Field of Dreams: Iowa First State To Resume High School Sports

— “Is this heaven?”

— “No. It’s Iowa.”

The famous back-and-forth from the film ‘Field of Dreams’ can be recycled for this latest story.

On Monday, June 1, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds lifted the temporary ban on the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union (IHSGAC) and allowed the organizations to resume spring sports.

At the stroke of midnight on Monday evening, teams were permitted to resume practices for baseball and softball with an opening day scheduled for June 15.

According to ESPN, the players at one in-state high school “gathered in a socially distant circle, the softball team counted down the seconds to 12:01 and threw their gloves in the air in celebration over the first known high school practice in 2½ months.”

ESPN added that Iowa was the only state to push spring sports to the summer, as opposed to outright canceling the season.

The state championships for baseball are scheduled for August 1 — nine days before Iowa schools are scheduled to begin football practice.

The public health and education departments issued a list of COVID-19 guidelines for teams, including a ban of dugout use. Additionally, each players’ gear should be “lined up against the fence at least six feet apart.”

To read the full story from ESPN on The Hawkeye State starting up high school baseball and softball again, click here.