OSSAA rejects three-phase safety guidelines, activities can resume June 1 with no precautions

OKLAHOMA (KFOR) –  The Oklahoma Secondary School Athletics Association (OSSAA) voted 7-6 to reject a three-phase plan for safely bringing back sports.

 

Activities can return on June 1 with no extra precautions.

 

“I wouldn’t be telling you the truth if I told you there wasn’t some disappointment because of the work that staff put in [to writing the plan],” David Jackson, Executive Director of the OSSAA, said.

He says it wasn’t completely unexpected.

“We know that there’s a lot of feelings out there that we should be getting back to normal as we typically do,” he said.

In the plan, there would’ve been no team practice in the first phase, just one-on-one instruction. Temperature checks and constant sanitation would’ve been required, and coaches would’ve worn masks.

 

Now with no requirements, schools have the option of adopting their own safety protocols.

“I understand the decision. I’d hoped for some guidance, but I’m sure at this point the districts are going to get together, and they are going to decide their own policies,” Dewayne Hunter, Athletic Director at Southmoore, said.

“We’ve already had several calls from many schools since the board meeting asking for the plan that we put together,” Jackson said.

Hunter says his district is considering some of the guidelines.

“Of course you have to look at sanitizing after your activities, after your practices; whatever was touched needs to be sanitized. There’s a lot of moving parts to go into this,” he said.

He adds completely going back to normal isn’t realistic.

“I don’t know anybody who would look at the situation and not be a little worried about starting to have groups of people gather again,” Hunter said.

The OSSAA will have their next board meeting on June 9.