No Friday Night Lights this fall

High school football, volleyball, and soccer will be played in the spring, rather than the fall. 

The executive board of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association made the decision July 21 in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The school year will break down into four WIAA seasons, with lower-risk sports able to occur earlier in the year, and higher risk sports starting later in the hopes that Washington counties by then will have moved into later phases in the Washington State Safe Start Recovery Plan. 

Depending on what phase counties are in at a given time, the plans can change. 

The tentative plan is for traditional winter sports, basketball and wrestling, to still happen in the winter, around early January into late February.

Football, volleyball, and soccer would take place from March to April.

Traditional spring sports, such as baseball and softball, would happen in May and June.  

“Since March, the philosophy of our Association has been to allow students every chance to participate,” WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman said  in a July 21 press release.  “We’ve asked our Executive Board and planning committees to be as creative as possible in allowing for those opportunities. These are tough and unprecedented decisions to make, but it has been inspiring to see so many people around the state come together to work on behalf of students.”

The WIAA executive board and planning committees are working under the Return-To-Activity Guidelines supported and co-authored by the National Federation of High Schools, Washington Department of Health and the Governor’s Office, as well as sport-specific guidelines set forth by WIAA committees made up of coaches, athletic directors, students, officials and local health professionals.

The plan for high school sports seasons

WIAA Season 1: Cross Country, Slowpitch Softball, Girls Swim & Dive*, Golf (Alternative Season), Tennis (Alternative Season)

WIAA Season 2: Basketball, Bowling, Boys Swim & Dive, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Wrestling

WIAA Season 3: Volleyball, Girls Soccer, 1B/2B Boys Soccer, Football

WIAA Season 4: Tennis, Fastpitch Softball, Track & Field, Baseball, Golf, Boys Soccer, Dance/Drill