OHSAA Update April 8

[Trevorstephens22]

To: All OHSAA Member Schools’ Superintendents, Principals, and Athletic Administrators
From: Jerry Snodgrass, Executive Director

Good afternoon to each of you. This communication is intended to keep you in the loop with the continually changing events affecting school activities. Please note this communication has been shared with our District Athletic Boards and our schools well in advance of it being shared with the media. It is my intent to make sure our members receive all important information directly instead of reading it on social media or in a newspaper. The media WILL receive a version of this but not until much later.

Pupil Activity Coaching Permits
We will continue to monitor the status of spring seasons as well as summer facility availability as it relates to expiration of any Pupil Activity Coaching Permits and provide guidance if closures occur through the summer months.

Annual Award Certificates (Archie Griffin, Courageous Student Awards, NFHS Award)
Last year, we made these available online to permit easier access and the ability to tailor them to your recipients by printing names on them, etc. These annual certificates are now available on each school's myOHSAA account. The links to the award certificates can be found in the left navigation near the bottom under OHSAA Awards. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] if you need any assistance.

District Athletic Board Elections
After much discussion and since elections for District Athletic Board members are all electronic (as well as petitions that are required to be submitted), we will go forward with the normal process. While nominating petitions are scheduled to be available beginning next week, detailed information will be provided to you prior to that time.

More Guidance for Fall Scholarship Eligibility/NCAA Eligibility
A reminder from previous guidance last week that the GPA requirement is not an OHSAA mandate (many are not aware of that).While law mandates you have one, it is not used for eligibility or ineligibility in our office (violating a school’s GPA requirement does not result in forfeiture of a contest).Therefore, if you are utilizing Pass/Fail options for your students, you need not worry how that affects fall 2020 eligibility.
The NFHS continues conversation with the NCAA relative to student-athlete fall semester eligibility.The NFHS expects decisions from the NCAA very soon relative to Div. I and Div. II to follow soon after as it relates to Pass/Fail grades and GPA requirements at the NCAA level.It has been asked that they have a link to easy access for news, updates and FAQ’s and the NCAA has assured this will occur.We will share that as soon as we are provided it. Since the NCAA and NFHS share the same office building in Indianapolis, the dialogue in communication continues efficiently. Much of their info can be found at:ncaa.org/COVID-19

Information Relative to Spring Sports & Beyond
First, we continue to stay in close contact with the state’s leadership relative to stay-at-home orders. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with the OASSA to make certain we have each other’s support as it relates to a return to school and activities.A few important updates/reminders:

If schools are closed for the remainder of the school year, spring sports will be cancelled in Ohio
The mandatory No-Contact period remains in place until at least May 1. No practices or group workouts may occur through this date.
No-contact does not mean ‘electronic’ communication is not permitted. In fact, we encourage coaches to maintain correspondence, provide workouts, etc. to INDIVIDUALS.
The dates below for a spring season/tournaments are tentative. We are continuing with the Governor’s optimistic direction that schools will re-open on May 4. We will adjust accordingly. However optimistic this may be, we must PLAN for the return even if that ends up changing.
With a current return on May 4, the following schedule has been adopted for spring sports. Specific information relative to Sectional and District Tournaments, playing dates, seeding procedures, game sites, will all be provided in communications from the respective six District Athletic Boards.
If for any reason specific sites are shut down due to governor’s orders, ALL sites will be shut down and a tournament will not be held.

Restructured 2020 Spring Sports Dates - as of April 8

SOFTBALL
Non-Interscholastic Date
May 4

Acclimation Period
May 4-8

Season Begins
(Sat) May 9

Tournament Entry/Withdrawal
May 18

Tournament Entry/Withdraw w/penalty
May 19-22

Tournament Draw/Coaches Meeting
May 24

Sectional Tournaments*
May 30-June 6
* Sectional competition shall NOT begin earlier than the date provided.

District Tournaments
June 8-13

Regional Tournaments
June 15-20

State Tournament
June 25-27

Season Concludes
July 4

[captainmorgan_]

I looked for either Ironton or Burg to come out of regionals this year and make it to the final 4. holding out hope for them but most states have closed school for the year

[Prime Time]

Ohio will follow suit, how you let schools open this May under these circumstances, you can’t .

[Prime Time]

Just seen where Vice President Pence said it will be many weeks and probably many months before social distancing is lifted. I seriously doubt now the fall sports will be in peril or no fans at games , let alone what the schools will do by then, if school.

[Sballbball24/7]

Is there anything else negative you want to add??..I was just wondering..we haven’t all been living in a bubble we know what’s going on in the world it’s just nice to have some hope and positive attitude whether it happens or not..that’s all you hear each day is negative

[captainmorgan_]

Hope to catch some games this spring. I know it's not looking good but stay positive for the kids and coaches.

[Prime Time]

Well president Trump just said schools should remain closed

[petesweaty]

Closed during Phase 1
Open Phase 2

I think Ohio is already in Phase 1 with no increase in cases.

[Prime Time]

Gov Mike DeWine just close schools remainder of school year.

[Sballbball24/7]

Gov Mike DeWine just close schools remainder of school year.

Softball and baseball and no contact sports for summer to resume may 26...courtesy of your hero DeWine..you said no sports until fall of 2021 or after...so is he making wrong decision now