Beginning June 1, CHSAA is lifting the restrictions on in-person conditioning between coaches and high school participants.

Decisions regarding athletics and activities through the summer will be made at the local school district level.

CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said, “This isn’t recreational park play or a free-for-all… Our schools will face some challenges, no different than professional and collegiate sports to resume any level of student participation.”

Blanford-Green provided schools with suggested recommendations in an email sent on Tuesday. This referenced national and state health guidelines to assist resuming activities and athletics while prioritizing safety standards and protocols.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. As with reopening our country and our state, taking incremental steps within the mandated and suggested guidelines will be critical in ensuring the success of transitioning from virtual to in-person,” said Blanford-Green.

“Each district’s individual date of return has been fully supported by our office. Our school administrators have assessed their local situations and have made the best decisions based on the safety and well-being of their students and school personnel,” said Blanford-Green.

She said that she has strongly recommended that each school or district have a comprehensive plan in place during this transition and that their school communities, including participants, parents, and especially coaches, are informed of the expectations prior to physical contact or in-person sessions.

“Our students, coaches, schools, and the Association are ready to resocialize back to participation,” Blanford-Green said.

Blanford-Green says that the importance of returning to education-based athletics and activities reaches beyond a contest or a perceived scholarship. It is about reconnecting students socially, emotionally, and physically.

The CHSAA Resocialization Task Force will meet June 1 to begin discussions on athletics and activities for high school participation for the 2020-2021 school year.

According to CHSAA, all relevant bylaws still apply during this period, including football equipment rules and camp limitations.

To see the guidance for returning to conditioning, look below.