While I hesitate to jump to any conclusions about anything these days, there’s some great news coming-out of Indiana as it relates to the 2020 high school football season. The Indiana High School Athletic Association has released a statement on its website that says the following:
Provided there are no adjustments to Governor Eric Holcomb’s announced plans to re-open the State of Indiana, school sponsored summer activities may resume on July 1, 2020.
IHSAA statement
So, with that information, I feel confident saying that the Hoosier State definitely has plans to play the 2020 high school football season, along with other fall sports. Again, if the state doesn’t change anything on the re-opening of schools, coaches will be able to start working with their student-athletes.
Indiana schools have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s the full statement from the IHSAA:
IHSAA Statement on Remainder of During the School Year Out of Season Activities and the Beginning of Summer
Recently, Dr. Jennifer McCormick, State Superintendent of Public Instruction clarified the school closure order which ends on June 30, 2020. June 30th is the end of the traditionally defined school year in our state; therefore, school buildings are to remain closed through June 30, 2020. In light of this directive, the Indiana High School Athletic Association is hereby suspending any school sponsored athletic activities through June 30, 2020. School sponsored activities are any school authorized activities directed, observed or instructed by the school’s coaching staff regardless of the location. This includes any conditioning, skills development and associated activities through the end of June. Conditioning and During the School Year activities may only occur in or on school property, subsequently, these activities are hereby suspended.
Question 15-56 of the IHSAA by-laws provides
the following:
Q. 15-56 Can a School have a Summer Open Facility session “off-campus”, or at a location which is not owned by or officially controlled by the School?
A. No, like a Limited Contact Program, a Summer Open Facility Program must be conducted on campus or at a site where home Contests are regularly held. For example, a School cannot conduct a Summer Open Facility session at the local batting cage for its students wishing to work on their baseball skills but could hold Summer Open Facility session at a municipal field if that is where the School regularly held its home Contests.
Provided there are no adjustments to Governor Eric Holcomb’s announced plans to re-open the State of Indiana, school sponsored summer activities may resume on July 1, 2020.
Rule 15-3.4 of the IHSAA by-laws provides that a moratorium week shall be observed on the Monday through Sunday which includes July 4th. July 1, 2020 would normally fall during the prescribed moratorium week. In light
of the amount of time students have been restricted from school and contact with their teammates and coaches, the Association is hereby waiving Rule 15-3.4 for the year 2020. Therefore; contact with students under the provisions of Rule 15-3 may occur beginning on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 and continue through Saturday of Week 4 of the IHSAA calendar which is August 1, 2020.
