Some NC high school athletes won’t be required to wear masks while playing outside
To say that Myers Park High running back Jacob Newman was excited to learn he wouldn’t have to play with a mask on anymore, would be a little bit of an understatement.
“First of all,” Newman said, “that’s just great. Man, to go from where we started to where we are now, and to finally get the masks off and feel a little bit back to normal? That’s amazing! That’s great!
“I mean, wow.”
On Wednesday, N.C. Governor Roy Cooper issued a new executive order that relaxed some of the state’s coronavirus restrictions. Among them: high school athletes will no longer have to wear masks while playing outdoors. The change goes into effect at 5 p.m. Friday and runs through June 1.
The N.C. High School Athletic Association and the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association, the two largest governing bodies for state high school athletics, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Wake County Schools will follow those guidelines.
“Governor Cooper said Friday,” NCISAA executive director Homar Ramirez said, “and we’re starting Friday.”
There are 16 public school football state semifinals scheduled for Friday -- including Vance playing against Newman’s Myers Park team in Charlotte -- as well as a full schedule of games in sports like baseball, track and girls soccer.
NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker was asked about the change during a news conference Thursday.
She said that players on the bench will not have to wear masks either, but urged that teams continue practicing social distancing on the sidelines.
“I don’t have to wear the mask while I’m out there playing,” Tucker said. “When I come (out), I should try to maintain social distancing. My teammates should do the same thing while they’re waiting. If they’re on the bench, as long as they can not cluster and be all in each other’s space and face, then not wearing the mask on the sideline, I think is fine. But if I’m the coach and I’m having a team meeting and everybody’s sitting side-by-side, then I might ask my (team), ‘ Take your mask out, put them on while we have this conversation.’”
Will fans still be required to wear masks?
Tucker said the decision on whether fans will be required to wear a mask at games would be left up to the state’s individual school districts.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokesperson Brian Hacker said the district will still require fans to wear masks at outdoor events.
“CMS is aware the North Carolina High School Athletic Association updated its guidance on face coverings following the Governor’s mask mandate announcement on Wednesday,” Hacker said via an email staement. “CMS has made no changes to our face covering practices. Superintendent (Earnest) Winston and leadership staff will review the NCHSAA changes next week and will communicate any updates immediately should the district implement changes. We continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff.”
Wake County said Thursday that “spectators are also encouraged, but not required, to wear face coverings.”
The executive order states “masks will still be required indoors but are no longer mandated outdoors. Masks are still strongly recommended outdoors...in crowded areas and higher risk settings where social distancing is difficult.”
Said Tucker: “Not a lot changed in the language for spectators. I think the idea, based upon what I heard the Governor say, is that any large crowds, where social distancing will be a challenge, is the expectation would be that they continue to wear those masks.
“So, what I believe will happen is that every school system will work to determine how they will manage letting fans into the game without a mask. Will they tell fans, ‘You come in wearing a mask and then once you get seated, if you’re socially distanced, then you can pull them off?’ I’m not sure how that’s going to work.”
But on the field, at least while playing, the masks are coming off.
And Newman said that’s a very big deal.
“It gets really hard to breath sometimes when you’re running around,” he said. “It’s hard to get air to your lungs and you’ve got to take your helmet off. Playing in the mask can be really tough. So, we were already pumped and excited about this game, and now this will be great news for the whole team. I know they’ll all be ready to rip those masks off and be ready to go.”
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
