The fate of Mississippi High School Activities Association fall sports might be decided next Tuesday. That’s when the MHSAA Executive Committee will meet to determine what adjustments may be necessary to begin the fall season in light of the COVID-19 epidemic. “Hopefully we will know for sure what we want to do,” MHSAA executive director Don Hinton said last week following a meeting of the 15-member Executive Committee. He said there was no consensus at that meeting. The Executive Committee is made up of school administrators from throughout the state. “Pretty much everything was discussed from proceeding as currently scheduled, to delaying the start of the fall sports seasons and shortening game schedules, to even switching fall sports to the spring,” Hinton said. “Obviously, each of these changes have different levels of impact. “There’s been talk about moving football to the spring, but there are a lot of different issues with implementing that scenario,” Hinton shared. “Our committee knows spring sports were cut short in March. What happens if the COVID situation leads to a shutdown in the fall and those students end up missing two consecutive seasons? So we have to look at the impact across the board. “We’ll continue to get input from our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee,” he continued. “We’ll also communicate with officials from the state departments of Education and Health as well keeping up with reports from the Governor’s office. Our Executive Committee wants to have as much information as possible before any changes are instituted to the fall sports calendar. We are committed to have all of our sports seasons and championships if at all possible.” The MHSAA 2020-21 sports calendar allows practice to begin July 27 for volleyball, cross country and swimming and Aug. 3 for football. “We’re all just waiting to see what the Executive Committee will come up with,” said Tyrone Shorter, Louisville athletic director and football coach. “I wish they would reach out to the coaches and ask our opinions. I have been talking to coaches around the state, trying to get their input on everything.” Shorter is hopeful for a fall athletic season, and he does not want to see football moved to the spring. “Suppose we had another spring like we had this year,” he said. Schools were allowed to begin summer workouts June 1, with safety restrictions. “The kids have put in a lot of work since we started back. They’re excited to be back,” Shorter said. “It’s a lot of uncertainty right now. I know everything is not going to go back to normal, but I’m sure the MHSAA is going to make the best decision to protect us all. I have that much confidence in them. At the same time, I hope we have an opportunity to play. If we go back to school they should have an opportunity to play.” MHSAA has a policy that there are no athletics and activities if there are no classes. Eupora principal Adam Dillinger is a member of the Executive Committee.” Our goal is to make sure we can have athletics and activities for our kids around the state,” he said. “The main thing will be the health and safety of our student athletes.” He would not speculate on what action the committee might take. “We’re still unsure of what will happen. A lot of numbers could change for good or bad between now and then.” Hinton said he has been in contact with officials from other state organizations, including Tennessee, which will not begin football and girls soccer on time following the June 29 extension of a state emergency by Governor Bill Lee. The extension now runs through Aug. 29, eight days after the first scheduled high school football games. The Mid South Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is planning for a fall season. “The only definite thing I can say is that right now we are planning to proceed as scheduled. We have not made any adjustments to our calendar” said Chris Chance, MAIS associate director for activities. But he added “That is all subject to change.” Chance said he had not heard from any schools reluctant to resume sports. “A lot of what I have heard is the opposite, that they are eager to get back to athletic activities.” July 27 is the first day that MAIS schools may begin football practice and July 31 for softball (a fall sport for MAIS schools), volleyball and girls soccer. Grace Christian headmaster James Morgan said plans are for the school to begin as scheduled Aug. 13. “Of course we have a long way to go and many things can change.” The school’s only fall sport is volleyball. “They are fully underway with practices and workouts,” Morgan said. The Lady Eagles are scheduled to play in the Winston Classic at Nanih Waiya on Aug. 7.
