IL High School Fall Sports Pushed to Spring

The governing body for high school athletics in Illinois decided Wednesday to push football and most other fall sports to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Illinois High School Association’s decision to move football, boys soccer and volleyball to a February-to-May season came hours after Gov. J.B. Pritzker barred interscholastic play for contact or intense sports such as football, wrestling and competitive cheering and dance because of the ease with which the coronavirus can spread.

Cross country and golf for both boys and girls, and girls tennis and swimming will continue in their traditional fall slots.

Pritzker released a list of more than three dozen sports from boxing to bass fishing which are ranked in terms of their risk for transmitting the highly contagious and potentially fatal virus, and accompanied by appropriate levels of participation.

The rules take effect Aug. 15 and also apply to adult recreational leagues, travel clubs, park district and similar programs, but not to college or professional sports.

Schedules for wintertime sports like basketball, wrestling, bowling and gymnastics will not change, according to the IHSA.

The displaced fall sports will follow in the spring, and the traditional spring sports baseball, track and field, girls soccer, boys tennis and others will have “summer” seasons in May and June.

The plan “remains fluid,” IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said.