Illinois high school athletes will have to mask up for indoor sports this fall

High school athletes will have to wear masks during indoor competition in Illinois this fall.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced new COVID safety mitigations for schools on Wednesday. Indoor sports will require masks. For events outside, masks will not be required, as the virus is not as easily spread in wide-open spaces.

The Illinois High School Association reiterated Pritzker’s guidance Wednesday evening, saying the indoor mask mandate applies to student-athletes, coaches, officials, game personnel and fans.

Swimmers and divers will not have to wear a mask during competition, but will be required to put one on at all other times.

Last year, the pandemic forced IHSA to rearrange its normal schedules, based on which sports were considered high risk. For example, the basketball season was delayed and football was pushed to the spring.

The IHSA said there aren’t any scheduling changes or spectator limitations this year, even with spectators being required to wear masks.

Fall sports include: boys and girls cross country, football, boys and girls golf, boys soccer, girls swimming and diving, girls tennis and girls volleyball. Only competitions for girls swimming and diving and girls volleyball will be effected at the beginning of the year, but any indoor open gyms, conditioning or weightlifting for any sport will require masks as well.

This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 11:44 AM.