Dead period ends June 15, but local school
systems to decide when sports will resume
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) will end a current dead period for student-athletes next Monday.
The announcement came on Monday and following a ZOOM platform meeting on Friday by the NCHSAA Board of Directors to discuss the latest updates from Governor Roy Cooper and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
While a new date was set to end the dead period, NCHSAA officials said on its website that it is to be understood Superintendents and local Boards of Educations will ultimately control when they will allow activities to resume in athletic facilities and venues.
By Monday afternoon, the two largest school systems in the state – Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Wake County – had indicated they won’t resume anything prior to July 6.
School systems in Alamance County-Burlington and Cabarrus County also set July 6 as the date they hope to resume.
None of the school systems in the Greater Hickory area with schools in the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A had indicated plans by Monday afternoon.
The NCHSAA staff has been working closely with the NCHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) on recommendations regarding summer activities that align with directives issued by the state’s DHHS.
The health and safety measures outlined in this plan were formed utilizing CDC, DHHS, and NCHSAA information at this time. But the guidelines are subject to change in conjunction with new knowledge of COVID-19 or changing social conditions.
Phase One contains a set of General Requirements that apply across all sports, with specific requirements for each sport. Guidance for Phases Two and Three will be distributed in the coming weeks in consultation with state leaders.
East-West games off
The NCHSAA also waived the dead period on dates surrounding the North Carolina Coaches Association (NCCA) East-West Games and coaching clinic in Greensboro.
But the NCCA earlier announced the games or clinic won’t be held and its clinic sessions would be via video.
The clinic, in its 72nd year, was scheduled July 20-23.
Brad Mangum of West Caldwell was named the West girls’ basketball head coach and had three area players on the roster – Chyna Cornwell of Newton-Conover, Freedom teammates Blaikely Crooks and Josie Hise and Watauga’s Brooke Byrd.
Avery Keller of Hibriten and Justin Kuthan of East Lincoln were on the West boys’ basketball roster.
The West football roster included Alexander Central running back Steve Montgomery, Hibriten offensive lineman Jacob Clark, Watauga safety Jaiden Bond and North Lincoln’s Jake Soorus (linebacker) and Joe Elberti (offensive line).
Among the coaching staff assistants were St. Stephens head coach Wayne Hicks and former Hibriten head coach Chuck Cannon, now an assistant coach at Wilkes Central.
MORE ON MONDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT (Asheville Citizen Times): https://www.citizen-times.com/story/sports/high-school/hshuddle/2020/06/08/high-school-sports-return-june-15-restrictions/5317734002/
MORE DETAILS FROM THE NCHSAA: NCHSAA PHASE 8 REOPENING
