Thoughts before the big IHSA meeting tomorrow......

[YDFan_2000]

Some thoughts before the big IHSA meeting tomorrow. The good news is that as long as each region gets to Phase 4 and stays there, all sports will be played. The challenging part now is for the IHSA to find a way to squeeze all these sports in a short period of time. Please know that all scenarios will be discussed and there is no way knowing at this point what they will go with or if there will be other options on the table. Again, anything and everything is subject to change and nothing is for sure.

1. There is big push for basketball to have a 6 week season before football starts. If that is the case, look for football to start practices on or March 15th and start playing games on Saturday April 3rd and have a 6 game season and ending by mid May. Easter weekend could be an issue as it would be that first weekend. Easter could be a BYE week no matter what scenario they go with.
2. Most probable scenario as I mentioned before is starting football games two weeks later, first game would be Saturday March 20th and play a 7 week season and still end in early May. That way basketball can have at least a 4 week season (multiple games per week) and still feel like they played a decent amount of games. This would also allow baseball to start games in early May and have a 4-5 week season.
3. The last scenario would be to start practices as planned in mid February, first game on March 6th and play through weekend of April 17th. That would give basketball a very short season unless there is an overlap and kids would have to make a choice to either finish their basketball season or play football.
4. Football, Basketball, and Baseball are the three major sports that will have the most overlap of players. There is a case where each sport could have a full 7 week season and the kids would just have to choose which sport to play. Again, with the little time we have there will not be very many options. This scenario says to give every sport their fair share of week/games and if some kids can’t play a certain sport because of another so be it. This in my opinion is not likely.
5. Unless something changes tomorrow or there is a strong case for it, there will be no playoffs in any sport.
6. I do not see them playing any Varsity football games on any other day then a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. Just won’t happen. Again, if we start games in March expect them to be on Saturday afternoon, games in April to early May expect under the lights on Friday.
7. Expect the number of spectators at each game to be discussed as well. Under Phase 4 there can only be 50 fans at a game. Many schools do not want to deal with allowing some parents in games and other can’t or have any political issues from this. Expect many schools to say no fans at games unless the guidance changes and they say you can have more people at the game. I personally think stadiums, bleachers, around the fences allows for easily 500 people with social distancing. Hopefully they have time to discuss this issue tomorrow as well.

No matter what happens tomorrow and whatever scenario is decided upon as it relates to number of games and when we start the season. Let’s just all be happy and joyful that the Boys can Play Football as that is by far what is most important! Excited to see what we hear tomorrow after the meeting!

 

[sporthog9er]

Sources?

 

[mc140]

Teams play Easter weekend every year. Usually just avoid Good Friday.

 

[1390over]

With a lot injuries in football at least 1 parent will be allowed to watch his kid play.
We should be in phase 5 by March with all the vaccinations that will take place between now and then.
You can guarantee it.

 

[McCaravan]

Some thoughts before the big IHSA meeting tomorrow. The good news is that as long as each region gets to Phase 4 and stays there, all sports will be played. The challenging part now is for the IHSA to find a way to squeeze all these sports in a short period of time. Please know that all scenarios will be discussed and there is no way knowing at this point what they will go with or if there will be other options on the table. Again, anything and everything is subject to change and nothing is for sure.

1. There is big push for basketball to have a 6 week season before football starts. If that is the case, look for football to start practices on or March 15th and start playing games on Saturday April 3rd and have a 6 game season and ending by mid May. Easter weekend could be an issue as it would be that first weekend. Easter could be a BYE week no matter what scenario they go with.
2. Most probable scenario as I mentioned before is starting football games two weeks later, first game would be Saturday March 20th and play a 7 week season and still end in early May. That way basketball can have at least a 4 week season (multiple games per week) and still feel like they played a decent amount of games. This would also allow baseball to start games in early May and have a 4-5 week season.
3. The last scenario would be to start practices as planned in mid February, first game on March 6th and play through weekend of April 17th. That would give basketball a very short season unless there is an overlap and kids would have to make a choice to either finish their basketball season or play football.
4. Football, Basketball, and Baseball are the three major sports that will have the most overlap of players. There is a case where each sport could have a full 7 week season and the kids would just have to choose which sport to play. Again, with the little time we have there will not be very many options. This scenario says to give every sport their fair share of week/games and if some kids can’t play a certain sport because of another so be it. This in my opinion is not likely.
5. Unless something changes tomorrow or there is a strong case for it, there will be no playoffs in any sport.
6. I do not see them playing any Varsity football games on any other day then a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. Just won’t happen. Again, if we start games in March expect them to be on Saturday afternoon, games in April to early May expect under the lights on Friday.
7. Expect the number of spectators at each game to be discussed as well. Under Phase 4 there can only be 50 fans at a game. Many schools do not want to deal with allowing some parents in games and other can’t or have any political issues from this. Expect many schools to say no fans at games unless the guidance changes and they say you can have more people at the game. I personally think stadiums, bleachers, around the fences allows for easily 500 people with social distancing. Hopefully they have time to discuss this issue tomorrow as well.

