FHSAA: Fall Sports Can Begin; Escambia County Schools To Announce Plan Next Week

August 15, 2020

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) voted Friday to allow fall sports to go ahead — with the caveat that districts can made their own, different decisions.

Escambia County’s decision won’t happen until next week.

The first allowable practice date will be August 24 for football, cross country, volleyball, swimming and bowling. The earliest date for regular season contests will be September 4. The option approved by FHSAA basically keeps fall schedules mostly intact. For football, it eliminates scheduled kick-off classics and week one for most schools.

The FHSAA board also voted to allow schools or districts to opt out of the state series in a sport by September 18. That will allow schools and districts to create their own fall sports calendar with the possibility of regional schedules under FHSAA guidance. It also allows schools to follow guidance from local governments and the health department.

“Today FHSAA made the right choice in giving school districts in Florida the option of beginning fall sports as early as August 24th,” Sen. Marco Rubio said. “Each district can now decide when & how they want to start. It should be a careful and phased approach.”

Under the plan, the first Friday night under the lights for high school football in Florida will be September 4.

The FHSAA board approved the plan on an 11-5 vote over plans that would have delayed the start of the season to October 23 or December 11.

Photos by Jennifer Repine for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “FHSAA: Fall Sports Can Begin; Escambia County Schools To Announce Plan Next Week”

  1. Emily Martin on August 17th, 2020 6:55 am

    I think that these kids need to be allower to do constructive, healthy things together with structure. Kids WILL socialize. If we allow them to do so suppervised, it always goes better. Also, no one is FORCED to play. Make the best choice for you.

    Lastly, this will help our seniors go to college. I would not want to take that away.

  2. Mellie on August 16th, 2020 7:10 am

    So thankful they’ve made this decision. Kids need to be active and need to do things they enjoy… now more than ever. Their mental health is suffering from this pandemic, so I am very thankful the right call was made. Hopefully this continues as we try to dig ourselves out of this hole caused by fear.

  3. Lee on August 15th, 2020 7:17 pm

    Really??? Maybe we should see how long schools stay open. One Arizona district has cancelled schools opening on Monday because nearly a third of the teachers have reported they will not be there. Others have already reverted to all online teaching because of the numbers of outbreaks. Others have had to send home many students and staff. In our county the spread is triple CDC guidelines, get there is a push to reopen schools without something as common sense as a mask mandate for students. How serious are people about reopening if they can’t even take the most basic precaution?

  4. Rational's Daddy on August 15th, 2020 5:44 pm

    Rational…..grow a spine and stop being a sheep.

  5. Chris on August 15th, 2020 5:23 pm

    Rational, Your name doesn’t really suit you.

  6. Stacey on August 15th, 2020 12:18 pm

    Rational….what a drama queen!

  7. Rational on August 15th, 2020 9:53 am

    Evidently, school officials and Board members do not read the news! Good luck to the students playing sports; I hope the hospitals have enough beds. Appalling.

  8. Concerned Citizen on August 15th, 2020 6:14 am

    Let’s play some ball.