LEDGER – Mitchell High School Athletic Director Travise Pitman heard the news from North Carolina High School Athletic Association Commissioner Que Tucker and he’s taking it in stride.
Tucker said in a media briefing Wednesday, July 8 that until North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper makes an announcement regarding public school openings for the 2020-21 academic year, nothing can be set in stone for sports scheduling.
Pitman, who also serves as head coach of the varsity football team, said there’s one advantage to the uncertainty facing high school sports scheduling – every school in the state is facing the same uncertainty.
Mitchell High School’s sports teams, particularly the varsity football team, have had to adapt and do the best they can given the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NCHSAA has mandated that all teams remain in Phase 1, which limits the physical contact between players and coaches. Pitman said the varsity football team has been doing drills and lifting weights outside in groups of 25 or fewer this summer.
Each group has to clear special medical check-in procedures and can practice for up to an hour and a half.
“With everything that’s going on, we have to be happy to be able to do what we’re able to do now,” Pitman said.
At this point in the summer, the varsity football team would normally be playing 7-on-7 scrimmages against opponents from other schools. Coaches would be attending meetings and players would be preparing for formal team camp later this month.
When and if fall sports resume, the athletics staff at Mitchell High are preparing for possible restrictions on attendance. In her briefing, Tucker mentioned the potential of filling stadiums up to half capacity.
Pitman said such a rule would be difficult to regulate as stadiums differ from school to school. At Mitchell, he said, people could spread out in the bleachers, in the grass on the hill and on the track near the stadium entrance.
“I think we are unique in being able to host more people here because of the way our stadium is in a bowl shape,” Pitman said. “At Mitchell, the question to me is: what is half capacity? If we could allow a large number of people in, do you have to pay somebody to separate those people?”
Pitman added that once the NCHSAA releases a plan for fall sports, the Mitchell High staff will work as hard as possible to comply with all rules and regulations to ensure sports continue safely.
“I think they have plans set aside,” Pitman said about the NCHSAA. “They probably have four or five different plans set up for different scenarios. Until then, we can still get eyes on our guys and they’re actually doing something out on the practice field.”