With the UIL’s decision to allow fall sports to begin in August, schools are attempting to navigate the guidelines that will govern fans and spectators.
The guidelines provided by the UIL state that schools may allow spectators to attend events, with a 50 percent capacity limit, provided that social distancing between groups of spectators is maintained. Signs indicating entrances and exits will be posted and remote ticketing options and reserved entry times are encouraged.
Seating will not be allowed on consecutive rows. School staff will block off seating to maintain a minimum six feet of distance between groups of no more than 10 people, and 10 feet from bands playing wind instruments in the stands. Seating, hand rails and other common surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected prior to each game or contest.
Spectators will be required to wear face coverings and will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering. School officials are currently in the process of determining how best to enforce these newest guidelines.
Snyder ISD Athletic Director Wes Wood said district officials were meeting to develop plans for implementing the UIL guidelines and that those plans would be announced in the future. Ira ISD has not made a decision either.
Hermleigh ISD Athletic Director Heath Gibson said that he looks forward to being able to begin the football season. He said he had expected the UIL to push back the start of the fall seasons at all levels.
“We’ll have to sit down with the superintendent and coaches and talk it out, but there are definitely going to be some things in place that will be new for us,” Gibson said. “It’s definitely going to be a new process that we’ll just all have to learn to abide by.”