By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – A plan drafted to bring back student-athletes kept away from school grounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic was presented Wednesday, June 10, to the Ashwaubenon school board by Nick Senger, high school activities director.
He said the 17-page plan “relates to the idea or the thought of how to get our student-athletes back, starting in July.”
Senger said the WIAA has yet to release any guidelines about student-athletes returning, but high school athletic directors have been talking for about a month and a half about having a plan to do so.
“We really want to start small and do it right, as opposed to open our doors up and have a free-for-all,” he said.
Initially, Senger said a maximum of 10 student-athletes would be allowed to use the school’s Jag Performance fitness center at the same time with them maintaining a proper social distance throughout the workout and when traveling from location to location.
“When we have a group of 10 come through the building and go into parts of the fitness center or the mezzanine up there, when they’re done, that student-athlete is going to have to wipe that area down and toss that wipe out,” he said. “If we have 100 kids go through there and they’ve got to wipe down two different spots, that starts to add up with a lot of wipes and sanitation, which we know is best practice.”
Senger said student-athletes would have their temperature taken as well as be asked COVID-19 screening questions.
“If there is an issue or a COVID case, we’d be able to go back and look at some of the questions and whatnot,” he said.
Senger said the plan is a “working document,” which isn’t perfect and is subject to change.
“Come July, a lot of schools are going to be in the same spot in Brown County and across the state, really, about how to get kids back in their summer school classes as it relates to sports,” he said.
The end of the winter high school sports season affecting boys’ and girls’ basketball and the entire spring sports season had been cancelled this year in Wisconsin because of the pandemic.
Senger said district’s goal is to get student-athletes ready for fall sports, which are not cancelled as of now.
“If we’re talking about groups of 10 starting in July, how do we increase to 115, 120 kids showing up to get football equipment when we haven’t even let them in the locker room yet because that’s off-limits,” he said.