The varsity basketball team will not go against the recommendations by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding playing basketball this season.
Patrick Woods, the varsity basketball coach at St. Charles East High School in St. Charles said he wasn't sure what to think about the Illinois High School Association's (IHSA) decision to continue sports.
"I’ll be honest, I’m not sure what I make of it," Woods said in an interview with DuPage Policy Journal.
"Obviously, I don’t think it’s a realistic ploy by the IHSA meaning there are not many schools in my opinion that are going to go against the health department’s recommendation of not playing because I think it could place liability on a school or a coach if something were to happen when they were given the directive to not play," said Woods.
Woods said there were probably a lot of mitigating factors, one being a liability, when it comes to making decisions.
"I think it’s an unrealistic expectation by the IHSA," said Woods, "Obviously, there’s some political maneuvering going on and it's incredibly disappointing that the two agencies cannot work together to find a common ground for student-athletes."
Woods said he's also heard rumors that schools who go against the recommendations might lose funding or have funding cut.
"We are just trying to figure out what is actually going to happen because we will not go against the health department's recommendation at this point," said Woods.
Woods said he's disheartened that the agencies can't work together.
"The other thing I don’t understand is why the metrics are not being shared with us as far as how to move up or down a level … to play," said Woods.
Woods said right now, basketball is considered a high-risk sport by IDPH.
"So, how do we get to a low risk?" said Woods, "Does it involve wearing masks? Like, two weeks ago I had a full-contact practice and it was allowed. I don’t know what happened last week, Tuesday, but all the sudden it wasn’t allowed anymore."
Woods said if masks will help, he knows kids will wear them if it's how they will be able to play.
"I don’t understand the metrics of how to move up or down and why those are not shared...Because … a high school basketball game is only 32 minutes long. So, the rule everyone’s been operating by is within six feet, 15 minutes without a mask. Well, I guarantee every kid in the state will wear a mask in order to play," said Woods.
Last month, the IHSA decided to go against Gov. J.B. Pritzker's orders and continue with the season, Patch.com reported.
"The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors made the decision today to continue with the IHSA basketball season as scheduled in 2020-21," said the IHSA Board in a statement, "In August, the Board slated basketball to take place from November to February based on the Illinois Department of Public Health assigning a medium risk level to the sport. The IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee offered additional mitigations, such as masks during play and social distancing on benches, that the SMAC believed would allow basketball to be played safely."
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