The key word is “generally.”
There are no real specifics when you’re planning on running sports schedule with COVID-19 causing all of its havoc: One thing is contingent on another and another thing is contingent on another and so on.
In other words, planning is one thing. Getting approval and executing the plans are quite another thing.
And so it goes for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu as it gears up to run select sports this spring.
It’s 1:40 on a Friday afternoon, and judging by what I’ve heard, the heads of school are in a meeting right now. A very important, far-reaching meeting.
A Mid-Pacific golfer tees off during a match a few years ago. (Image credit: MidPac.edu)
This is what I know in hearing from a few of the people involved in ILH sports:
>> The meeting is being held to see if the heads of school will approve the following eleven varsity sports — golf, tennis, air riflery, sailing, track and field, baseball, softball, kayaking, football, boys volleyball, and girls volleyball.
>> If not given approval, the sports could be canceled or delayed.
>> Anything approved by the heads of school will move on to the ILH athletic directors on Monday for a next step of approval. The ADs have a better idea than the heads of school — a close-up view, so to speak — of what sports can and can not be run logistically and safely.
>> Of the 11 sports, Bedrock Sports Hawaii has learned that the low-risk sports of golf, tennis, air riflery and sailing are probably going to get the ILH green light. Track and field, scaled down to a certain amount of the safer events, may also fit in this category.
>> Football and girls volleyball are the only ILH sports that are not typically played in the spring, but were previously delayed (instead of being canceled) by the league.
>> All of these decisions that will be made by the heads of school are for ILH competition only. The Hawaii Department of Education oversees the other leagues in the state — the BIIF, KIF, MIL and OIA — and judging by what Bedrock Sports Hawaii has heard, one of the reasons behind a delay in DOE decision-making about spring sports is a preference to not consider running spring the sports until students return to classes. And to date, there has been no call-back of students.
The ILH has already got a start on running some sports in an unofficial capacity, including exhibition boys and girls basketball at some schools as well as some tennis, cross country and sporter air riflery.
If various sports are approved by the heads of school Friday and the ADs Monday, they may begin as soon as Monday and end in May.
—
This story will be updated later Friday if BedrockSportsHawaii.com learns of any decisions made by the ILH heads of school.
