OHSAA Creating ‘Multiple Scenarios’ for High School Football

With the start of July, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is putting together a number of scenarios for the high school football season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent report from WCPO ABC9 Cincinnati, members of the OHSAA Football Coaches Association have had conversations regarding a full regular season of up to 10 games, and a half regular season of five games, with both options having a postseason tournament in place.

But before the OHSAA can move forward with any of its scenarios for the football season, the organization must first await guidance from the state.

“We need information from the governor’s office to settle on answers and we really don’t know when we will receive that,” OHSAA football administrator Beau Rugg told WCPO on Monday afternoon. “(OHSAA executive director) Jerry (Snodgrass) communicates often, almost daily, with the lieutenant governor (Jon Husted), so we are at the table and in the discussion. I believe the next couple of weeks will be very telling.”

As of July 1, the start of the fall sports season in Ohio has yet to change — August 1 is the official start date for fall sports practice while football is able to start its season on August 24.

OHSAA senior director of communications Tim Stried confirmed to WCPO the athletics governing body has not made any changes to the official start dates for fall sports practices, scrimmages, and games.

This is the second-straight week where voluntary contact practice has been permitted for all sports in the state, following Lt. Gov. Jon Husted’s announcement on June 18. According to WCPO, some Cincinnati-area schools have reported in some capacity positive COVID-19 cases.

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“I think the process is kind of day by day, week by week,” Turpin coach Kent McCullough, who is the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Region 16 board director, told WCPO. “As things spike, it’s all over the place. So I don’t think anyone really has an answer just yet.”

To read the full story from WCPO on OHSAA preparing for the eventual resumption of the fall sports season and offseason conditioning sessions, click here.