encouraged over indoor workouts, to reduce transmission. Students are limited to three hours of participation per day. These requirements must be followed when conducting voluntary strength and conditioning sessions:
• Maintain social distance by being 6 feet apart.
• Masks shall be worn when social distance cannot be maintained.
• Follow gathering guidelines of groups of 10 or less including the coach and medical personnel.
• Groups of 10 or less must be pre-determined
.• Once groups are determined, students may not switch from one group to another based upon sport. Students that participate in multiple sports for the year are encouraged to be grouped, for summer participation, in their fall sport.
• Interaction between groups shall be avoided.
• Sessions can only include weightlifting, running, and exercises designed to promote physical fitness.
• Sport-specific drills are not permitted, and sport-specific equipment may not be used.
• Implement diligent and effective cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces following the guidance of the CDC and IDPH.
• Coaches must maintain a daily record of what athletes are participating, when, symptoms they may present (see attachment).o Athletes should be monitored at start of practice for temperature >100.4F/37C or symptoms of COVID-19 (fevers, chills, cough, muscle aches,headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell).o If symptoms are present they should not participate in practice and should be referred to a physician for evaluation and testing.
• Free weight exercises that require a spotter cannot be conducted while honoring social distancing norms. Safety measures in all forms must be strictly enforced in the weight room.
• Players shall bring their own water bottle, shoes, towels, and other personal equipment. The use of locker rooms, shared water coolers with cups, andwater fountains will be prohibited during this stage.
It is the responsibility of each IHSA member school to comply with the above requirements. Additionally, IHSA member school sponsored camps, clinics, and open gyms are prohibited in any sport at this time.
If available, it is encouraged an athletic trainer or medical personnel be available for workouts. They should be masked for any interactions with athletes and maintain 6-foot distance when feasible.
Any person with positive symptoms reported should not be allowed to take part in workouts and should contact his or her primary care provider or other appropriate healthcare professional.
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 8:12 PM.
