MONTGOMERY- High school athletics has again been rocked by a strong left hook in its fight against Covid-19. Already decked by cancellation of the 2020 spring sports season, prep program have been dealt with another knockdown by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA).

The AHSAA has announced the cancellation of all summer competition for 2020. With input from the AHSAA Medical Advisory Board, the governing body of high school athletics in Alabama has cancelled all summer competitive events to include the popular football 7-on-7 tournaments and basketball play dates.

The latest guidelines by the AHSAA does not include many of the scheduled workouts and conditioning, as well as, camps with students and the high school’s feeder schools. In addition, the AHSAA has indicated fall sports may return to a normal schedule for this fall.

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) has indicated schools may reopen campuses on June 8 and begin the 2020-2021 school year on time, though many of the local school districts have posted starting dates of their own. With input from the AHSAA committees and the ALSDE, new broad-based health guidelines in relation to summer activities have been set and will carry over to the fall school year. Modified evaluations for fall, winter and spring sports were presented by the AHSAA.

Schools should prepare to provide accommodations for those students who are at high risk or whose parents feel it is not yet safe to return to school.

The AHSAA also modified evaluation guidelines for high school athletics. Fall sports can start practice one week earlier if they did not conduct a spring evaluation and may use this week as a tryout period. Winter sports may hold an evaluation period during the first two weeks of school or start practice one week earlier, but not both. Spring sports may hold a regular evaluation period any time after the first two weeks of school during the first semester or begin practice one week earlier in January, both not both.

An additional recommendation by the AHSAA Medical Advisory Board was schools should prepare alternatives for conducting physicals for the upcoming school year. Mass physicals on same day at one location appear very unlikely. The recommendation also includes urging students to get a physical from their primary care provider prior to the first practice date.

Changes to the current recommendations may be forthcoming by the AHSAA.