WIAA rearranges school sport seasons

The WIAA Executive Board took action on Tuesday to modify the 2020-21 WIAA sports season calendar in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes will create four WIAA-sanctioned seasons and will also move moderate- and high-risk team sports, originally scheduled for the fall season, to the WIAA Season 3 next spring.

The fall sports of cross country, slowpitch softball and alternative seasons for golf and tennis form WIAA Season 1 and will begin practices the week of September 7, a date determined by the executive board at a previous meeting. The viability of girls’ swim and dive taking place in WIAA Season 1 is dependent on more information from the Department of Health.

The remaining fall sports of girls’ soccer, 1B/2B boys soccer, volleyball and football will now be scheduled to begin in the early spring of 2021 as part of WIAA Season 3.

In a Tuesday news release, the board recognized that participation in any fall sports will depend on county progression through the phases laid out in Governor Inslee’s Safe Start plan over the coming weeks.

The executive board will create benchmarks on July 28 to be met in order for WIAA Season 1 to take place. If the benchmarks are not met, the board will plan to move the remainder of fall sports to WIAA Season 3.

Traditional winter sports will all take place in WIAA Season 2 but will begin in late December or early January. Traditional spring sports will occupy WIAA Season 4 at end the school year.

“Since March, the philosophy of our Association has been to allow students every chance to participate,” said WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman. “We’ve asked our executive board and planning committees to be as creative as possible in allowing for those opportunities. These are tough and unprecedented decisions to make, but it has been inspiring to see so many people around the state come together to work on behalf of students.”

The new seasons are:

l WIAA Season 1: Cross Country, Slowpitch Softball, Girls Swim & Dive (if guidelines allow), Golf (alternative season), Tennis (alternative season).

l WIAA Season 2: Basketball, Bowling, Boys Swim & Dive, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Wrestling.

l WIAA Season 3: Volleyball, Girls Soccer, 1B/2B Boys Soccer, Football.

l WIAA Season 4: Tennis, Fastpitch Softball, Track and Field, Baseball, Golf, Boys Soccer, Dance/Drill.