Whitmore hopeful school sports will begin soon

RITZVILLE - Athletic Director and WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) Executive Board Member Greg Whitmore announced Jan. 14 school sports may be able to begin soon.

"With some changes at the state level, there is hope that we will be able to begin athletics soon," Whitmore said, adding the Northeast B League, which Lind-Ritzville School District belongs to, is working on schedules for high school and middle school.

With Governor Inslee's new program dividing the state into eight regions rather than counties for progression through his "Safe Start" phases, the entire state has been pushed back to Phase 1.

Whitmore said once in Phase II, teams will be able to start practicing for football, volleyball and cross country. He urges students to do the following:

- Update contact information on FinalForms.

- Sign up for sports athletes will participate in.

- Complete all forms on FinalForms (payment of fees can take place later).

- Schedule and/or provide an updated physical to the office in order to be allowed to condition and practice.

- Make sure to have a mask/face covering that can be worn during strenuous exercise.

"While in Phase I, we can have conditioning programs going on as well as some modified practices," Whitmore said. "We will be conducting an after-school conditioning program in order to get student-athletes prepared physically for practices."

Whitmore said student-athletes with a current physical on file who are interested in participating in an afterschool conditioning program can sign up at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19TbJWYOtWwMllFbiPF-UoDfiw8e7oe2Oe1VJnvGgCMg/edit?usp=sharing.