On Monday, the Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors approved a plan to start Fall high school football camps on-time on Monday, July 27. Now, two days later, individual school districts across the state are making their own decisions about the FHSAA decision with many of them creating their own Fall sports schedules.
One district, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system, has gone as far as to say it is looking at withdrawing from the FHSAA. Below is a statement from Miami-Dade County Public Schools School Board Vice-Chair Dr. Steve Gallon III that is part of an news release:
Recently, at an emergency meeting held on Monday, July 20, 2020, the FHSAA voted to retain its fall sports start date of July 27, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. This will impact six fall sports: football, volleyball, bowling, cross country, golf, and swimming. The decision, which passed on a 10-4 vote, took place despite a recommendation from its own FHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee which urged the association to push back the start dates for football and volleyball. The decision will have an inequitably adverse impact on South Florida school districts such as Miami-Dade which have realized a continued spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Presently, Miami-Dade County leads Florida in such confirmed cases.
The decision will also impact the District’s participation in postseason playoffs and championship series as student athletes will not be able to prepare, practice, and compete for the same length of time as school districts that are not similarly impacted by the pandemic.
“This is an issue of equity, fairness, health, and safety” Dr. Gallon stated. “Despite the fact that schools in our area constitute a significant, major revenue source for the FHSAA, as well as a high number of playoff and state championship teams in various sports, a 10-4 vote confirms what they think of our districts, schools, and most important, the health and safety, and fair and equitable participation of our students. The FHSAA has clearly sent a message to school districts in South Florida and several others around the state,” Gallon continued. “They did not even listen to the recommendations of their own Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.”
“We have heard the FHSAA loud and clear. They now need to hear from us.”
Dr. Steve Gallon III from news release
Monday’s FHSAA Meeting
Our friends at FloridaHSFootall.com are doing a great job of keeping everyone up-to-date. Below you can see other districts that are making their own decisions.
Polk County delayed on starting fall sports practices… date for possible start not mentioned here, but this is following the trend we have seen from most major metro areas across the state. https://t.co/DJblgW9iX8
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) July 22, 2020
The Pasco County School Board has approved a a two-week delay to the start of the school year, with students returning on August 24. Teachers would return on August 17.
— Pasco County Schools (@pascoschools) July 21, 2020
3 week delay in Escambia County which has seen some of larger share of cases of COVID-19 in the Panhandle. #flhsfb https://t.co/M6SbIcfaI2
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) July 22, 2020
Orange County says schools can’t start fall sports practices on July 27https://t.co/a8g08R9VWU
— Buddy Collings (@VarsityBuddy) July 21, 2020
News from Sarasota County on fall sports
— Vinnie Portell (@VJPortell) July 21, 2020
Not going full-go on Monday, instead advancing to a modified Phase 2 of the original plan that requires face masks pic.twitter.com/lncP78QnII
Seminole County won’t start no earlier than August 31st. #flhsfb https://t.co/fPXBYAx28D
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) July 21, 2020
Hillsborough pushes back to Aug. 10 https://t.co/MJ8ZeEZSYa
— Bob Putnam (@Biggamebobby) July 21, 2020
Hearing Charlotte County will discuss the option of breaking off from the FHSAA and forming its own conference at tomorrow’s county athletic directors meeting
— Vinnie Portell (@VJPortell) July 21, 2020
FloridaHSFootball.com is reporting that the FHSAA will meet again Thursday night to review the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee’s recommendation to delay the start of the high school football season.
Martin County high schools delay fall sports practice to Aug. 10 https://t.co/LPg2Y9Dske via @tcpalm #TCPrepZone @FlaHSFootball
— Jon Santucci (@JonSantucci) July 22, 2020
