Changes to Wyoming High School Fall Sports for 2020
With the return to competition this fall now in place, the Wyoming High School Activities Association is adjusting events on a sport-by-sport basis.
Many of these changes are to reduce the number of competitors at one site at one time.
This is a one-year plan that takes into consideration all precautions and procedures need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each sport consideration begins with the following statement, "Each school should develop a plan with their local health officials to successfully complete the fall season."
Here are some of the bigger takeaways for each sport. WyoPreps has included a link to each by clicking on the sport name:
The Wyoming High School State Football Championships will not be in Laramie at War Memorial Stadium on Nov. 13 and 14. Instead, the highest-seeded team will be the host.
If the two teams in the championship game are the same seed and haven't played during the regular season, then the classifications are divided up as follows:
Class 1A-6-man = East team will host
Class 1A-9-man = West team will host
Class 2A = West team will host
Class 3A = East team will host
Class 4A = Will be determined by coaches seeding
The state title games have been in Laramie since 2009.
First, there will be no multi-day invitationals allowed. Teams are permitted to host more than one match in a day, as long as there is time to clean and sanitize a facility before a new team comes to play.
Second, Regional Tournaments will be held in a quadrant format with the highest seed hosting each round.
Third, the state volleyball championships will still take place at the Casper Events Center but over a four-day span, with each being a 1-day tournament. Class 1A will be on Wednesday, Nov. 4, Class 2A will happen on Thursday, Nov. 5, Class 3A will take place on Friday, Nov. 6, and Class 4A will be on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Regular season meets will be limited to three teams and a maximum of not more than 80 participants. Face coverings are strongly recommended when a participant is not actively competing. Also, no mass gatherings at the start or finish areas.
Conference meets are to be determined but would also not be allowed to have more than three teams at one site.
The state championships in Laramie are set for Nov. 5-7 and are slated as scheduled. There will be an adjustment of times to allow for the facility to be cleaned and sanitized between meets.
Regular season meets will not exceed four teams and can have a maximum of 112 participants for JV and Varsity divisions.
Create start and finish areas to avoid mass gatherings. I.e. staggered/wave/interval start times.
Any conference meet will have to follow the same guidelines as a regular-season meet.
The state championships will be held at three separate sites, not one. Sites were not disclosed but 1 p.m. will be the start time.
Regular season matches will be a dual-format only. Teams are permitted to host more than one dual in a day, as long as social distancing guidelines are met.
Regional tennis championships will have to include enough courts to socially distance. The WHSAA said that Green River may have to use courts in Rock Springs, and Cody would have to use courts in Powell.
The state championships will still be in Gillette on Sept. 24-26, 2020. They will be able to use four more courts than in previous years, which will aid in social distancing. The final day of the state championships will utilize three outdoor courts to reduce numbers.
Regular season competitions will feature no more than four teams. There can be no more than 80 players on an 18-hole course or 40 on a 9-hole course. Shotgun starts will be used for all events.
There will be no use of golf course facilities, such as the driving range or practice putting green.
All items, including tees, pencils, ball markers, or sharpies, must be brought by an individual. None will be supplied.
The state championships will be held Sept. 18 and 19, 2020, in Kemmerer (2A), Evanston (3A-Lyman host), and Casper (4A).
Practice or workouts should be conducted in "pods" to reduce or limit overall exposure. The same persons should be working out together.
There will be no throwing of spirit objects, like t-shirts or balls, into a crowd.
WHSAA stated the state competition will remain as scheduled, but they will look at ways to reduce numbers. That decision will come from the WHSAA Board of Directors at a later date.
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