No matter what happens tomorrow and whatever scenario is decided upon as it relates to number of games and when we start the season. Let’s just all be happy and joyful that the Boys can Play Football as that is by far what is most important! Excited to see what we hear tomorrow after the meeting!

I like #2, makes the most sense.

 

[PowerI66]

Most probable scenario as I mentioned before is starting football games two weeks later, first game would be Saturday March 20th and play a 7 week season and still end in early May. That way basketball can have at least a 4 week season (multiple games per week) and still feel like they played a decent amount of games. This would also allow baseball to start games in early May and have a 4-5 week season.

Truly a terrible scenario for the baseball kids. Didn't have a season last year, and now their season gets chopped up to accommodate two sports that had full seasons the previous year.

 

[1390over]

So, I take it that the incoming freshman football players don’t count ?
They are more important than Juniors and Seniors.
Highest number of players that come out and to lose the kids that wants to try it his freshman year will have a trickle down effect:
HS football is the only avenue to play for kids 15 years and above.
Travel Baseball is more important to the kids than the HS team .
Have a longer baseball season into the end of June?
I forgot it cuts into travel baseball.

 

[MunyonMustGo]

Truly a terrible scenario for the baseball kids. Didn't have a season last year, and now their season gets chopped up to accommodate two sports that had full seasons the previous year.

First, at this point we have no idea what the IHSA will ultimately decide. Second, basketball did not complete their season.

 

[PowerI66]

First, at this point we have no idea what the IHSA will ultimately decide. Second, basketball did not complete their season.

First, I was replying to the scenario. Second, basketball missed out on 4 games.

 

[King MJ]

Lots of details are already getting leaked if you follow any of the top reporters online.

looks like

-6 week hoop season
-6 to 8 week football season
- there will be some season overlap
- close to normal seasons for traditional spring sports
- wrestling is the biggest X factor.

Also don’t expect any details about spectators logistics in today’s announcement.

 

[EdgyTim]

Lots of details are already getting leaked if you follow any of the top reporters online.

looks like

-6 week hoop season
-6 to 8 week football season
- there will be some season overlap
- close to normal seasons for traditional spring sports
- wrestling is the biggest X factor.

Also don’t expect any details about spectators logistics in today’s announcement.

Also had a lot of this a week plus ago on the EDGY Nation side....subscribe today and never miss a thing

 

[YDFan_2000]

There will be freshman and sophomore games. I think a poster earlier referenced to freshman kids not counting, that is not the case at all. All levels will have football games.

By far the most likely scenario is the one I mentioned, football games getting pushed back two weeks and first game will be Saturday March 20th. Season will consist of 7 games, last game will be the weekend of May 1st. That gives football a 7 week season and also allows an immediate season for basketball and baseball after. Agree there will be some overlap, don't think there is any way around it w/ the limited time we have.

Forgot to mention yesterday, expect the IHSA to announce a 60 day period between the end of football season and the start of summer camp contact days. Many people are concerned w/ finishing up a season and then starting practice a few weeks later. This 60 days also makes sense as baseball will most likely play through mid June. Expect Summer contact days to start after the 4th of July and the dead period of late July/early August to be waived this year due to the circumstances and timing.

Again, lot of ideas being discussed and lot on the table. We will know more later this afternoon....... Stay tuned!

