More Fans Allowed At IHSA Outdoor Games, State Finals Back

ILLINOIS — With spring-designated sports like football slated to start games next week, more fans will be allowed in the stands for outdoor competitions in the state. The Illinois High School Association, following new guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health, announced earlier this week that regions in Phase 4 can increase spectators from 50 people to 20 percent capacity for outdoor sports only.

The news followed Monday's meeting of the IHSA Board of Directors and updated coronavirus mitigation guidelines from the IDPH. The new guidance will be adopted for spring and summer sports in Illinois including outdoor sports (baseball, boys tennis, football, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, softball, boys and girls track and field) and indoor sports (boys gymnastics, boys and girls volleyball, and boys and girls water polo).

"We have been adamant in our discussions with IDPH that we believe we can safely and responsibly expand spectator guidelines without risking the general public to greater exposure to COVID-19," IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a statement. "This felt like a common sense change, especially as we evaluated collegiate and pro sport spectator guidelines in the state, and are happy for the student-athletes who will be participating in IHSA outdoor sports this spring and summer, as well as for their families and friends."

In addition, the IHSA announced the return of the state tournament series for some traditional spring sports. These sports include badminton, baseball, softball, bass fishing, boys gymnastics, boys tennis, boys volleyball, girls soccer, journalism, boys and girls lacrosse, girls track and field, and boys and girls water polo. The IHSA said all tournaments are currently expected to conduct all rounds of competition.

While boys volleyball and boys and girls lacrosse currently cannot conduct state finals under IDPH mitigations, the IHSA approved plans anyway for those sports with the hope mitigation changes will allow for it by that time.

Football, which was postponed from the fall and moved to the spring, began holding practices on March 3. The sport is limited to a six-game season starting March 19.

The IHSA said guidelines on the state series and mitigations will be posted online and shared with coaches and school personnel at some point this week.

"We are eager to inform our coaches of the mitigation guidance so they can better prepare for their upcoming seasons and we plan to get detailed information out to them soon. However, this decision came with some trepidation from the IHSA Board of Directors," Anderson said. "There are several instances where the current IDPH mitigations give us pause. The Board wants to move forward for the overall good of IHSA student-athletes, however, they ask that we remain diligent in our staff efforts to have IDPH reconsider certain mitigation guidelines."

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