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Midvale Journal

UHSAA finalizes decision to proceed with regular fall sports schedule

Jul 28, 2020 03:07PM ● By Justin Adams

Bingham has enjoyed varying levels of success in its sports programs, none more so than football, who has won four the past 6 state championships in its classification. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

By Justin Adams | [email protected]

The Utah High School Activities Association Board of Trustees decided on Tuesday to proceed with the regular fall sports schedule.

"The Association’s governing board affirmed plans to proceed with fall sports as scheduled, with a continued focus on following established best practices from national and local governing/advisory organizations," read a statement on the UHSAA website.

This means fall sports will get underway starting on August 4, when non-region games start up for girls soccer. 

Last week, UHSAA released a set of best practices for limiting the potential spread of COVID-19.
  • No shaking hands before or after games
  • Players and coaches on the sideline are encouraged to wear masks
  • Fans are encouraged to wear masks when social distancing isn't feasible
  • Players, coaches and fans should not participate if they are sick
Additional best practice guidelines were published on a sports-specific level.

For example, the document says that all football players will have their temperatures checked before they can board the bus for away games, or enter the locker room for home games. It also calls for placing a supply of hand sanitizer at the 50-yard line for players to use as they are substituted in and out of the game.

Other suggestions across various sports include using an electronic whistle in volleyball, using a brand new canister of balls for each match in tennis and widening the path used by cross country runners. 

Many nearby states have postponed fall sports to the spring, leading some student athletes thinking about moving with their families to Utah in order to compete.

"There have been rumors of athletes from California, Arizona and Nevada moving to Utah in large numbers because they are unable to play sports in their home states but the UHSAA emphasized that such situations would require those athletes to meet current guidelines before being allowed to compete at the varsity level," the Daily Herald reported.