There’s a high level of uncertainty for the S.C. High School League sports year.

While school districts like Lexington District 1 have resumed workouts after postponing them with the increased covid-19 numbers, others around the Palmetto State remain inactive.

More definitive answers are expected at 8 am Wednesday when the Executive Committee holds a zoom meeting at 8 a.m. Among the topics of discussion are a sports season proposal from Lexington District 1 District Athletics Director David Bennett. The plan is similar to the “Plan C” proposed by the S.C. Football Coaches Association and would divide the sports year into 4 seasons:

FALL (Sept. 21 - Nov. 27)

- girls tennis (12 varsity matches, 8 JV matches) 

- girls golf (8 varsity matches, 4 JV matches) - swimming (4 meets)

- baseball (16 varsity games, 12 JV games)

- softball (16 varsity games, 12 JV games)

- girls lacrosse (12 matches)

- cross country (5 meets)

(NOTE: The golf and swimming seasons will take place Sept. 7 - Oct. 30)

WINTER (Nov. 23 - Jan. 29)

- basketball (16 varsity games, 12 JV games)

- spirit cheer 

SPRING 1 (Jan. 25 - April 2)

- football (6 varsity & JV games)

- volleyball (12 varsity, 8 JV games)

- Competitive cheer (4 competitions) 

SPRING 2 (March 22 - May 28)

- track (5 meets)

- wrestling (8 varsity, 4 JV matches)

- soccer (12 varsity, 8 JV matches)

- boys golf (8 varsity matches, 4 JV matches)

- boys tennis (12 varsity, 8 JV matches)

- boys lacrosse (12 varsity, 8 JV matches)

This plan groups sports based on high, moderate and low risk, with the latter starting in 2021. 

Another proposal expected to be discussed comes from Greenville County School District Superintendent W. Burke Royster. It would suspend all in-person workouts until the start of preseason drills on July 30. 

A zoom press conference is schedule afterwards at noon. 

SCISA

Planning for the upcoming athletics year appear to be going as scheduled for the South Carolina Independent Schools Association. 

Athletics Director Mike Fanning said schools will start Phase 2.5 of its plan to resume athletics. It starts Thursday and will run through July 29, the day before preseason practices begin.  

Among the updates:

• Practice groups increase from 9 to 15 and 7-on-7 passing drills within a team are permitted.

• Offense can play against defense

• Physical distancing using the bench and outside the dugout are recommended

Northside Christian Academy and W.W. King Academy are the lone SCISA schools in Chronicle Country. Crusaders head football coach Stacy Bell said the team has taken extra steps in insuring safe practices for the 35 players in attendance.

This includes closely following the different phases of instruction such as having limiting groups to 10 or less, constant cleaning of weight equipment and social distancing. 

“We’re doing everything asked and we always want to err on the side of the kids being safe and we’ve haven’t had any issues so far,” Bell said. 

Being a small school has actually worked to Northside Christian’s advantage in terms of making it easier to manage the players. The Crusaders open the season Aug. 21 against Cambridge Academy at Palmetto State Armory Field.

W.W. King Academy head football coach and new headmaster Zach Matthews said he’s enjoyed the highest participation rate in the past 7 years. With 18 varsity and 2 8th graders, the Knights have still limited their ball-less workouts to weight lighting and conditioning. 

W.W. King opens the season with Faith Christian on Aug. 28.