by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi –
The Virginia High School League issued a statement last month clarifying spectator and participant limitations affected by Gov. Ralph Northam’s amended Executive Order 67.
On Nov. 13, Gov. Northam reduced the social gathering limit from 250 persons to 25. However, VHSL Executive Director John “Billy” Haun indicated the change would not impact play on the field or court.
VHSL addressed the impact in a release Nov. 20. The reduction in public and private gatherings to 25 applies to “spectators” and does not include participants at those events, according to Mike McCall, VHSL director of communications. The governor’s order defines participants as players, coaches, officials, school event staff and administration critical to the operations of the contests, media, law enforcement and medical services. However, cheerleaders, pep bands and other student support groups are counted as spectators in the limit of 25 allowed at the event.
The 25-person limit affects both indoor and outdoor social gatherings and sporting events.
According to the amended order’s guidelines for recreational sports, races and marathons may have up to 250 participants, provided staggered starts separate runners into groups of 25 or fewer. The order also requires COVID-19 screening of coaches, officials, staff and players prior to admission to the venue.
The VHSL Championship + 1 calendar for 2020-21 allows boys and girls basketball to begin practice Dec. 7 with the first games allowed Dec. 21. Other winter sports including indoor track, swim and wrestling may begin practice Dec. 14 with first contests to be conducted as early as Dec. 28.
While Middlesex County school officials had not decided on December school sports as of the Sentinel’s press time, other area teams, including those at Lancaster High School, were allowed to start out-of-season conditioning workouts last week.
VHSL also has provided schools with a 39-page Guidelines for Return to Participation that includes specific COVID-19 precautions for each team and extracurricular activity.
Check www.SSentinel.com later for more on this developing story.