 

[godfthr53]

March 3rd. Lets go.

 

[Little Kin]

Wrestling to start April 19th. They will have an IHSA ran regional and then the IWOCA will run the sectional and state tournaments for all 3 classes the flowing two weekends!

 

[McCaravan]

Wrestling to start April 19th. They will have an IHSA ran regional and then the IWOCA will run the sectional and state tournaments for all 3 classes the flowing two weekends!

The chart says No State Series

 

[Little Kin]

The chart says No State Series

The Chart is wrong

 

[lurker74]

The Chart is wrong

I don’t know how wrestling works, but is it similar to what cross country did last fall? IHSA ended with sectionals, but then there was an “unofficial” state meet run by an outside group

 

[PowerI66]

I don’t know how wrestling works, but is it similar to what cross country did last fall? IHSA ended with sectionals, but then there was an “unofficial” state meet run by an outside group

That was my assumption. That it's not "IHSA sanctioned"

 

[olderbytheminute]

You were correct twice sir.
At the time you posted, we had no idea what the IHSA was going to decide.
You also were correct that boys Class 3A and 4A hoops did not finish their season.
Now, on Wednesday night (Jan. 27), we have a chart from the IHSA, and as I read this, I am concerned that either I cannot read or posters on this site can't read.
Edgy Tim posted the IHSA chart and regarding football it says games will start on Friday, March 19, and the season will end on Saturday, April 24.
That's six weeks of football games.
Yet, more than one poster has said that there will be an extension to the football season so a seventh game can be played, which obviously would be a game on April 30 or May 1. The IHSA chart said nothing about extending the season by a week. The IHSA story posted by Edgy Tim said nothing about extending the season by a week. Yet, a poster wrote that the season would be extended a week as long as it doesn't interfere with spring sports' schedules.
That, of course, is impossible. According to the IHSA chart, spring sports such as baseball, track, tennis and volleyball can start practice April 5 and must have seven days of practice before playing games. So, let's say that games can start, just for an example, on April 13. Football season is already going until April 30/.May 1. So, football is already going to cut into spring sports, without adding a week that is not included on the chart.
The other thing, of course, involves the other big sport ... boys basketball. From what I read on this forum, it's OK to extend football a week into spring sports, but apparently it's not OK to extend basketball into football's time slot. Already, the hoops season ends on March 13. Currently, a basketball player will be required to get in 10 practices before being allowed to play in football games, which has been the standard procedure for as long as I can remember. If a player needs 10 days of practice to play football and plays hoops until March 13, that gets him on the gridiron for Week 2 six-week football game season (March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16 23). If you extend the basketball season a week past the IHSA end date, that chops another week off a kid's football season.
If you extend football season another week, it shortens their baseball or track or tennis or volleyball season.
I guess my question is this: Where in this informative IHSA release posted by Edgy Tim does it say football will be played until April 30/May 1. I don't see that anywhere, nor do I see any suggestion by the IHSA that any sport can extend a week past the end date. But then again, I am Older By The Minute and maybe I am reading the chart incorrectly.
The idea that "well, the kids are out there and they love football and they want to keep playing" ... I cannot argue with that thought. But that exact same thought also applies to every other sport offered by the IHSA.

 

[mc140]

There wont be a week seven. It was speculated by someone on twitter and ran with.

 

[olderbytheminute]

The Chart is wrong

I think all that any prep wrestling fan is looking for is confirmation by the IHSA that not only is their chart saying "no state series" for wrestling is wrong, but also that the press release written by the IHSA that said state series competition is being considered for traditional spring sports only is wrong.
That release came out Wednesday afternoon and I would assume that people involved in the sport of wrestling in Illinois would be flooding the IHSA with a request to correct their error.Perhaps the correction will come today, stating that there will be IHSA regional wrestling this June.
The difficulty I have on this site is that I have incredible difficulty telling what is fact and what is opinion.
The rapid-fire posts regarding an IHSA wrestling series suggests to me that there is fact behind those statements.
So, please, if you will, contact the IHSA and tell them to correct their mistake in their chart and press release so wrestling fans who go on this site will know the real truth.
Since I am getting Older by the Minute, it is becoming very difficult for me to separate fact from opinion., For example, there is a story online today that produces three "realistic" trade packages that result in the Bears acquiring Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. I assume the story is connected to the story that the Raiders are a possible trade destination for Lions QB Matt Stafford.
Matt Stafford is going to be traded. The Lions have pretty much made that a fact. But I can't find anywhere where the Raiders want to move on from Carr, except for somebody writing it online who is not connected to the Raiders.
In the wrestling case, I have to assume the person saying there definitely will be IHSA regional wrestling is involved with IHSA wrestling or is in contact with someone who is. If so, please just say so, which makes it clearer that the words are fact-based and not opinion-based.

