Hempfield to move forward with fall sports

Fall sports will continue for Hempfield athletes this season, board members decided Wednesday night.

The board approved plans, 6-2, laying out competition guidelines for all sports, including contact sports such as football, wrestling and dance, while touching on things like spectators, transportation and precompetition screenings.

The move came days after the PIAA voted to let fall sports start as scheduled, a decision that was made after Gov. Tom Wolf recommended postponing sporting events until 2021.

“The PIAA did vote on Friday, had a meeting and approved the continuance of fall athletics,” said Athletic Director Brandon Rapp. “With that we felt comfortable updating our plan.”

The athletic health and safety plan was approved earlier this year, easing students back into practices in three phases.

Wednesday’s action adds a fourth phase of competition regulations such as checking athlete and coach temperatures prior to competing, reducing the number of people on buses, ensuring that social distancing measures are met during events and banning spectators until state guidance is lifted on mass gatherings. Athletes will be required to sign a waiver prior to competing.

If a student were to contract covid-19, the state Department of Health would be contacted.

District officials were tested on their procedures this week when a student golfer tested positive for the coronavirus, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said in a letter to parents. Officials were informed of the positive case by the student’s parents Monday. The school was in contact with the health department, which investigated the case and recommended the individual who tested positive and a few others who were in close contact with that person quarantine themselves. The whole team did not have to quarantine.

Before the vote on the health and safety plans, board member Vince DeAugustine said, “If it’s approved, essentially the ball is in the court of the athletes, the coaches and the parents as well, that they are able to be 100% committed to the plan and carry the plan out. No matter how good the plan is, we need everyone on board. I think that’s important. I think that’s important for fall sports to happen.”

Board members Diana Ciabattoni and Jeanne Smith voted against the motion. Member Sonya Brajdic was absent.

“I agree it’s probably the best plan we could have,” Ciabattoni said. “I still have major concerns. We all realize education is the reason we are here, but sports play such an important part. I’m very concerned that once we start competing, kids are going to have even more opportunities to get this disease. That scares me.”

Smith agreed, adding she would consider voting for the plan if it did not include contact sports. She noted it is impossible to control all factors with athletes coming from different districts.

“I would be devastated if I voted for something that would cause somebody to get this disease, pass this disease onto somebody else,” she said.

The vote occurred before a Thursday golf competition. Wolicki said earlier this week the revisions needed to be approved before “student participation in a competitive event.”

District officials stressed that approval of the plan does not mean students need to participate. It is up to parents and students if they will compete athletically this year.

“We are all in this together, and we’ve got to work as a team,” board member Scott Learn said. “There’s uncertain times, and there’s going to be uncertain situations. … We just need not panic, and we need to follow the plan.”