Missouri will allow high schools to move their fall sport to an alternative spring season because of the coronavirus pandemic – that includes boys swimming & diving.
Like Wisconsin, Missouri will allow schools that want to maintain the original fall sports schedule to do so. But for schools in areas more heavily hit by COVID-19, fall sports can be pushed to an alternative spring season, provided the pandemic improves by 2021. Both Wisconsin and Missouri typically run the high school swimming season in one gender during the fall: Wisconsin has its girls season and Missouri its boys season in the fall.
You can read more about Wisconsin’s plan here.
According to Missouri’s KMBC, schools that choose the alternate fall season can compete from March 12 to May 1 of 2021 in fall sports. Schools that take that route will also have sprint sports moved to a window from May 14 to June 10 – though schools can opt out of that alternate spring season and run spring sports in their typical season if they wish.
In another key move, the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) has changed its policies this year to allow schools to still compete in sports, even if that school or district moves to entirely digital learning. In the past, a school was required to provide instruction in a physical building to be eligible to compete in sports, but many schools have moved to hybrid or distance learning models as the coronavirus pandemic continues across the country.
Missouri also says winter sports seasons should remain intact as scheduled. That includes girls swimming & diving.
I really hope this happens and it’s moved Springl. Our team, Webster Groves, does not have a pool and the places we normally practice won’t allow outside groups. If the season goes on in the fall, our boys will lose their entire season and it would be a tragedy for the seniors who would never get to swim again.