High School Football Season Moved To Spring With Shorter Season, Fewer Games
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There will be no high school football or volleyball seasons in Minnesota this fall.
Board members of the Minnesota Sports High School League voted Tuesday to move the football and volleyball seasons to 2021. However, the board approved a motion to allow volleyball and football practices this fall. It's not yet clear when those practices could start.
JUST IN: No Friday night lights this fall: #MSHSL votes to move football to the spring. Volleyball moves to a winter/spring season. Soccer WILL start on August 17th.
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) August 4, 2020
The board also voted to add a "fourth season" in 2021. Football and volleyball will be played during a spring season, between mid-March and mid-May. Traditional spring sports will be pushed to a summer season, spanning from May to early July. Winter sports will go on as scheduled.
READ MORE: High School Athletes Disappointed At Decision To Move Football, Volleyball From Fall To Spring
Many fall sports, including boys' and girls' soccer, cross-country, tennis and swimming, are still on for fall, with shortened calendars and fewer games/competitions. Practices are set to start on Aug. 17.
These decisions come as Minnesota schools prepare to start the academic year with the COVID-19 pandemic still spreading. Some schools, such as Minneapolis Public Schools and St. Paul Public Schools, have already said they are going to start the year with distance learning.
Per the governor's decision last month, districts are being allowed to decide what works best for them this fall: distance learning, in-person leaning or a hybrid combination of the two. Some of the largest districts in the state have yet to announce their plans.