Thursday March 28th, 2024 10:04PM

Area school systems ready for June 8 start

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

Like the stretch run at the end of a long cross country race, state and northeast Georgia area school systems can see the finish line, or in this case, perhaps the starting line, to hopefully the beginning preparations for the 2020-21 season.
 
There is little more than a week left before the June 8 starting date set by the Georgia High School Association last week in its first positive action to try and get the season underway in the wake of the COVID-19 virus.

The GHSA had put a ban on all athletic-related activities in place in the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak before lifting it last week.

And so far, every northeast Georgia school system is on track to begin on June 8, though every system is expected to meet next week to finalize and organize reopening plans under the new GHSA and state guidelines.

Late last week the GHSA Board of Trustees and the governor's office released a set of coordinated guidelines:

Here are the GHSA guidelines for returning to conditioning on June 8, 2020:

-- All summer work is voluntary
-- Schools/School systems may be more restrictive than the GHSA but not less
-- Workouts are conditioning only, no balls or sport-specific equipment
-- Member schools should prepare and infectious disease prevention plan prior to staff and athletes returning to conditioning.
-- It is recommended that staff and athletes are screened prior to each workout 
-- Signage should be posted on-site with the following:

  • Do you or have you had a fever in the last week?
  • Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19?
  • Have you been in contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19?
  • Have you traveled to a hot spot for COVID-19?

-- Groups of 20, including coaches, for workouts per sport at any given time at campus or facility.
-- Groups should be the same individuals, including coaches, for each session to limit risk of exposure. Students or coaches CANNOT change groups for the duration of this guidance.
-- No use of locker rooms or shower facilities. Students should report to the facility dressed to condition and shower at home.
-- Weight equipment should be cleaned prior to each workout and sanitized between use by each student.
-- Hand sanitizer should be plentiful and readily available.
-- Each student should have their own personal water bottle. No use of water fountains or "water cows" is allowed.
-- Side spots only in the weight training, safety bars are preferred.
-- Social distancing should be adhered to always and masks/face covering are recommended for the weight room.
-- At least 15 minutes should be scheduled between groups to allow for disinfecting the facility.
-- There is no competition allowed between schools.
-- No visitors are allowed at conditioning sessions.

Habersham Central Athletic Director Geep Cunningham called it a first, and needed, positive step forward.

“We have to start somewhere to get the season going and I feel real good about this,” Cunningham said. “We’re definitely starting (on June 8) but really all we can do initially are things like weightlifting and running. We’ll be ready to accommodate every team and athlete that wants to get started. But we will not pressure anyone to start and we will respect anyone that is not comfortable yet to begin.”

“We’re going to start with things like weight training and running to get the conditioning aspects going,” Buford assistant athletic director Tony Wolfe said. “We’ll be following the guidelines with groups of 20 people or less and we’re opening the weight room and the gyms for those teams that want to work indoors. But we’ll be ready to go for sure on June 8.”

Dawson County Athletic Director Jason Gibson said they are ready to hit the ground running and that the coaches of each individual team will be setting their schedules in how they want to begin.

“We’ll be opening everything up for our athletes on June 8 but we’ll give the coaches of the teams the opportunity to practice in whatever environment they feel comfortable in,” Gibson said. “We’re just excited about the chance to finally get going.”

A similar plan is under way in Cleveland.

“We’ll be up and ready on June 8,” White County AD Craig Turner said. “I know football will start then but basketball and volleyball may not start yet. We’re going to let the coaches give us a plan on when they want to begin their workouts and plan from there."

Banks County Athletic Director Mike Cleveland said they will be meeting next week to finalize plans.

“I know we’re expecting to open and start on June 8 and I don’t see anything that would keep us from doing that,” Cleveland said. “We’ll follow the GHSA guidelines and right now I don’t see us adding any more restrictions than what the GHSA already has in place.”

Gainesville came out last week saying they would begin on June 8 but for the first week would only conduct outdoor workouts.

All of the seven Hall County schools are set to start on June 8 with no added restrictions, as of now.

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