OSAA puts HS football on hold indefinitely, other fall sports delayed

(Update: Adding video, comments)

OSAA made decisions at recent board meeting

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon School Activities Association board members recently decided to delay some high school sports, while prohibiting high school football at this time, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Cross -country, soccer and volleyball's original start date of Aug. 27 has been pushed back to Sept. 23.

JD Downing, an assistant coach for Summit High's cross-country team, is calling the news a relief.

"Within our staff, it was a little bit of relief honestly," Downing said Thursday. "Because we really didn't know where things were headed."

Downing said the team has been holding voluntary practices this summer, trying to maintain physical distancing by running in small groups.

"(It's) to keep the kids active and keep them socializing as much as possible," Downing said. "That's a huge part of sports and activities. It's just the social dimension -- we're not here to produce the next Olympian or pro athlete."

The calendar for this year's cross-country season is empty, which Downing said is usually full of races by now. Downing added that the goal for this year is to have a 4-week race season.

Cooper Andersen is heading into his sophomore year at Summit High. Andersen, who plays for the school's soccer team, is calling the delay a "bummer."

"It would be really nice to have a lot of competitive games and get back to normal," Andersen said.

Football, considered a full-contact sport, is currently prohibited by the governor's and Oregon Health Authority Guidelines.

Restrictions on the football season would need to be lifted by Sept. 28 to have a modified season and a postseason, according to OSAA's Football Contingency Group.

Cheerleading, as well as dance and drill teams, have also been prohibited, for now.

Here's a memo sent Wednesday by OSAA Executive Director Peter Weber to superintendents, principals and athletic directors: