It’s complicated: no new information from the GHSA combined with foggy media info made for an odd day
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Entering Wednesday, there was a buzz that by dinnertime, something notable may change with the Georgia high school sports landscape, courtesy of the weekly consultation meeting between GHSA executive director Robin Hines and the association’s Sports Medicine Advisory Council.
But the GHSA tried to nix that buzz before the afternoon meeting started, noting – as some media reports said and others completely missed – that this was only the regular consultation meeting and nothing official would be decided.
Whereas many Wednesdays this summer included an announcement from Hines on some change in the football and fall practice guidelines, Hines went so far as to say – before the meeting, as some media reports noted and others, as well as people, completely overlooked – that there would be nothing to announce on Wednesday.
There wasn’t, and he didn’t, except to repeat that the meeting was advisory and nothing official could come from it.
It didn’t matter much.
Into the evening and night, incorrect or misleading media reports continued and social media reaction from fans remained way off base. There was no official move to make or vote on or announce, yet media reports inferred otherwise, breathlessly noting that the GHSA chose not to make any adjustments. A Score Atlanta report Wednesday evening that the sports medicine group – a Tweet incorrectly stated that the “association decides against scrimmages - recommended canceling the scrimmages scheduled for Aug. 21 and 28, but there has been no indication from the GHSA – which sent out no releases or information Wednesday - or other media reports that scrimmages were done.
Hines may announce in the coming days what items discussed at the meeting, which gained attention coming on the heels of a statewide discussion last week between superintendents and top state health official Dr. Kathleen Toomey. Scrimmages are no doubt among the unending list of topics.
FYI 1
Georgia isn’t the only state still planning to play football despite COVID-19 numbers that are no way near “acceptable,” in large part because Georgia is one of many states – mostly in the South – that pushed to reopen their states early despite not coming close to White House guidelines for doing so.
Gov. Brian Kemp even received mild and public criticism from President Trump – who has pushed for reopening state for months regardless of COVID numbers – way back in April for reopening the state.
Georgia is fifth nationally in total cases, fourth nationally in cases the past seven days, eighth in cases per 100,000 residents, and 16th in deaths per 100,000 residents.
The state is eighth in population with 10.6 million people.
FYI II
The GHSA has 469 members high schools, as per the last reclassification, with 43 not playing football. The GISA has 24 schools playing 11-man football this season,with 14 11-man teams in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools. The latter two groups also have several 8-man teams, meaning just short of 500 high school teams are planning/hoping to play football in 2020.
But he doesn’t have the power to make any unilateral decision on the fall season. He can offer possibilities or recommendations and reveal some of the information discussed or uncovered at the Wednesday meeting, and even speculate.
The latter is doubtful.
The GHSA, however, can’t make another official move without a vote of the Board of Trustees, which would have to meet again in some form. A web meeting in May led to the approval of starting conditioning in June, and an in-person meeting in Thomaston on July 20 led to the state pushing back football’s start two weeks and keeping other fall sports on schedule.
So, scores of people finished Wednesday under some misapprehensions, thanks to issues with media reports.
Overlooked in many of those stories is the fact that superintendents and school boards decide who competes, not the GHSA, which has no specific governance over participation in general. It is the governing body of the programs volunteering to participate and be members. The GHSA has had nothing to do, technically, with the schools that aren’t competing this fall.
The association will likely consult with superintendents galore – yes, metro Atlanta’s will be heard more than anybody’s, and it’s notable that more than 250 employees in the Gwinnett County system have tested positive or been exposed to the virus recently – while continuing to monitor numbers and follow controversial decisions of Gov. Brian Kemp.
Deaths are on an overall increase the past several weeks, as are hospitalizations. And Georgia got national attention this week with pictures of jam-packed school hallways filled with students following no guidelines: no separation, hardly a mask in sight. A second-grader in Cherokee County tested positive after one day of school, and there have been many positive tests after a day or two of classes for the systems that have started.
Decatur City Schools will skip the first three games of the season, and Twiggs County won’t be playing fall sports at least until a nine-week virtual learning span has passed and is re-assessed. Many other districts appear on the fringe of making a decision to not participate in fall sports, or delay their start. It’s a safe bet that decisions will be made over the weekend and announced on Monday for those making a change.
Wednesday’s meeting included Toomey, who was able to focus her views on athletics.
Focus has been on football, but softball’s season officially starts Thursday, with volleyball next week.
Odds are Hines and GHSA officials will spend the rest of the week consulting – they won’t need to reach out much to hear anything - and paying attention to numbers as well as decisions – and views – from other states and assess the situation after a week of classes.
Thus, unless there was something very notable discussed or predicted in Wednesday’s advisory meeting it’s doubtful there will be any official movement from the GHSA the rest of the week.
Speculation and misinformation the rest of the week won’t slow down much, though. Next week could be huge, or simply a rerun of this week.