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MSHSAA Board Approves Possible ‘20-‘21 Alternate Sports Schedules
MSHSAA Board Approves Possible
‘20-‘21 Alternate Sports Schedules
By Jim Wieners
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, and health restrictions from organizations like the St. Louis Sports Medicine COVID-19 Task Force, the Missouri State High School Activities Association Board of Directors, in an Aug. 13 virtual meeting, approved letting high schools participate Fall Sports in an Alternative season
That would allow high schools that can’t participate this fall, which began Aug. 10 and ends Dec. 5, to participate in an Alternate season, which is to begin March 12, 2021, and must end by May 1, 2021. This will automatically put them in an Alternate Spring season, May 14-July 10, 2021 but schools can opt out from the Alternate Spring by calling the MSHSAA Office.
Schools can participate in the winter season, which begins with practices on Nov. 2 and ends with the State Basketball championships on March 20, 2020, if guidelines from organizations like the COVID-19 Task Force allows.
On Aug. 4, the MSHSAA relaxed rules that would allow sports for high schools that are going 100% Virtual, which would not allow according to MSHSAA By-Laws, came with guidance from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
That cleared the way for high school sports in the Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Riverview Gardens and St. Louis County Special School Districts. However. 28 of the 31 St. Louis Suburban Public High School Athletic and Activities Association schools and the Metro Catholic Conference did not allow schools to hold practices as of Aug. 10 due to COVID-19 Task Force rules
Schools still competing this fall, not in the Alternate Season, have until Sept.11 to tell MSHSAA their intentions to compete in the postseason in any, or all sports, so they can set up fall class and district (except Boys Swimming and Diving) assignments on Sept.18.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which includes Alton-Marquette Catholic High School, announced by the Board of Directors, truncated seasons for 2020-2021 due to COVID-19. Football, Boys Soccer and Girls Volleyball moves from fall to truncated spring (Feb. 15-May 1, 2021). Spring Sports (except Water Polo, Boys Gymnastics and Girls Badminton), moves to a truncated summer (May 3-June 26, 2021). Remaining Fall Sports play in truncated season (Aug. 10-Oct. 24) and the Winter Sports Season will also be truncated (Nov. 16, 2020-Feb. 13, 2021).
The sports seasons will b limited to conference opponents and other teams in their geographical areas, according to the IHSA. Practices will be limited and the state sports series will be on a sport-by-sport basis. It is up to the high schools and school district to decide whether or no to compete in sports or other activities.
The Special School District, on May 1, announced the termination of all interscholastic sports at North Technical, which is ending full-day schooling at the end of 2022-2023, a decision made by the SSD Jan. 28. North Tech highlights include Girls Track and Field, Class Two State Runner Up (2008); Girls Basketball, Class Three Fourth Place (2013) and Quarterfinalist (2010); Boys Basketball, Class Three Sectional Qualifier (2016); and Boys Track and Field, Class Two, District Two Champions (2008). State individual champions, all in Class Three Track, include Marquise White, 100- and 200-Meter Dashes (2009), Constance Jackson, 100-Meter High Hurdles (2015), and Girls 4×100-Meterr Relay (2015).
North County Christian School, an MSHSAA Affiliate Registered School, originally planned to have Football in 2019 but was to move to 2020. Now it may appear that Football will not be played in 2020 or (maybe) years after that. NCCS Boys Basketball and Girls Cheerleading won the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association State titles last March. Gateway Christian Legacy Academy moves from Madison County Illinois to Florissant at the old St. Stanislaus (Jesuit) Seminary (700 Howdershell Rd.), and is an MSHSAA Affiliate Registered School.
COVID-19 terminated high school sports last March (19-21) and cancelled the MSHSAA Classes Four and Five State Basketball Semifinals, Third-place and Championship Games. This denied Hazelwood Central Girls (Class Five) and Incarnate Word Academy (10-time and defending back-to-back-to-back Class Four Girls State Champions) from competing for state titles. This also cancelled Spring Sports 2020.
