COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio High School Athletic Association said Thursday afternoon it doesn't expect any plans to change the start of the winter sports season during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will continue a dialogue with the Ohio governor's office and Ohio Department of Health.
The OHSAA said in a memo to member schools that it has had conversations with the governor's office and state department of health to determine whether there are any potential modifications expected for the winter season during the pandemic.
"While we do not expect any changes at this time, dialogue will continue in the near future and we will obviously keep the membership updated in the event of any adjustments," the OHSAA said in the memo.
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Girls basketball is scheduled to start official OHSAA practice Oct. 23, followed by official practice for boys basketball, bowling, ice hockey and swimming and diving a week later.
Gymnastics (Nov. 6) and wrestling (Nov. 13) are scheduled to start practices the next month.
The bowling season officially starts Nov. 13 - the earliest winter sport to start its season. Girls basketball and ice hockey will follow a week later.
Last week, OHSAA executive director Doug Ute told a statewide media groupthat the OHSAA planned to go ahead with its winter season starting on time unless told otherwise by the governor's office or health department.
The OHSAA has 815 member high schools and 760 seventh-to eighth-grade schools in the association for this upcoming 2020-21 school year.
The OHSAA represents over 350,000 students competing in 26 sanctioned sports – 13 for boys and 13 for girls.
