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WIAA board defines alternate fall season 

STEVENS POINT – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association approved several details of a one-year alternative season in the spring for fall sports and reduced the number of weeks for sports during the 2020-21 winter and spring seasons at its Aug. 14 meeting.

The board established the parameters and context of the alternate fall season with seven weeks of competition in the spring.

Football programs unable to start or complete 50 percent of the fall season, including games and practices, are eligible for a prorated alternate season.

Other fall sports unable to start or complete 50 percent of the fall season, are eligible for a complete alternate season.

Fall sports programs exceeding 50 percent of their seasons will be considered a completed season.

Schools will be required to initially declare if they plan to participate in the traditional fall season or the alternate fall season in the spring by Sept. 1.

The board acknowledged all schedules are subject to change if conditions warrant per health guidelines.

The board also addressed several other rules and regulations to be modified or suspended in 2020-21 to provide flexibility to members and licensed officials during the pandemic.

  • If tournament series are conducted, regional groupings will be implemented (four teams in football).
  • The minimum number of contests requirement for tournament eligibility will be suspended.
  • Tournament series seeding will be conducted virtually.
  • Non-border, out-of-state competitions or practices are strongly discouraged.
  • Multiple-team events from outside a host’s region are strongly discouraged.
  • Co-op programs that include schools that are unable to participate in activities, may seek other co-op partners.
  • With conference approval, schools whose conference has canceled sports may seek schedule relief with other conferences as an independent without sanctions or going through the prescribed conference realignment process.
  • Programs may schedule contests after they are eliminated from the WIAA tournament or culminating event.
  • Schools that were unable to conduct their five unrestricted coaching contact days during the 2020 summer, may schedule those days during the 2020-21 calendar, provided there is one week of no contact before the start of the respective season.
  • Licensed officials won’t drop in classification in 2021-22 if they choose not to renew licensure or are unable to fill a varsity schedule in 2020-21.
  • Student-athletes may compete in no more than two non-school events with school approval during each regular sports season. An event will be defined as a game or tournament.
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