The million dollar question still remains, but the IHSAA is insistent that, yes!, fall sports will happen this year per an announcement made Wednesday. InkFreeNews file photo by Mike Deak

By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews

INDIANAPOLIS – The IHSAA announced on Wednesday it is still on track to continue on with its 2020-21 athletic campaign as planned, with fall sports still in line to begin as scheduled, including football and its contact sports.

In a post to its social media platforms, the IHSAA stated: “High school fall sports are on track to proceed as planned! Girls golf practice begins this Friday (July 31) with other sports starting on Monday (Aug. 3)! Have fun and good luck to all participants! #IHSAA #INitTogether”

That news, however, came congruently as Marion County announced it will delay its sports programs for football, volleyball and soccer are postponed until October 1. That announcement came from Marion County Health Department director Virginia Caine, who alerted the affected schools Wednesday. It wasn’t made clear whether those sports would be able to practice before then, or what becomes of their schedules after Oct. 1 in relation to the state tournament or otherwise.

In a similar move, Illinois announced Wednesday it will have a tiered system of athletics, with low-risk sports, such as golf, able to continue on a local level, but high-risk, like football, volleyball and soccer, will be moved to the spring. Michigan announced it will slowly work its way back based on the areas of the state with lower and higher infection rates as well as the level of contact of the sport.