The Missouri State High School Activities Association, in a Wednesday afternoon press release, said its board of directors is allowing student-athletes taught virtually this fall due to COVID-19 concerns can participate in high school activities, although MSHSAA is giving final say to individual school districts on whether sports can be played over the next three months.
With the start of fall practices beginning on Monday, MSHSAA is reminding school districts in the state that masks are required to be worn at all times when athletes are not engaged in “strenuous physical activity”, and indicating that the decision for virtual learners was made following input from the National Federation of State High School Associations.
A number of states across the U.S. have chosen to move fall sports with either a delay or a complete restructuring of the schedule, including options that include no fall sports until December, moving fall sports to spring, and spring sports to summer 2021, which is occurring in the state of Illinois. Meanwhile California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Virginia, Washington, and Washington D.C. have all chosen to move football from this fall.
In Missouri, MSHSAA has announced a change of approximately one month for the release of fall districts pairings for fall sports. The original date was August 21st, with the new date now announced as September 18th. Without knowledge of which schools may or may not play sports factored into this delay. Member schools have until September 11th to contact MSHSAA as to whether or not sports in that specific district will be participating in postseason play.
Football season is scheduled to start on Friday, August 28th, with, on the PAR Broadcast Group, broadcasts scheduled for Brookfield at Trenton (on KGOZ 101.7 FM) and South Shelby at Milan (on KTTN FM 92.3).
