CHSAA adjusts sports schedules

Normally this time of year includes two-a-day practices on the football field and an early tournament on the volleyball schedule to get back into the swing of things with fall sports and the start of school; but this year is different.

Changes within the Colorado High School Activities Association due to the on-going global pandemic cuts fall sports from both Haxtun and Fleming schools including football and volleyball. While students have or plan to return to the classroom this week and next in Fleming and Haxtun, they will not be returning to the court until at least January.

"The health and safety of our student participants, coaches, officials and essential personnel, including volunteers is a primary concern for the return of interscholastic athletics and activities," said CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green in a press release earlier this month. "We are very grateful for the state, health and educational leaders for their shared commitment of a return to these highly beneficial education programs when it is deemed safe for all school communities."

Blanford-Green said the decision to change sports schedules for the coming year came as a collaborative effort with input from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the CHSAA Resocialization Task Force, the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, the State's COVID-19 Response team, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the CHSAA Board of Directors and administrative staff.

The modified 2020-21 CHSAA calendar splits sports into four seasons, A, B, C and D, concluding in late June. Each season will run approximately seven weeks from start to finish and will have a reduced regular season with a limited postseason, including the number of state qualifiers.

The fall or A season, underway now, includes boys’ golf, softball, boys’ tennis and cross country.

Due to the restrictive nature of the current state guidelines and the ability to follow Colorado Department of Education requirements, all contact sports have been moved to a season which will commence later in the calendar and allow for playoffs and culminating events without creating new conflicts.

Haxtun and Fleming sports will begin in season B with basketball on Jan. 4. Volleyball and football are scheduled with season C set to start March 1. Due to the specific equipment and safety rules around football, that sport will begin practice on Feb. 22 and conclude on May 8.

The 2020-21 calendar will conclude with Season D sports including baseball and track. This season will begin with practice on April 26 and it concludes with the final championship on June 26.