By Michael Letendre

The winter scholastic sports campaign might be getting off the ground after all, even as COVID attempted to derail the entire season.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, with help from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, is putting together a plan that will see a number of winter sports finally get off the ground.

The goal would be to start practices on January 19 and begin regular season play about two weeks later.

Further input from Governor Ned Lamont’s office and the DPH will help shape the winter season before play unfolds between schools.

And while every winter sport won’t be making a return, basketball, hockey, gymnastics, and swimming could be given the green light with a start date that’s about a week away.

“The CIAC has received updated COVID winter sports guidance from the Connecticut Department of Public Health,” said the CIAC’s John Holt. “We thank DPH for its timely work, detailed guidance, and continued collaboration in the safe return to interscholastic sports for CIAC member school athletes.”

‘Medium risk’ sports remain on the docket while wrestling, cheerleading and dance are considered ‘high risk’ and will not be played this winter.

Indoor track was originally proposed but the lack of venues make the possibility of competition impossible.

Facilities, such as the Floyd Little Athletic Center, were probably not in play – leaving precious few gymnasiums available for a tri meet or full blown competitions.

Plus, indoor track meets are large gatherings that would contain more athletes and coaches in one area that could be dangerous during pandemic times.

Currently, ‘medium risk’ winter sports athletes are being allowed to meet for conditioning only and there is a limit of four players during those sessions.

Proposals on the table call for a dozen game season for boys and girls basketball, boys swimming, hockey and gymnastics.

And a postseason tournament, unlike the ‘fall experience’ method, is expected with the playoffs to start during the second week of March.

All the sports, with the exception of swimming, will see athletes, coaches, and officials wear face masks on the courts.

Added timeouts for rest will also be added to the competitions and players have to remain socially distant when not playing.

Out of state games, meets and competitions are not expected to take place this year.

If everything goes to plan, the winter sports campaign will commence in a two-month window with games rumored to begin over the first week of February.

The pandemic may still wreak havoc with the upcoming sport schedule but in terms of the season, actual plans for winter sports will soon be firmed up.

“Ahead of Thursday’s CIAC Board of Control meeting, the updated guidance will be reviewed by the CIAC Sports Medicine Committee,” said Holt. “The CIAC Board of Control will consider approval of finalized winter sports plans at Thursday’s meeting. An update will be provided after our schools have been notified of any actions taken by the Board.”

The CIAC Board of Control will vote on the scheduled plan this Thursday with more details to follow.

Competitors on the field and courts don’t seem to spread COVID-19 according to the metrics but every precaution will be taken to insure all participants remain safe and healthy this winter.

Spectators may be limited once again, especially in enclosed gymnasiums, and those guidelines will soon be announced.

Volleyball allowed a limited, home crowd which was usually filled with parents and siblings.

Other factors will also shape the winter scholastic season, whether for the positive or negative – leaving several questions that may not have an immediate answer.

Will certain athletes, due to the pandemic, not take the court in 2021?

And what happens when a town hits increased pandemic numbers that reach unacceptable levels?

What about a team from the Naugatuck Valley League, for instance, that plays several schools from Waterbury.

If Waterbury goes to a remote learning format, seeing facility closures and cancelled games, will those missed contests be made up?

All those obstacles could play a role in how the season goes but at the very least, scholastic sports will commence for the first time since mid-November. 

A possible relaunch for those postponed sports, wrestling, cheerleading, and dance, along with football, has not yet been determined.