Centralia defenders make a tackle during a game against Tumwater in November, 2019 at Tiger Stadium. The WIAA has listed football as one of the highest-risk sports for coronavirus infection in recently released guidelines.
The start of the 2020-21 high school sports season will be delayed by at least two weeks, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced late Tuesday.
The decision was made during an Executive Board meeting Tuesday to push back the start of football practices to Sept. 5, and the start of other fall sports to Sept. 7.
"The Board will continue to work with staff, member schools and state agencies to monitor the impact of COVID-19," the WIAA statement read. "The Board plans to make its next statement concerning the start of fall sports on July 22 following its next scheduled meeting. In the interim, the committee of Board members, staff and select WIAA stakeholders will work to create a fall schedule with the adjusted start dates."
The start of fall football practices had been slated for Aug. 19, with the first games scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4. With the new Sept. 5 start date and a minimum requirement of 12 practice days for football, the first day that prep football games could be played is now Saturday, Sept. 19, unless teams are allowed to practice on Sundays or the minimum-practice requirement is shortened.
Most of the other fall sports have a minimum requirement of 10 practice days, meaning the earliest those sports could start their seasons is Sept. 18.
Boys golf has no minimum practice requirement.
However, per the reopening-to-activity guidelines set by the WIAA last month, practices and competition are also contingent on which reopening phase each county is in.
Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee put a two-week hold on approving any county to move up in phased reopening, meaning teams in several counties have not been able to start team summer workouts.
