our prep school athletics program

July 3, 2020 - Summer Sports Update

Summer Sports UPDATED

2020 Summer and Preseason Schedules
CCDS Athletic COVID 19 Return to Play Protocol
Mercy Health Parent and Athlete Protocol

Information Relative to Spring Sports & Beyond

First, we continue to stay in close contact with the state’s leadership relative to stay-at-home orders. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with the OHSAA to make certain we have each other’s support as it relates to a return to school and activities. A few important updates/reminders:

• If schools are closed for the remainder of the school year, spring sports will be cancelled in Ohio
• The mandatory No-Contact period remains in place until at least May 1. No practices or group workouts may occur through this date.
• No-contact does not mean ‘electronic’ communication is not permitted. In fact, we encourage coaches to maintain correspondence, provide workouts, etc. to INDIVIDUALS.
• The dates below for a spring season/tournaments are tentative. We are continuing with the Governor’s optimistic direction that schools will re-open on May 4. We will adjust accordingly. However optimistic this may be, we must PLAN for the return even if that ends up changing.
• With a current return on May 4, the following schedule has been adopted for spring sports. Specific information relative to Sectional and District Tournaments, playing dates, seeding procedures, game sites, will all be provided in communications from the respective six District Athletic Boards.
• If for any reason specific sites are shut down due to governor’s orders, ALL sites will be shut down and a tournament will not be held.

Restructured Spring Sport Dates

* Sectional competition shall NOT begin earlier than the date provided.

* Sectional competition shall NOT begin earlier than the date provided.

* Sectional competition shall NOT begin earlier than the date provided.

Notes for Participating Schools:

• If any type of non-interscholastic participation becomes permitted by governors’ orders and has been occurring (which is doubtful) it must be concluded by May 4.
• Although the regular season(s) will be much shorter, schools can continue scheduling contests until the end of the season.

We continue to applaud each of you for helping provide guidance and leadership to your coaches and your efforts to keep students engaged. This crisis has heightened the awareness that students WANT to be back in the classroom. Teachers want students back in the classroom. In our solid belief that school-based athletic programs are an extension of the classroom, we hold that same belief for our student-athletes and coaches. Getting kids back with coaches is much “more than winning” and we feel it a vital part of returning life to normalcy. Thank you for your support!

OHSAA Information Updated 3/31/2020

Information Relative to Spring Sports & Beyond

Yesterday’s announcement by Governor DeWine extended mandatory school closures through May 1.  As a result:

• The mandated No-Contact period has been extended through this date (May 1). This is to assist with the Governor’s ‘stay at home’ order, to prohibit coaches from privately meeting with student-athletes AND to put all schools on an equal level relative to future competitive opportunities.
  • It should be noted that the No-Contact Regulation was never intended to discourage or prohibit electronic communication with student-athletes.  For the mental well-being of student-athletes, it is actually encouraged but is NOT intended for coaches to encourage any form of group gatherings or instruction.
• No practices or competitions may occur through this date (May 1).
• Since other events and activities are not permitted by the current Governor’s orders, we collectively believe we can continue looking at abbreviated schedules for spring sports.  While cancellation remains on the table with all other options, there are many factors that enter into possibilities.  Availability of venues for any events, Dept. of Health guidelines and Governor’s orders are all part of the equation.  Under no circumstances will we compromise the safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials, game workers or fans.  Everyone in the schools is aware of the extremely fluid situation and we will continue to update you as things change.
• Simply so we are prepared, we have begun looking at:
  • Off-Season Regulations.  In the event activities are permitted to begin in June or July, we are looking at adjusting off-season regulations to expedite a return to school-based athletic programs.
  • Fall Sport Issues.  Again, I feel it is incumbent for our staff to look at every ‘what if’ and be prepared.  In a worst-case scenario, if events/practices/training are shut down during or through the summer, the reality exists that many of the thousands of student-athletes may lack any high-level physical training.  We need to look at what serves our student-athletes best relative to acclimatization periods.  I want to stress that we are PLANNING for worst-case scenarios by identifying all the challenges we could potentially face.
• We applaud all of you for helping with providing guidance and leadership to your coaches with the request they speak with their student-athletes (electronically of course) to convey to them the seriousness of the current crisis and an understanding that ALL of us are in this together and understand their emotions and desire to ‘get back.’