(State) Restrictions continue to be lifted in the state of Iowa, but what about the fate of high school baseball and softball?
“It’s going to be tough.” Those are the words of Iowa High School Athletic Association Communications Director Chris Cuellar when discussing the possibility of having a summer season. Some signs point to a return to activity next month while others still show a long list of logistical concerns such as transportation, umpires, and crowds. Cuellar says it’s all a matter of your perspective. “We are still in wait and see mode just like school districts. We are going to take a lot of our cues from them. If you want to plan on maybe some June practices you can do that and if you’re a little more negative in your outlook and think it’s over you’re entitled to do that as well. It’s definitely going to be an interesting next few weeks.”
The target date to have a decision made by is June 1st. The association’s preference would be to have two weeks of practice before teams are allowed to compete. The likelihood of extending the season later into the summer is slim. “Where it gets a little tricky with those practice dates is how it might possibly effect the end of the season. School has now been allowed to start as early as August 3rd for next year which means we would absolutely have to be wrapped up considering you have graduated seniors and incoming freshmen all together playing summer sports.”
In the meantime, a full list of what is and is not permitted for coaches in terms of contact with athletes is available through both the IGHSAU and IHSAA websites.
