Spring sport proposal:
Extend the soccer season with the state finals May 27-28. Class A – AAA at one site, AAAA – AAAAA at another. Regular season ends on May 7. This extra week allows for make-up games due to poor weather or COVID-19 issues. First round of playoff May 14 - 15, Second round 17 – 18, Third round 21 – 22, Fourth round 24 – 25. This would keep the current playoff format of 4 teams from each region or equivalent.
Tennis, golf, and track/field could all modify schedule/qualifiers back 2 weeks. There could be a state-wide spring sports championship week/celebration. All spring sports (outside lacrosse) would have their state titles between May 27 and June 5, a celebration that ALL sports had a successful season. All schools will be in session, so pushing the spring seasons back shouldn't be an issue.
There is a vaccine coming by the new year and most school districts are going back 4 or 5 days a week in January. Makes no sense to shorten seasons that lost an entire year while the majority of the school districts in the state are going back 4/5 days a week. If the argument is fairness; spring sports were cancelled, yet football played for weeks this year with school districts going fully virtual and how is it fair that 60%+ of spring sport athletes will not have had a state tournament for 2 full years. Ohio EXPANDED their playoffs this year (2020) and allowed EVERY football team into the state tournament.
Also, we would want the preseason modified also with 2 weeks of open season from January 11-22 even if it has a 10 person maximum.
