By Joshua Huff, sports editor
With the closures of schools throughout Alabama due to the spread of the coronavirus, high school sports, along with nearly all levels of sports, has shuttered its doors for the foreseeable future.
On Monday, the Alabama High School Athletic Association sent out a memo to state superintendents, principals, athletic directors and spring sports head coaches regarding what can and cannot be done during the shutdown.
Those rules include the prohibition of games, practices, weightlifting and conditioning. The last date that student athletes can perform any of these functions is Tuesday, March 17.
AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese proceeded to outline the rules, with the first and foremost stating that coaches cannot have any access with students during the break.
“The mandated school closure is a ‘dead period’ for all athletic activity, even in small groups,” Savarese said. “A coach is not allowed to have contact with nor work with students during this time.”
School facilities are closed and should not be used for any function, Savarese added. This includes if several players want to use the batting cages at school. According to Savarese, that is not allowed.
Students, however, can meet outside of school and practice and work on their skillsets; The AHSAA does not govern outside facilities.
As for the remainder of the spring sports schedule, the AHSAA created a spring sports contingency committee to study and provide a plan regarding regular season and championship play if teams are able to continue their seasons.
“The date schools return to a regular schedule will determine what plan is implemented for the remainder of the school year,” Savarese said.