The plans for summer are becoming a little clearer for high school athletics in the area.
AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese informed school superintendents, principals, athletic directors, and coaches what would and would not be allowed this summer in a memo sent out last Thursday.
According to the memo, Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey and the Alabama State Department of Education’s goal is to reopen campuses June 8 and start the 2020-21 school year as planned.
After receiving suggestions and questions from the committees regarding summer workouts, practices, skill development, and evaluations, the AHSAA Central Board canceled all summer competition.
“I completely understand the decision of the AHSAA,” said new Hartselle head coach Bryan Moore. “Football is a huge priority for our community and my family but it cannot outweigh health and safety.”
Mandatory summer practices are prohibited, but weightlifting, conditioning, individual skill development, and workouts are under the jurisdiction of local schools.
“Hartselle is very fortunate in that we have the resources to spread kids out throughout our community to train them,” said Moore. “We have multiple facilities that we can go to where we can train small groups. We have a plan for that already.”
“Hopefully we will be able to pick up with small groups at least in early June with our guys and that’s what we are planning for,” said Brewer head coach Geoff Walters. “We are prepared with a great plan and understand that we very well may have to adjust on the run. For now, daily digital contact with each of our players and continued challenging back yard workouts with scheme and technique assignments will have to suffice.”
Schools must comply with all ALSDE and Alabama Department of Public Health guidelines, which includes the number of students within non-interchangeable groups and the overall number of groups. Local schools can use a process to determine the student-athletes who make up the individual groups.
