COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine said a mouthful when he said 2020 is “not going to be your typical Friday night football in Ohio.”
Or volleyball, soccer or field hockey.
The governor has declared “game on” for sports in Ohio amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the games of 2020 will not look like those of years past.
Read the state’s order on youth, collegiate and professional sports
Field hockey, soccer and football have joined golf, girls tennis, girls volleyball and cross country on the list of fall sports that have been approved for competition, but with limits on spectators and competitors and other restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Along with requiring facial coverings and maintaining social distance, the Ohio High School Athletic Association released guidelines for schools in a July 22 Return to Play Recommendations memo.
Among the recommendations are for schools to limit the number of players dressing for contests: 60 in football, 22 each in soccer and field hockey, 15 in volleyball and 150 runners in cross-country meets. Personnel on sidelines and in press boxes are also required to be kept to a minimum.
The OHSAA, on guidance from the DeWine’s office, is limiting marching and pep bands to performing only at home contests. Bands, cheer squads and dance teams must follow guidelines issued by the state.
An order from the Ohio Department of Health limits the number of spectators at outdoor events to 1,500 or 15% of seating capacity; indoor events are capped at 300 or 15% of capacity.
Spectators are limited to family members or close friends of players and the must sit in groups of four or fewer, except for members of the same household, and be separated by six feet from other groups.
Schools hosting events are required to set up one-way entrances and exits and promote physical distancing at ticket windows and security screenings.
Concession stands are required to follow the same guidelines as restaurants statewide.
Schools hosting events are required to designate a person to monitor and enforce compliance or face forfeiting the game or match. The OHSAA has the power to disqualify a team that does not comply, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said.
The state order requires daily monitoring of symptoms and anyone who experiences symptoms is required to go into isolation and seek medical care and testing
Coaches and players are expected to practice good hygiene and coaches are required to keep players from congregating in close quarters.
A local health department may order an entire team to self-quarantine for 14 days if the source of an infection cannot be determined and teams with a positive case must inform athletes and parents.
Players who test positive is not allowed to return to competition without medical clearance, including an assessment of the risk of myocarditis, inflammation or damage to the heart that can cause sudden cardiac death and may be exacerbated by COVID-19.
Other than that…it’s just another season.