Kentucky High School Athletic Association says it is still planning for fall sports, with details still in the works

Players wearing face masks at Paul B. Cox Stadium at DeSales
High in Louisville (Photo by Jeff Faughender, Courier Journal)

Not only are Kentucky school districts trying to figure out out to get students back into the classrooms in the middle of a pandemic, but they are also looking for ways to safely operate their athletic programs.

Commissioner Julian Tackett of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association told superintendents at weekly Special Superintendents' Webcast on July 6 that the association is working toward having fall sports, but cautioned, "What that looks like could change every day."

“Right now we are moving along with playing our regular six sports in the fall, period,” he said. But, he reiterated, that could change rapidly depending on the course of covid-19 infections, according to a Kentucky Department for Education news release.

For the last few weeks, Kentucky high school teams have been able to conduct voluntary workouts under strict guidelines that call for small groups, social distancing and daily health check-ins. That said, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported on July 1 that team workouts have already been halted in three school districts amid covid-19 concerns.

WLKY reports that Tacket said it's likely high school sports in Kentucky may shut down intermittently due to coronavirus.

Tackett said many schools are asking about mask use in sports. He said the emerging standard rule is for mask to be required for everyone except those actually in play at the time, but also noted that they are also allowable for athletes on the playing field. He said mask rules will be made by districts along with their local health departments. “We’ve been told that a statewide answer is not the best idea,” he said.

Dr. Connie White, deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health added that student athletes with a fever of 100.4 degrees or covid-19 symptoms would need to be fever and symptom free for 72 hours before returning to any type of school activity and that any sibling living with them would be quarantined along with them, and hence barred from school attendance or athletic activities for the duration of the quarantine.

Tackett said at this time crowds at sporting events  are limited to 50 people, but the association is looking at a 50% capacity limit that incorporates 6 feet of social distancing.

Further, he said to compensate for the loss of attendance, school districts can each get two free cameras for live-streaming sporting events. The release notes that the cameras are worth $5,000 and would cost districts about $2,500 to set up.

Guidance for concession stands and ticket sales will be forthcoming, though Tackett said all food at the stands will need to be prepackaged, with nothing made on-site. He also encouraged districts to be looking at smartphone-based online ticket sales, instead of cash.

Tackett also went over the rules for eligibility.  "As long as a district verifies enrollment at a particular school, whether for in-person or virtual learning, that student is eligible for sports at that school, Tackett said. But if parents choose distance learning for their children when schools are open for in-person attendance, districts still can declare those students ineligible to participate in athletics, Tackett said. Sports participation is a privilege, not a right, he noted, and local districts can impose stricter standards than the state requires,Tackett said" according to the release.

The release notes that guidance for bands will go out soon and that a Kentucky Music Educators Association representative will be on the July 14 webcast to answer questions about the guidance.

WKYT has published an interactive map of school start dates for some counties. KDE issued more covid-19 guidance this week titled, "Covid-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools: Workplace Health and Safety."

The KHSAA’s Board of Control will meet Friday and is expected announce guidelines for schools for the remainder of July, Jason Frakes reports for the Louisville Courier Journal in an article about Tackett's discussion with the July 7 Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting. The board of control meeting can be found at KHSAA.org.

“We realize that we’re walking a tightrope here. There’s obviously perceived and, likely, real risks of participation in extracurricular athletics. But we are also in very many communities the No. 1 dropout prevention tool that you have. There are people in our communities that every one of you know would not be participating if there was not an athletics or activities opportunity. We’re trying to walk that tightrope delicately," he told the lawmakers.

As for basketball, he said, "“As we look forward to basketball, it’s actually – according to the sports medicine folks – more dangerous than football. That would surprise a lot of people, but they’re talking about vulnerability to the disease because it’s played inside – the ventilation, how long we practice, how long we play. There’s going to have to be some areas addressed there.”