The IHSA approved a revised schedule for winter and spring sports, which is posted below.
A few main points from this evening’s press conference and earlier press release:
• There won’t be any state championship series for football, basketball, volleyball or boys soccer.
• Crowds, who must wear masks and remains socially distant, will be limited to 50.
• IHSA wants to hold state championships in other sports, but perhaps not if it appears likely spectators would be restricted. But IHSA executive director Craig Anderson says they will continue to monitor health risks and state guidelines as the seasons get closer.
“The Board wants to do everything in their power to prevent spring sports from going two consecutive years with no postseason IHSA play,” Anderson said. “There are obviously no guarantees, as risk levels by sport and local region mitigation statuses will factor significantly. Postseason could mean being limited to a Regional or Sectional level of competition, but we have not ruled out the idea of playing a full state tournament in these traditional spring sports if possible. The overwhelming feedback we have heard from athletic directors and coaches was that returning to play in all sports should be the main goal.”
• Athletes, coaches and team personnel must wear masks for all games and adhere to social distancing.
• The IHSA board ruled that students who play in sports in non-traditional seasons, such as football, boys soccer, girls volleyball, can simultaneously participate on high school and non-school teams.
• The board also ruled that basketball players will need to cease non-school team participation within seven days of their first high school game.
• Players won’t be required to be tested for COVID. “Schools are obviously welcome (to do so) if they have the resources to do it,” Anderson said. “We wouldn’t discourage it.”
• Players can participate in basketball and football at the same time.
• If teams are hit hard by COVID, athletic directors can reschedule with impacted opponents and not cancel these games. “Our schools are going to have to be flexible,” Anderson said.
• All sports must hold practice on seven different days prior to playing a game. Winter sports can begin practices as of today, IHSA said, depending on when the school’s region reached the appropriate mitigation status.
| Sport | IDPH Risk | Practices Start | Practice Dates Before Games | State Series | End Date |
| Boys/Girls Basketball | Higher | ASAP | 7 dates | No State Series | March 13 |
| Boys Swimming & Diving | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | No State Series | March 13 |
| Dance | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | Virtual (2/27 & 3/6) | March 13 |
| Cheerleading | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | Virtual (3/6 & 3/12) | March 13 |
| Boys/Girls Bowling | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | No State Series | March 13 |
| Girls Gymnastics | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | No State Series | March 13 |
| Badminton | Lower | ASAP | 7 dates | TBD | April 3 |
| Boys Soccer | Moderate | March 1 | 7 dates | No State Series | April 17 |
| Football | Higher | March 3 | 1st Game March 19 | No State Series | April 24 |
| Girls Volleyball | Moderate | March 8 | 7 dates | No State Series | April 24 |
| Boys Gymnastics | Lower | March 15 | 7 dates | TBD | May 22 |
| Boys/Girls Water Polo | Moderate | March 15 | 7 dates | TBD | May 29 |
| Baseball | Lower | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Boys/Girls Lacrosse | Higher | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Girls Soccer | Moderate | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Softball | Lower | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Boys Tennis | Lower | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Boys/Girls Track & Field | Lower | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Boys Volleyball | Moderate | April 5 | 7 dates | TBD | June 19 |
| Wrestling | Higher | April 19 | 7 dates | No State Series | June 12 |
