Ranking shows riskiest high school sports for coronavirus, national association says
For the past couple months, the whistles have fallen silent. The field grass remains untouched, the stadium and arena seats sit empty. The coronavirus has altered our world in every way imaginable, including sports which have been muted out of precaution.
But with spring in full bloom, the world of sports — from youth to the pros — is coming back to life.
In Texas, for example, summer strength and conditioning programs for high school athletes are expected start in June.
On Tuesday, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) issued new guidelines for “state athletic governing bodies around the country as they develop their strategies for returning to the field from the coronavirus pandemic,” reported TC Palm.
“The NFHS SMAC believes it is essential to the physical and mental well-being of high school students across the nation to return to physical activity and athletic competition,” the statement reads. “The NFHS SMAC recognizes that it is likely that ALL students will not be able to return to — and sustain — athletic activity at the same time in all schools, and states.”
The document’s guidelines include a three-part phase-in system that will help determine which sports will be allowed in the coronavirus sportsworld.
“It is important to be clear that these is guidance for individual states to consider as they return to activities this fall,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director, according to High School OT.com.
Phase 3 lists the potential coronavirus infection risk for high school sports:
Higher risk
Higher risk sports are activities that involve close contact among athletes, along with “lack of protective barriers, and high probability that respiratory particles will be transmitted,” the NFHS guideline reads.
Wrestling
Football
Boys lacrosse
Competitive cheer
Dance
Moderate risk
Sports “that involve close, sustained contact, but with protective equipment in place that may reduce the likelihood of respiratory particle transmission between participants.”
Basketball
Volleyball
Baseball
Softball
Soccer
Water polo
Gymnastics
Ice hockey
Field hockey
Tennis
Swimming relays
Pole vault
High jump
Girls lacrosse
Crew with two or more rowers in shell
7-on-7 football
Lower risk
Sports “that can be done with social distancing or individually with no sharing of equipment or the ability to clean the equipment between use by competitors” are at a lower risk of spreading/sharing the coronavirus.
Individual running events
Throwing events (javelin, shot put, discus)
Individual swimming events
Golf
Weightlifting
Alpine skiing
Sideline cheer
Single sculling
Cross country running
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Ranking shows riskiest high school sports for coronavirus, national association says."