Will there be high school football this fall?

[LongTimeReader]

Is it possible the KHSAA would make max number of players on a football roster? I just think about some schools and players on the sideline are standing right next to each other, because that's what you do on the sideline. But with our current state of social norms, would it be possible the KHSAA would set a rule for this coming year that only lets say 50 players per team on Fridays?

[Nathaniel Bryan]

Is it possible the KHSAA would make max number of players on a football roster? I just think about some schools and players on the sideline are standing right next to each other, because that's what you do on the sideline. But with our current state of social norms, would it be possible the KHSAA would set a rule for this coming year that only lets say 50 players per team on Fridays?

 

That's one solution.

And who really plays more than 50 guys, anyway?

Other sports have roster limits.

 

Already assuming cheerleaders and marching band and dance team are out of the mix.

[SouthSeas]

That's one solution.

And who really plays more than 50 guys, anyway?

Other sports have roster limits.

 

Already assuming cheerleaders and marching band and dance team are out of the mix.

 

We are worried about kids standing next to each other on the sidelines, but fine with the contact of the 22 on the field? Seems like the locker room, play, practice, and even busing would be more of a problem.

[Kentucky9]

There will have to come a time when everyone will need to either watch Animal house or YouTube “Blutos speech,” and get going. The consequences of the foreseen and unforeseen consequences of not playing this fall are non-recoverable.

[Mustang]

Were our football teams made up of 85 year olds with underlying conditions, we would have a serious problem.

It's become obvious that teens are the least affected by this and the major reason given for not allowing high school sports, etc, is that they might become carriers of the disease and infect their grandparents. I honestly don't feel that the locker room environment, close contact, sideline interactions would spread the disease to where they themselves would come down with the virus.

The bigger concern to me would be fans and crowd control.

[tcjkbt]

The first thing that needs to be done is for us to have school in the fall. Don't overlook that.

[theguru]

Let's remember, so far the Rona does not appear to be much of a threat to children. Additionally, if you can stuff 20 or 30 students and a teacher in a room together you can play sports. All I am asking for is consistent logic.

 

Logic means that those 20-30 kids can become infected, live and then spread it to their grandparents and possibly kill them.

 

I agree and that tells me if you can do one, you can do the other, and if you can't do one, you can't do the other.

 

Agreed.

 

I still feel like they start school and I feel like fall sports will attempt to be played.

 

We’ll see what happens..........

 

The first thing that needs to be done is for us to have school in the fall. Don't overlook that.

 

I think that brings us back to a discussion from a couple of weeks ago tcjkbt, if you can do one (school), you can do the other (sports), and if you can't do one, you can't do the other.

[Brax]

If the NBA and MLB can’t figure out a way to make games happen when billions and billions of dollars are at stake, How in the world would the KHSAA be any different?

[John Anthony]

School is definitely the starting point. But outside of wrestling is there a more anti-social distancing sport than football?

[Pick-six]

Indiana and Georgia are both discussing opening back up in July. I think it is coming!

 

GHSA eyeing possible return in early July

 

Indiana plans to open high school activities on July 1 - MaxPreps

[Nathaniel Bryan]

We are worried about kids standing next to each other on the sidelines, but fine with the contact of the 22 on the field? Seems like the locker room, play, practice, and even busing would be more of a problem.

 

I've said before that contact, locker rooms and buses would be issues for football that other sports don't have to get passed.

 

But slicing down the number of rostered players helps with the social distancing part of buses/ locker rooms.

[Voice of Reason]

School is definitely the starting point. But outside of wrestling is there a more anti-social distancing sport than football?

 

Basketball? No equipment between players.

 

Put face shields on helmets and football equipment actually would shield players from each better than a lot of sports.

[WKY_Football]

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Face shield and you are well covered in the face part. I had thoughts of wondering if you could attach a cloth mask or silk mask On the lower part of the face mask to cover that part up as well. Something breathable but a layer of protection.

 

To me Basketball and wrestling are going to be the toughest sports to social distance in. Indoors, no facial coverings or equipment...

[barrel]

Georgia is currently looking at starting football possibly in early July. Basically when we normally start. It’s not set in stone but they are definitely looking at it.

[Hellcats]

Were our football teams made up of 85 year olds with underlying conditions, we would have a serious problem.

It's become obvious that teens are the least affected by this and the major reason given for not allowing high school sports, etc, is that they might become carriers of the disease and infect their grandparents. I honestly don't feel that the locker room environment, close contact, sideline interactions would spread the disease to where they themselves would come down with the virus.

The bigger concern to me would be fans and crowd control.

 

One problem with this take is we take precautions on teams to prevent the spread of staph, viral stomach bugs, etc. within teams, yet we are willing to risk the spread of a disease that is exponentially more contagious and dangerous. As a coach, that is hard to wrap my mind around when I think of the countless hours of training I have had just to coach the game of football.

 

In all reality, we don't know what this disease does to teenagers. The reaction to CV has primarily been triaged with older folks getting the most attention, because they are on the verge of dying. But what does it do to kids? Some new info is coming out that is alarming.

 

If 1 player catches CV the whole team will have it by day 2. There is no way social distancing occurs in locker rooms across the state, and if anybody believes that then I have the CV cure in my laundry room; I'll sell it to you. Absolutely can not happen. What happens when that one case pops up on a team? That team's season is basically over, and not just that one. Their two previous opponents (and their opponents and their opponents...) will have to be tested with their season in jeopardy.

 

Fans can't happen. We still have people smoking in the stands. It's not many, but it has been nearly two decades since smoking was banned. It will take a miracle to get people to social distance much less wear a mask.

 

HS sports in 95% of the cases in KY are shoestring operations with coaches doing everything from taping ankles to cutting the grass to driving the bus, and now they are going to be expected monitor and control the spread of a largely asymptomatic disease all the while being in the demographic that's in the most danger. No pressure.

 

As I started this post I was like 50/50 about school and football this fall. When I started thinking of the real logistics of the game...I'm at about 10% now.