NJSIAA Revises Athletic Calendar to Keep Athletes Safe
34 OCTOBER 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY TIM MORRIS
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) has announced
its “Game On” program for scholastic athletics this school year.
In a year unlike any other, the athletic association has come up with a
unique athletic calendar, including four seasons. Beginning with a later start,
travel restrictions and a shortened schedule, the NJSIAA has done everything
it can to assure a safe start to and continuation of the athletic seasons.
On safety, NJSIAA COO Colleen Maguire reported that there were
schools participated in during August and that, over the summer, there were
no known clusters resulting from youth sports. Schools have been following
the protocols set up by the NJSIAA’s Medical Advisory Task Force, and that
has made it possible for the association to go ahead with its plans for the
2020-21 school year. Limiting travel for the high school teams (restricting
competition to area schools) is another safety factor. Out-of-state competition
is prohibited.Maguire also cited the concern about the mental health of
the students and need for in-person socialization that athletics can provide.
“I know I am not the only parent whose heart is breaking witnessing
the toll this pandemic is having on our kids,” Maguire said in a press release
from the NJSIAA. “Sports can, and will, raise the spirits for tens of thousands
of teenagers who right now are in need of a little normalcy.”
with limited schedules, started on Sept. 28 for girls’ tennis. Cross country,
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iron on Oct. 2. NJSIAA tournaments will be limited to state sectional
competition in an attempt to limit travel for the schools. All schools can
participate in the NJSIAA post-season play if they so choose. The tennis
regular season will conclude on Friday, Oct. 23 with the post-season
(Central Jersey sectionals for local schools) running from Oct. 24 to 31.
Football ends its regular season on Saturday, Nov. 7, and its post-
will close their regular seasons on Thursday, Nov. 12 with their sectional
tournament dates scheduled for Nov. 13 to 22. No indoor practices will
be allowed for the fall sports. Girls’ volleyball and gymnastics are being
moved to the winter to avoid indoor activity during the fall. Their
practices will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 with their regular seasons
running from March 3 to April 14. The postseason is April 15 to 24.
Season 2 is the traditional winter sports: basketball, wrestling,
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ditionally it was the day after Thanksgiving) with the regular season
running from Dec. 21 to Feb. 3, 2021. Tournaments will run from Feb.
5 to 12, and any school wishing to participate can.
Dates for Season 4, the spring, will be announced later. There are several
variables that could affect the start of the season, the NJSIAA noted.
In another twist to this unprecedented year, since the four athletics
seasons don’t overlap, it will be possible for athletes to compete in
four sports and possibly earn four varsity letters.
To accommodate the need to restrict travel, the Shore Conference
created new divisions this year for football. Colts Neck, for instance, is in
Middletown High School North and South are in the division with Rumson
Fair Haven, Red Bank Catholic and Mater Dei Prep. Red Bank Regional
is joined in its division with Holmdel High School and Saint John
Vianney. The football regular season will be six games. For soccer and
cross country, play is restricted to division teams only.
Along with its guidelines for the athletes and coaching staffs
(face coverings, screenings and social distancing) there are rules for
coverings (like the guidelines for coaches, there is no exception for the
coverings unless it inhibits a person’s health). Gov. Phil Murphy has
issued protocols for spectators at sporting events. As of this writing,
outdoor crowds are limited to 500 people (not counting participants,
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tancing and wear masks save where it might inhibit one’s health.
There are protocols for positive COVID-19 tests that include contact
tracing and quarantining. If a student or coach has had close contact
with a positive COVID individual or suspects they may be positive,
they must quarantine for 14 days, but the team can continue to play. If
a coach or player tests positive for the virus, they must quarantine for
14 days, and play can continue. In the case of a positive test, the school
must inform its upcoming opponent within two days of the game, and
that school will not be penalized if it chooses to cancel the game.
If two or more players or coaches test positive within 14 days and
the cases are linked by team-based activity, the school should consider
shutting down the program for 14 days. Should multiple teams experience
more than two students or coach testing positive within 14 days,
multiple programs should consider shutting down.
/TheJournalNJ.com