It’s less than two months before high school football practice is officially supposed to begin Dec. 14 in California, but there’s still no definite indication games set to begin Jan. 8 will actually take place because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
State health guidelines for youth sports haven’t been updated since Aug. 3. While teams have been engaging in conditioning activities with limited use of equipment, weight training has been disrupted because of safety requirements banning use of indoor weight rooms.to make adjustments so that workouts can progress to a different level starting next month have been circulating, but it remains to be seen when and what changes will be offered.
Obstacles remain immense, such as figuring out transportation for teams while adhering to social distancing restrictions. Meanwhile, programs continue to prepare for the day they get clearance. They’re holding workouts, requiring masks, sanitizing equipment and making students fill out daily health questionnaires.
This coming week could provide a clearer picture where things stand. The largest district in California, the Los Angeles Unified School District, is making plans to allow teams to begin voluntary workouts Nov. 2. That would be a huge step forward, but it first must receive approval from the superintendent and only students who test negative would be allowed on school sites.