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,” he said. “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,” Hinton continued. “We’ll also communicate with officials from the state departments of Education and Health as well as 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 having 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. 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 our athletics and activities for our kids around the state,” he said. “The main thing will be the health and safety of the kids.” He would not speculate on what action the committee might take. “We’re still unsure of what will happen,” he said. “A lot of numbers could change for good or bad between now and then.” “Nobody knows,” East Webster athletic director Doug Wilson said in summing up the situation succinctly as the members of the Executive Committee weigh the options. “I’d hate to be in their position having to make the decision.” Schools were allowed to begin summer workouts June 1 under strict safety guidelines. “The (East Webster) coaches have done a great job following all of the guidelines,” Wilson said. “We haven’t had any problems. That’s not to say we won’t next week.” He said it might be a good idea to delay the beginning of the fall athletic season. “Get out of the August heat. I always thought that was the best way to start.” 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.
