The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) has created a plan to allow student-athletes the opportunity to play their season if complications or postponements arise with the COVID-19 pandemic.
School districts, according to the ruling, will be allowed to play sports in an “alternative” schedule, with MSHSAA Executive Director Dr. Kerwin Urhahn saying, “The traditional seasons are still being offered for schools able to participate. Today’s action by the Board of Directors puts into place a plan of action our staff devised in the event a school is not able to participate partially or in whole. This could give those students an opportunity to complete a season in their sport.”
An alternate “spring” season will be available for fall sports that would be hit by a coronavirus outbreak and potentially, a two-week quarantine, starting with practices on March 12th and running until May 1st. If COVID-19 conditions force teams out of a regular spring schedule, they could have to a schedule later in the year, specifically from May 14th to July 10th.
Although the pandemic seems to affecting high schools and scheduling in Missouri’s more urban hubs of Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and Springfield, there is still two weeks remaining until the high school football season starts, with a majority of high schools having started practice and planning on a season.
Missouri’s regularly scheduled winter sports season, including wrestling and basketball, remains on course, for now, with practices starting November 1st.
With, to the best knowledge of PAR Broadcasting, all area schools, with the exception of Lafayette County schools, preparing for fall sports season, scheduled upcoming broadcasts are Brookfield at Trenton on Hot Country Z 101.7 and South Shelby at Milan on KTTN FM 92.3 on Friday, August 28th. Softball broadcasts are planned for Monday, September 1st and Tuesday, September 2nd.
