WIAA DEBATES FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 2020, REAFFIRMS FALL SPORTS START DATES

SPORTSDEKS - On Friday morning, the WIAA Board of Control debated its ability to conduct postseason tournaments for 2020 fall sports. The culminating events per sport would be decided one month prior end of the season. Under the proposal, football would compete in postseason play as part of four-team groups, all other sports would be slotted into eight-team groups. WIAA president, Dave Anderson, stated that these ideas are not set in stone, "these things could change by next week".

The board also confirmed its guidelines it put forth on July 23rd when the group gave a green light to schools to begin low risk sports contests on September 7th and high risk sports on September 25th. In a slide shown during Friday's meeting the group urged its school members to "Listen to the science". On the slide bullet points were listed to describe an overall risk of Covid and serious illness in youth, low risk of transmission in sports, and severe health consequences to not having sports. The slide also stated to "have realistic expectations (we can reduce but not eliminate risks for Covid-19)" and also reminded that "Iowa showed us this can be done".

During the July meeting, the board also gave approval for member schools to move fall sports to spring. The deadline for schools to make the fall to spring decision is September 1st.

Additionally, the WIAA has made available a "more robust" game pairing web page for schools to find additional games should more contests be warranted. The maximum number of games rule still applies in 2020.

More information will be updated here as it becomes available.