Four days after the vote to allow fall sports to begin on the scheduled date of Monday, July 27, the Florida High School Athletic Association voted to suspend the practice of fall sports until Aug. 24.

Under the new plan, the FHSAA will host an in-person Board assembly Between Aug. 10 and 17 to review the findings of the executive committees, adding the FHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC).

Schools can continue with summer conditioning until August 24.

The first possible football adjustment could take position the week of September 7-11.

It is the only vote held in the assembly for more than 3 hours after a marathon assembly of 5 hours on Monday.

The board came in with two action topics: the SMAC report that was virtually ignored on Monday and the return to participation guidance, which was not discussed due to the measures taken.

At Monday’s meeting, FHSAA Executive Director George Tomyn said the official kickoff of fall sports will begin on July 27.

But after many negative comments, the FHSAA board will meet Thursday to reconsider Monday’s actions.

After lengthy and lengthy discussions, primarily over the SMAC report, Doug Dodd of Citrus County introduced a move to “temporarily delay the start of fall sports until Aug. 24 and direct the executive director to work with the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and other advisors. “forums to prepare a tip for the start of fall sports at an in-person board meeting on Aug. 17.

The movement was modified for the week of August 10-17.

It was seconded through Chris Patricca of Lee County, who withdrew an earlier move to suspend all sports.

The concept of waiting for all the new data accumulated through the SMAC committee.

Originally, the plan was to wait for schools to begin class sessions and use knowledge from the first or second week of school to determine when to start fall sports. But with start dates fluctuating across the state, the council instead relies on up-to-date COVID-19 information.

“When we see the knowledge and the trends, I hope the SMAC committee will come together and communicate about all of those issues as well,” Dodd said. “We will have a much better picture and a broader concept of how to move forward. “

The vote, held 2 hours and 54 minutes after the start of the meeting at 3:15 a. m. m. , followed 11-4.

With the data collected, it will be decided at the next assembly whether or not schools will begin fall practice on Aug. 24.

An earlier discussion reported that fall practice may begin after the COVID-19 coronavirus positivity rate fell below 5% for 28 days.

A first discussion had football and volleyball, the two sports considered the most harmful to play through the SMAC report, moving to winter or spring, but this gained popularity.

It was said that cross-country, swimming, diving and golf would be enough to start or almost as planned, however, all autumn sports were grouped together.

The 3 counties in the region, on the recommendation of their county chiefs, have proposed other start dates for fall sports: Manatee County on September 7 without participation in the state series, Sarasota County on August 10 with participation in the state series and Charlotte County on August 17 with participation in the state series.

Counties in the region have gone far beyond Phase 1 of their summer exercise plans. Charlotte County student-athletes were the only ones allowed to exercise indoors and in a weight room.

Manatee County took a break from packing week due to the two FHSAA board meetings.

The council’s moves have prompted Manatee County Athletic Director Jason to reconsider some plans.

“We’ll probably work assuming it all starts on the 24th,” he said. And let’s see what the FHSAA does the week of the 10th to the 17th. As we know, things are changing a lot. “

As for the option to reconsider the festival in the state series, he said: “Absolutely, let’s take a look at it. It depends a lot on how they organize it and what we do. I’m interested to see how the comprehensive plan evolved. ” Through the eyes of the FHSAA, we are in a position to watch what comes.

FHSAA board chair Lauren Otero of Tampa Plant High conducted her own survey, surveyed public schools in 67 counties, and received responses from 396 schools in 47 counties. Of the 396, more than 90 percent or 359 schools said they would start on July 27.

The FHSAA is looking to come up with an overall plan to return to play and start the date, despite objections from Panhandle schools that claim they can start Monday, and Miami-Dade County schools that have not been an in-house construction. since March and I haven’t started training in the summer.

Tomyn, somewhat agitated, said, “This council has already approved the official date for the option to start fall sports on July 27 and has at the local level whether the school and district are taking this resolution to start or not. “

“The vote is to convert what you voted on Monday to postpone fall sports until the 24th. “

“Security will have to be the key to everything that awaits us at our next meeting,” Patricca said.

“The virus is going to go away, but we have to continue for sure,” said Florida High Boys basketball coach Charlie Ward, winner of the Heisman Trophy.

This article struck the impression on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: High school sports have regressed until at least August 24.