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NCHSAA announces next steps to return high school sports

CHAPEL HILL — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced via a press release Friday that it’s beginning the next stages of helping return high school athletics as soon as possible.

James Alverson, the assistant commissioner of media relations, alerted media members that the NCHSAA is working with several state agencies to help restore normalcy for high school sports. 

The press release comes days after states like Alabama and Georgia made public that football programs in those states can resume summer workouts starting June 1.

Also, the NFHS, the nation’s governing body of all high school athletic associations, released a 16-page document earlier in the week outlining guidelines states should consider when beginning athletic play again.

Friday marked the first day Gov. Roy Cooper’s “phase two” of reopening, which will allow restaurants to open and lift his stay-at-home order beginning at 5 p.m.

“As stated by the Governor, we have been in communication with the Department of Health and Human Services concerning next steps for a return to athletic activities across the state,” Alverson wrote. 

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“Since we have not yet had an opportunity to discuss the guidelines mentioned by the Governor and Dr. (Mandy) Cohen with a broader audience in our membership, we will spend the next several days discussing options, opportunities and best practices for resuming activity with our board of directors and sports medicine advisory committee, in addition to other stakeholder groups such as principals, athletic director and coaches groups.”

He added that these conversations will help the NCHSAA “determine a more specific and detailed path forward.”

Since the coronavirus outbreak swept the nation earlier this spring, North Carolina hasn’t had an active sports schedule since Friday, March 13. That includes games, practices, workouts and in-person meetings.

The next step will be a Zoom press briefing by the NCHSAA for media members on Tuesday. Commissioner Que Tucker “will be available at that time to answer questions and provide an update on NCHSAA plans based on the DHHS guidelines.”

This is a developing story and the Richmond Observer will update it following Tucker’s virtual press conference.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.