COLUMBUS, Ohio – With practices for all fall sports beginning this Sunday and the seasons kicking off later that month, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has sent updates and reminders to it 817 member high schools and 747 member seventh- and eighth-grade schools.
The OHSAA’s memo to member schools on July 23 included information about upcoming meetings and other reminders; it is at: https://bit.ly/3j1oJCD .
Key dates for all 26 OHSAA sanctioned sports are posted at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Calendar
Heat precautions
School administrators and coaches are asked to review the heat acclimatization and exertional heat illness prevention section in the OHSAA Handbook prior to any interscholastic practices. The section is on pages 81 and 82 and can be found at https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/SchoolResources/Handbook.pdf.
Football has a five-day required acclimatization period and cross country has a 10-day required acclimatization period. All athletes joining the team at any point of the season also must participate in the sport-specific acclimatization period prior to any contact drills (football) or competition (cross country).
Visit the sports medicine section of the OHSAA website for additional resources at: https://www.ohsaa.org/medicine .
COVID-19 update
The Ohio Department of Health released newly revised guidance for K-12 schools on Tuesday with some information related to interscholastic sports.
Although Ohio lifted most statewide pandemic-related health orders on June 2, the risk is still there for illness from COVID-19.
The OHSAA and ODH urge the membership to continue to follow safe protocols to protect everyone, especially those individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
There are currently no mandates regarding vaccinations and social distancing, and the only mandate on masks is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirement that masks be worn while using public transportation, which includes school buses.
It is highly recommended that coaches and student-athletes who are eligible for vaccinations to be vaccinated and it is highly recommended that those who are unvaccinated maintain social distancing and wear masks in indoor facilities and in outdoor facilities where there are crowded situations.
The OHSAA’s complete school memo from July 27 is posted at: https://bit.ly/3f9SUX9 .