 

[sporthog9er]

You are quickly becoming my favorite poster

 

[Little Kin]

I think all that any prep wrestling fan is looking for is confirmation by the IHSA that not only is their chart saying "no state series" for wrestling is wrong, but also that the press release written by the IHSA that said state series competition is being considered for traditional spring sports only is wrong.
That release came out Wednesday afternoon and I would assume that people involved in the sport of wrestling in Illinois would be flooding the IHSA with a request to correct their error.Perhaps the correction will come today, stating that there will be IHSA regional wrestling this June.
The difficulty I have on this site is that I have incredible difficulty telling what is fact and what is opinion.
The rapid-fire posts regarding an IHSA wrestling series suggests to me that there is fact behind those statements.
So, please, if you will, contact the IHSA and tell them to correct their mistake in their chart and press release so wrestling fans who go on this site will know the real truth.
Since I am getting Older by the Minute, it is becoming very difficult for me to separate fact from opinion., For example, there is a story online today that produces three "realistic" trade packages that result in the Bears acquiring Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. I assume the story is connected to the story that the Raiders are a possible trade destination for Lions QB Matt Stafford.
Matt Stafford is going to be traded. The Lions have pretty much made that a fact. But I can't find anywhere where the Raiders want to move on from Carr, except for somebody writing it online who is not connected to the Raiders.
In the wrestling case, I have to assume the person saying there definitely will be IHSA regional wrestling is involved with IHSA wrestling or is in contact with someone who is. If so, please just say so, which makes it clearer that the words are fact-based and not opinion-based.

Here you go, shoot him an email:

Sam Knox
Assistant Executive Director
sknox@ihsa.org
Responsibilities: Officials Department, Officials Education, Athletic Directors Advisory Committee
Sports: Boys Football, Boys Wrestling, Boys Baseball

 

[Little Kin]

Hello Coaches,

I hope this message finds you well. I am sure there are a ton of questions based on the IHSA's announcement yesterday. While we didn't get everything we wanted, there is a lot to be thankful for since high-risk sports were on the chopping block last week and three other states have canceled their seasons. Below is what I know for sure, and Nate Kessen will send a follow up email in the next few days.


1. The IWCOA is committed to running a state series this season once the IHSA season has completed. Nate will ask you to complete a survey in his email, and your answers will go a long way in helping them organize this event. I am sure they will be looking for locations to host qualifying events in June as well. This series will begin in late June, so hopefully, COVID restrictions will allow some member high schools to host and make a few bucks in the process. The IWCOA has a meeting next week to discuss these questions, and we have to trust their current leadership to organize a quality, competitive event. The more support we give them, the better event they can produce.

2. A common question is when will the freestyle season run? Right now, I have no idea, but the USAIL coaches have a meeting as well in the next week to discuss.

3. When can we get back on the mats? That is up to your school. The IHSA says we can start contact days ASAP. The IDPH says we can drill once our region enters Tier One restrictions and compete in Phase Four. However, not all school districts are ready to allow that. Check with your athletic directors.

4. How many matches can we have? Again, that is unknown right now and could be set by your conference or COVID region. I am sure that will change several times between now and April, but theoretically, we have seven weeks to pack in 3-4 duals a week. Invites have not been approved yet but could be in the future.

5. Several coaches are starting to plan hosting a few dual meets outdoors on their football fields. This could be a great experience for our athletes.

So, for now, stay positive, look for Nate's email, complete the survey, and talk with your athletic directors. I think we could have a pretty cool season in front of us.

See you soon,