Massachusetts School Football Season In Jeopardy

MASSACHUSETTS — High school coaches, student-athletes and administrators across Massachusetts are bracing for another devastating dose of bad news as they await the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's announcement on whether fall sports — including football — will be allowed.

Football was categorized as a "higher risk" sport this summer due to coronavirus concerns, and its viability this fall is in jeopardy as colleges across New England and the country canceled fall athletic seasons. The state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs kept football in the higher-risk category in its Monday classification — which includes K-12 schools as well as youth sports — effective Sunday.

Sports classified as "higher risk" are limited to individual drills and small practice groups, according to state guidelines, in part 1 of phase 3 of the state's reopening.

Despite sports such as cross-country, running and golf being classified as "lower risk" and allowed at the youth and recreational level in the state this summer, along with "moderate risk" sports such as soccer and field hockey where there's less contact and some social distancing can be maintained, those sports could also be postponed or canceled because of interaction between students from different towns and transportation concerns.

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs offered some "modifications" of some sports — such as the elimination of faceoffs and rules changes that reduce accidental contact in its latest update — but many of the suggestions may be deemed impractical for true competition.

Indoor sports traditionally held in the fall also include girls volleyball and swimming.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Directors unanimously decided last month to push the start of the fall season back a month to allow for schools to adjust to coronavirus protocols. But the state days later announced that the first day of school was delayed two weeks to Sept. 16 to allow more time for districts to determine whether in-classroom learning was feasible given coronavirus rates in the state.

While the state could leave the door open for some or all fall sports to be held in early spring if health conditions allow, school sports proponents said they are concerned that the benefits of athletics from both a social and physical perspective are not being taken seriously enough.

"Why are we not using common sense?" the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association said in response to the prospect of potentially having no school sports until after Christmas. "The kids are already playing elsewhere and won't stop. Even more importantly, they need something for social/emotional health."

Just to be clear, this tweet is about all school sports, not just. The kids need organized controlled activities and they are happening in the private sector now! #LetThemPlay https://t.co/4ArCGgiaZc
— MHSFCA (@MHSFCA4) August 13, 2020

While the MIAA has had task forces meeting regularly to determine schedules and update guidelines on preseason practices and other contingencies, the path forward for the MIAA, state conferences and individual athletic departments is almost entirely dependent on state edicts based on its coronavirus protocols.

School sports were last played in the state March 12 when the MIAA state semifinals in girls and boys basketball at a near-empty Worcester State University gymnasium were finished. That night, the winter spring sports state title games were canceled, and the beginning of the spring season was delayed.

Spring sports were eventually canceled after Gov. Charlie Baker said in May that the remainder of the school year would be conducted remotely due to the coronavirus.

Related Patch Coverage

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• MA Coronavirus: 'Disheartening' Call Made To Cancel Spring Sports
• Coronavirus: MA Cancels State Basketball, Hockey Championships
• MA School Reopening: Masks, Remote Learning Plan Required