Vermont high school football to go 7-on-7, volleyball games to be held outdoors this fall

State officials last week hinted at significant changes to how Vermont high school sports would look this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Among the measures they revealed Tuesday: 11-vs.-11 tackle football will not happen in 2020 and volleyball matches between schools cannot take place indoors.

Football programs will be allowed to hold low-contact practices and plans are in the works to hold a 7-on-7 touch football season instead of the traditional offering, according to Jay Nichols, executive director of the Vermont Principals' Association.

"A lot of it comes down to blocking and players being really close to each other — respiratory droplets on each other, breathing on each other, when a player is tackled there is a whole group of people together," Nichols said. "It became very clear that football is problematic."

Volleyball teams can practice indoors but cannot host opposing schools. Any matches must be held outside.

State: Face masks a must for sports

Guidance developed by the state's Agency of Education and the Department of Health also requires facial coverings to be worn at all times by competitors, coaches and spectators for games. Exceptions have been made for those running cross-country races and other activities, such as golf, when participants can maintain social distance.

"We came to the conclusion that masks for everyone was appropriate," Gov. Phil Scott said during a media briefing. "We just (announced) mandatory masks for all Vermonters, we're having masks in school and we feel ... sports should be included as well."

"I think having some mask is better than no mask, and I believe that this is the right approach as we move forward," Scott said. 

Officials explained that modifications for cross-country meets, which could use staggered starting times, allow for those athletes to compete without masks. The nature of other high-intensity sports such as soccer and field hockey, where players run extensively but also come in close contact with each other, makes it impossible to maintain safe physical distancing.

"I've talked to my own grandson who's a soccer player and obviously he doesn't want to wear a mask," Nichols said. "But he would rather wear a mask and play than not be able to play — and I think that's where most kids are going to fall."

Dr. Mark Levine, the state's health commissioner, dispelled concerns about mask usage being hazardous during serious physical activity.

"I’m not aware of any substance of literature that actually counters the use of masks because it could be harmful," Levine said. "I don’t think there is really a lot of support for that. But again, like anything in a pandemic, where the population has never masked before, I’m sure this will get more and more studied."

A Sept. 2 update to the mask guidance stated, "Students who have a medical or behavioral reason for not wearing a facial covering should not be required to wear one; these decisions should be made in partnership with the health care provider and school nurse."

More:Gov. Phil Scott: There will be high school fall sports in Vermont in 2020

Teams can begin practices when schools reopen on Sept. 8. They can conduct conditioning, skill-building drills and inter-program scrimmages. Competition between schools is expected to begin the week of Sept. 21.

Key takeaways from new guidance

The sports-related guidelines issued by the Agency of Education and the VPA cover a broad range of issues, from administrative protocols to personal hygiene. 

The new information issued Tuesday also included the following points of emphasis:

► School-based sports must cease if conditions force all schools to retreat to Step I of the state's "Strong and Healthy Start" plan, closing for in-person instruction. Additionally, if cases of COVID-19 force an individual school or district to restrict or eliminate in-person instruction, school-based sports must stop until the school resumes instruction under Step II.

► Schools must ensure all coaches, students, officials and gameday personnel are screened for COVID-19 symptoms at least once during the day prior to training or competing. Any person with positive symptoms or a temperature of 100.4 degrees will not be allowed to participate.

► Schools should not sanction or condone "captain's practices." All training should be conducted with a member of the coaching staff present.

► New physical exams will not be required to participate in athletic activities this year in order to lessen demand for primary care physicians.

► Schools must develop policies to prepare for school closure due to outbreaks and account for deconditioning of athletes if school closure is two weeks or longer, which could require cancellation or postponement of contests.

► Hand sanitizer must be available at all games and practices, and participants must wash their hands after competition. Facial coverings and personal gear must be washed after every session and cannot be shared.

Mental health played role in decision

Around 10,000 students play high school sports in Vermont, Nichols said. 

VPA and state officials said Tuesday that finding a way for kids to compete this fall was a priority.

"We really feel that sports and all extracurricular activities are an extension of the school day," Nichols said. "If we're going to ask kids to come back to school in person, which as much as we can think we should, we should also make those extracurricular activities available for them.

"We think the mental health ramifications of not having sports is more of a worry than actually providing sports."

Further guidance for winter sports will be published by Oct. 15.

Contact Austin Danforth at 651-4851 or edanforth@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @eadanforth. Contact Alex Abrami at 660-1848 or aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5. 

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