Plan: two fans per player at LR home sports events

The current plan for fan attendance at Lake Roosevelt sporting events is to allow each player to give two tickets to fans, be they family or friends, for home events only, with no opposing team visitors allowed. 

Athletic Director Tim Rasmussen updated the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors on the matter at their Feb. 8 meeting.

Rasmussen said some schools won’t even allow home-event attendance, something he wanted to avoid. 

Additionally, the school is purchasing cameras and partnering with a company to livestream sports events free to the public, including home and road games.

The North Central Region, which has 29 schools, including LR, must be in Phase Two of Washington State’s COVID-19 recovery plan in order to hold sporting competitions at all, with the exception of cross country. 

Rasmussen explained that cross country, considered a low-risk sport, could still hold events in Phase One, although the runners may need to be sent out in waves to stay within Covid restrictions.

The Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association announced Tuesday that runners may drop their masks once a race has begun.

The North Central Region is currently in Phase One and only meeting one of the four requirements to move to Phase Two. Pertinent Covid statistics will be updated this Friday, and every two weeks following, to see if a region qualifies to move up a phase.

The sports season, beginning with traditional fall sports, is scheduled to begin with football practices on Feb. 16, and volleyball, soccer, cross country, and cheer on Feb. 22, with all sports running until April 3. 

Practices can still be held in Phase One.

A schedule of events is not yet available.