WIAA ready to go, but waiting on state guidelines

RITZVILLE – Athletic Director Greg Whitmore said the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Nov. 17 decision to keep high school sports to three seasons and move it back to Feb. 1 accomplished a couple of things.

“Obviously, not many of us felt hopeful we’d be allowed to start on the 28th,” Whitmore said of the earlier schedule of winter sports beginning Dec. 28. “So it gives a little time, and it also matches up a little better with end of semesters for schools.”

Whitmore, a WIAA Executive Board member and former president, said he was hearing that a lot of schools are targeting next semester as their start date, where they can have more in-person.

“And we need that to happen around the state, more in-person,” Whitmore said. “We don’t think a lot of schools are going to be comfortable having sports if they’re still all virtual. But everything depends on COVID and state guidelines.”

Earlier, when the WIAA had been discussing two seasons only, Whitmore expressed concern over having enough athletes in small schools.

“And it still could happen, that we end up stacking sports on top of each other. That’s not going to be great news for anyone, especially small schools,” Whitmore said. “Luckily, we’re able to have the ability in 1B and 2B schools, to have student athletes play two sports at the same time. But generally, that’s been something like golf and track, or tennis and track. We’ve never had to deal with maybe basketball or baseball, or football and wrestling. Which, we don’t even know if our sports medicine advisory council allows us to do that.”

Whitmore said for now, the WIAA will keep it three seasons, shortened.

“It wasn’t really an easy decision, and we don’t know if we’ll get it off then, either,” Whitmore said. “February 1 is when we’d like to start our traditional winter sports, if state guidelines allow. A lot of people think it’s the WIAA that’s postponing, but no, we’re ready to go. We’re just waiting on state guidelines and COVID to flatten out.”

The seasons are currently scheduled to run from Feb. 1 to March 21; March 15 to May 2; and April 26 to June 27.

In other business at the Nov. 17 meeting, the WIAA passed

— Amendments for consideration to be submitted by the Board regarding Gender Identity Appeal Process; and Additions of diversity training and mental health training in coaches standards.

— Academic eligibility considerations due to online learning issues and potential modification of other handbook rules: maintain current eligibility rules; schools determine grade standards; students can remain eligible while completing an “incomplete” provided their progress is being tracked by their athletic director; due to condensed seasons, shorten the academic suspension from five weeks to three weeks.

— Proposed handbook editorial and executive board policy book changes.

— State Solo and Ensemble Contests and Regional qualifying events.

— To approve Milesplit for Cross Country and Track and Field WIAA events only (District and State).