There will be no high school football this fall with the new plan moving the Fall Season to Feb.-May, 2021 with a first contest date of March 1st. (Bill Turner file photos)
The decision is in – and now High school athletes have a better vision of when their sports seasons will take place.
There will be no Friday Night Lights for high school football this Fall.
The VHSL Executive Committee met in special session Monday morning (July 27) and voted 34-1 to move forward with Model 3 in its reopening of sports and activities for the 2020-21 school year.
Specifics of the plan were discussed in more detail during a 10:30 press conference via ZOOM that was attended by Roanoke Star Sports Director Bill Turner.
Model 3 delays all VHSL sports and activities until December 14th and adopts the Condensed Interscholastic Plan. This model leaves all sports in the season where they are currently aligned. The breakdown consists of:
Season 1 (Winter) December 14-February 20 : with first contest date December 28).
These sports include basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swim/dive and wrestling.
Season 2 (Fall) February 15-May I : with first contest date March 1.
These sports include football, volleyball, cheer, cross country, field hockey, and golf.
Season 3 (Spring) April 12-June 26 : with first contest date April 26.
These sports include baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field.
High school basketball in now set to begin its season in December, with a first contest date of December 28th.
“We all understand the physical and mental health benefits of getting our students back to a level of participation,” said VHSL Executive Director Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun. “The Condensed Interscholastic Plan leaves open the opportunity to play all sports in all three seasons if Virginia moves beyond Phase III and/or Phase III guidelines are revised and High Risk Activities are allowed. This plan also allows schools the opportunity to open the year and get school started and deal with issues such as schedules, academic plans, transportation, and dealing with possible outbreaks of COVID in the school. The VHSL will continue to work closely with the best available information and directives provided by the Governor, the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education.”
