Friday Night Football: FAQs as season starts under coronavirus conditions

The Ohio High School Athletic Association, ahead of the return to the gridiron for many high school football teams, is making sure teams and fans are clear on the expectations for this year’s games amid coronavirus.

SPECTATORS:

• OHSAA is reminding its member schools that parents and loved ones of participants should be given priority access to games.
• 15 percent capacity limit includes those who sit in permanent, fixed seating in grandstands or bleachers and any other patrons that may have been approved through a health department-granted variance. “Participants, coaches, officials, medical staff, game-day personnel and media do not need to count in that total. Remember, everyone must wear facial coverings and be socially distanced, and the intent is to help slow the contracting and/or spreading of COVID-19,” OHSAA said.

FACE COVERINGS:

• The OHSAA highly recommends that coaches wear facial coverings at all times other than when they are conducting drills while using a whistle.
• Face coverings are required for all fans in attendance.

SIDELINES:

• The OHSAA recommends that sidelines be linited to participants, coaches, medical staff, game-day personnel and media, with media members being outside the team boxes for football games.

The state athletic association also is launching a COVID-19 Observer’s prgrams, where designated individuals will be attending games throughout the state to ensure that mandates are being followed.

“These observers will be asked to make contact with a school’s athletic administrator and/or compliance officer prior to the contest, and they will work with schools to ensure mandates are being followed,” OHSAA said. “While many schools have expressed concerns about the program, please remember that the purpose of this program is educational in nature.”

The observers will file reports with OHSAA and those reports will be used to help schools maintain the mandates in place to provide a safe atmosphere, however depending on the severity of the situation, violations could result in OHSAA issuing consequences.

Cox Media Group