From Donovan Stewart at tnhighschoolfootball.com
The TSSAA released a story on the TSSAA website on return to play COVID-19 policies and practice regulations for fall sports (football, girls soccer, golf, cross country and volleyball) for high and middle schools associated with the state’s governing body.
The full practice regulations can be seen at the following link.
https://cms-files.tssaa.org/documents/tssaa/2020/Practice-Regulations-TSSAA-2020-Fall.pdf
“These are the practice regulations that the coaches are to follow this week going forward until the Governor Lee gives us a decision,” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said.
Below are the four practice regulations for football coaches to follow statewide until further notice.
The practice regulations below are meant to supplement the existing TSSAA sport regulations and sport calendars, as well as any guidelines established by your Local Educational Authority.
The following practice regulations are designed to help schools ensure the health and safety of the players and coaches involved in fall sports. These regulations supplement the existing TSSAA practice regulations and sports calendars in response to the Governor’s extension of Executive Order No. 38 and continued concern over the spread of COVID-19.
*Practice cannot include activities that result in sustained close proximity or physical contact between participants. Training or otherwise engaging in elements or aspects of the sport in a manner that do not involve close contact with other persons is allowed.
*A football player cannot practice in full pads until the 5 days of heat acclimatization has been completed. This heat acclimatization process can still begin on July 20.
*Drills and simulations in which players are not engaged with an opponent are allowed. For these purposes, an opponent is anyone (teammate or coach) who is engaged with the player with sustained close proximity or physical contact, including contact with a blocking pad or other similar equipment being held by a coach or teammate.
*7-on-7, scrimmages, and/or practicing with another team are not allowed under the Governor’s Executive Order No. 50/38
Contact Donovan at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at Examine_Stew
