Following a meeting of the IHSA Board of directors, it was announced that the traditional spring sports that had their seasons canceled in 2020 will be able to compete for a state championship in 2021.
Traditional Spring Sport Championships
The approved sports include Badminton, Baseball, Softball, Bass Fishing, Boys Gymnastics, Boys Tennis, Boys Volleyball, Girls Soccer, Journalism, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Track & Field, and Boys & Girls Water Polo.
All tournaments are currently expected to conduct all rounds of competition, including a State Final.
Boys Volleyball and Boys & Girls Lacrosse cannot conduct State Finals under current IDPH mitigations, however, the Board approved plans to host a spring State Championships in both sports in hopes that mitigation changes will allow for it by that time.
Increased Outdoor Fan Capacity
The IHSA Board also announced that there will be increased capacity for fan attendance for outdoor sporting events.
IHSA schools located in Regions that are in Phase 4 can increase spectators from the current level of 50 persons to 20% venue capacity in outdoor sports. This increase in spectator attendance is applicable for outdoor sports only.
“We have been adamant in our discussions with IDPH that we believe we can safely and responsibly expand spectator guidelines without risking the general public to greater exposure to COVID-19,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “This felt like a commonsense change, especially as we evaluated collegiate and pro sport spectator guidelines in the state, and are happy for the student-athletes who will be participating in IHSA outdoor sports this spring and summer, as well as for their families and friends.”
Outdoor sports that will see increased spectators will be Boys Soccer, Football, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Track & Field, Girls Soccer, Baseball, Boys Tennis, and Softball.
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