Remarkable memories often take a focus on the unusual. The staggered start of college football by conference from early September to early November 2020 qualifies as highly unusual.
All of sports, high schools to the professional ranks, therefore qualify as unusual. There is no high school football in Illinois this Fall, although a menu of Spring games is on the back-burner.
Thursday of last week, Judge Fullerton in DuPage County decided against three plaintiffs in a law suit claim that the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the State’s governor’s office violated the rights of the students with no football played this year. The suit alleged that without playing in front of an audience of college coaches, the student-athletes have diminished opportunities for college scholarships.
The judge ruled that the decision not to play for health reasons was for the benefit of the common good and did not violate the rights of opportunities of any individual, specifically the three high school athletes cited in the suit.
In spite of hopes by willing high school athletes, it likely would have been difficult for the judge to rule in favor of the plaintiffs for two reasons. One is that the authorities make such rulings for the common healthful considerations of all student-athletes. Another reason not to rule in favor is the time factor. Athletes in team sports require cohesive practice time prior to playing. Then there is a consideration of monetary factors. If the plaintiffs were to win the suit, how would a financial settlement be fairly distributed. Ruling in favor was a difficult task.
Yet, there has been athletic competition ongoing this Autumn for low-risk sports, which were determined to be boys and girls golf, girls tennis, and medium risks, boys and girls cross country, and girls swimming and diving. Indeed Tuesday this week the girls and boys golf regional tournaments were held with qualifiers to advance to sectional tournaments, then a full stop prior to State tournament competition. Unusual. Different. Hopefully it does not happen again and COVID-19 will be diminished enough for full competition to take place in all sports.
There is a wide range of opinion among various groups of what is safe to play games. The debate likely never will be concluded to everyone’s satisfaction. Many proponents of playing the games, football to tennis, say the mental health aspect of not playing is more counterproductive than playing and risking exposure to COVID-19.
One certainty must not be denied. Avoiding the COVID-19 is important because one does not know on what spectrum catching the virus will land: Tepid symptoms, or death, or somewhere in between. Risk management is paramount, however, in the eye of the beholder.
• College football? It is greater than 14 teams in the Big Ten and 10 teams in the Big 12. The Big Ten teams will begin to play Saturday, Oct. 24, play no non-conference games, and end Saturday, Dec. 12. The Illinois-Northwestern game will be played at Northwestern Saturday, Dec. 12. What will the weather be on that day? Technically it is still Autumn, so we can hope for better than sub-freezing and, or, blizzard snow conditions.
Other conferences late to starting their seasons will include the Mid-American Conference Wednesday, Nov. 4 and the Pac-12 Saturday, Nov. 7. It will be interesting. Some conference teams started only a week late, at the beginning of September. Bowl assignment, if there is a full array, and the four-team major division college playoff pairings will be announced Sunday, Dec. 20 following the completion of all games no later than Saturday, Dec. 19. Some schools and conferences have one weekend open, December 19, if any games must be postponed because of COVID-19. Some teams have no openings for postponements.
• High school competition starting dates on the horizon are November 16 for Winter sports, to include boys and girls basketball, wrestling, boys swimming and diving, cheerleading competition, dance, boys and girls bowling, and girls gymnastics.
Spring sports will start February 15 with practice and include football. Strange times will lead to remarkable memories. Spring sports will begin April 19 and run through June 26, two weeks later than the usual ending date for Spring sports.
We will pull ourselves through the situation and put the situation in our rearview mirror. We can remember, even with a chuckle, and move to a new day.
One thing is certain with this situation: We never will go back to normal, just absorb and move ahead.