Fayetteville’s NCISAA schools ‘excited’ for possibility of fall sports
By Rodd Baxley FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Posted Jul 24, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Fayetteville’s private schools got a glimmer of hope earlier this week from the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association, which unveiled its plan to proceed with fall sports in mid-August.
Despite the unknowns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the decision was welcomed by Village Christian athletics director Harold Morrison, who has been seeking some sense of normalcy since prep sports came to a halt on March 13.
“We’re excited that we’ll have the opportunity, potentially, to still have athletics in the fall,” Morrison said.
“There’s a lot of concern that we won’t be able to do that, but our student-athletes are excited about that possibility. The big fear is that with Phase 2 being in effect, (the season) could be pushed back.
“Until we’re in Phase 3, no one’s going to be too excited. But it is nice to know that there’s a possibility that in a month we will back out on the field or court playing.”
On July 20, the NCISAA unveiled its plan to begin the fall sports season with practices on Aug. 10 and games scheduled to start Aug. 31.
Fayetteville has six private schools — Fayetteville Academy, Fayetteville Christian, Freedom Christian, Northwood Temple, Trinity Christian and Village Christian — in the 94-member association, which held a Zoom teleconference with athletic directors earlier this week to discuss plans for the fall.
“It’s been a little challenging trying to keep everybody involved,” Morrison said. “The guys are itching to get back out there and do stuff. It’s frustrating but it’s the new normal.”
Phase 2 of Gov. Roy Cooper’s reopening plan is set to expire Aug. 7.
″(NCISAA executive director) Homar (Ramirez) was real clear in our meeting that this was all about the state moving to Phase 3,” said Mike Oxendine, Northwood Temple’s director of athletics.
Still, that didn’t temper Oxendine’s enthusiasm when he heard the possibility of having a fall sports season.
“I was so excited,” Oxendine added.
“I just feel for these young kids that have put so much work into getting ready for their senior year or any year. I know how much work they’ve put into it. I just couldn’t imagine being in their shoes.”
Even with the optimism, Oxendine is forced to think about different variables, including his coaches, some of whom are older and could be vulnerable to the disease.
“It is unique because our coaches are all different, not just in age, but in thought process,” he said.
“To sort of cater to each one, I’ve got a couple of older coaches that don’t want to have workouts this summer and I fully agree with them. It’s a balance and I think every AD has had to deal with that.”
The NCISAA plans to release return-to-play standards for fall sports on Aug. 3. Those standards include but are not limited to health screening, sports specific modifications, spectator attendance, locker rooms, masks and social distancing, the association said in its release.
Some of those protocols have become routine for Fayetteville Christian and Trinity Christian. Both schools have been holding voluntary workouts since June and haven’t had a player test positive for COVID-19, according to FCS athletic director Leslie Snyder and Trinity football coach Chuck Webster.
The NCISAA “guidelines for conducting summer activities” were created by the association in conjunction with its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and are in compliance with recommendations from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“One thing I’ve been thankful for is that we’ve been fine through this whole time with no contractions of COVID-19,” Webster said.
“That’s with understanding that we don’t really know what’s going on (with the disease). We take it one day at a time. These kids — these teenagers — are handling a lot better than our adults.”
Snyder, who coaches volleyball, said the situation isn’t “ideal” but she’s thankful for the time with her team, even with the strict protocols in place.
“We’re blessed and super happy that we’ve had the chance to keep the girls active,” she said.
″. ... Blessed that we’re able to be together but still not ideal.”
Snyder admitted that she was “a little shocked” when the NCISAA announced its plans to proceed with fall sports.
“I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” she said. “It’s still contingent on when we move to Phase 3. ... It’s still in the air and a one-day-at-the-time situation.”
After two seasons of futility on the football field for the Warriors, who went 0-19 before making the move to 8-man football in 2019, the program won two games last fall. FCS is looking to build on that improvement in 2020.
“The football coaches are on pins and needles, ready to get started,” Snyder said.
“But they’re waiting patiently to get started. It’s frustrating but they still feel blessed that we’re able to do summer workouts and keep our kids active.”
The Crusaders are the reigning NCISAA Division III champions. It was their first state title in 10 years and their first as an 11-man football program.
But like Snyder, Webster is trying not to look too far ahead.
“We’re going day by day,” Webster said.
“Our association is trying to make this football thing work in the fall. With that, I feel like I have no choice but to have the mentality of preparing for a very dangerous game in many ways. We’ve been working out for two months now but we are following procedures and we’re not taking COVID-19 lightly.”
Webster praised his kids for their “toughness and mentality” throughout the ordeal.
“If it comes to not having a season, and that’s a fear of mine because it’s a possibility, we have to be realistic about it,” he said.
“It’s one hurdle after another as we move along, but my kids are handling it better than I have.”
As has been the case since March, safety continues to lead all discussions about a return.
“Not one time have I used the word mandatory,” Webster said of his workouts.
“I’ve had more turnout with voluntary than mandatory workouts this year. It’s been working for us, so we’re gonna ride this train as long as we can.”
Under the NCISAA’s plan, scrimmages in all fall sports, except football, are permitted to begin Aug. 24. The NCISAA has postponed football until at least Sept. 4 and plans to meet with schools that field football teams on the week of July 27 to discuss alternative plans and dates.
The N.C. High School Athletic Association, which oversees public schools, has delayed fall sports practices until at least Sept. 1 and the Cumberland County Schools system has delayed workouts indefinitely.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com
By Rodd Baxley FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Posted Jul 24, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Fayetteville’s private schools got a glimmer of hope earlier this week from the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association, which unveiled its plan to proceed with fall sports in mid-August.
Despite the unknowns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the decision was welcomed by Village Christian athletics director Harold Morrison, who has been seeking some sense of normalcy since prep sports came to a halt on March 13.
“We’re excited that we’ll have the opportunity, potentially, to still have athletics in the fall,” Morrison said.
“There’s a lot of concern that we won’t be able to do that, but our student-athletes are excited about that possibility. The big fear is that with Phase 2 being in effect, (the season) could be pushed back.
“Until we’re in Phase 3, no one’s going to be too excited. But it is nice to know that there’s a possibility that in a month we will back out on the field or court playing.”
On July 20, the NCISAA unveiled its plan to begin the fall sports season with practices on Aug. 10 and games scheduled to start Aug. 31.
Fayetteville has six private schools — Fayetteville Academy, Fayetteville Christian, Freedom Christian, Northwood Temple, Trinity Christian and Village Christian — in the 94-member association, which held a Zoom teleconference with athletic directors earlier this week to discuss plans for the fall.
“It’s been a little challenging trying to keep everybody involved,” Morrison said. “The guys are itching to get back out there and do stuff. It’s frustrating but it’s the new normal.”
Phase 2 of Gov. Roy Cooper’s reopening plan is set to expire Aug. 7.
″(NCISAA executive director) Homar (Ramirez) was real clear in our meeting that this was all about the state moving to Phase 3,” said Mike Oxendine, Northwood Temple’s director of athletics.
Still, that didn’t temper Oxendine’s enthusiasm when he heard the possibility of having a fall sports season.
“I was so excited,” Oxendine added.
“I just feel for these young kids that have put so much work into getting ready for their senior year or any year. I know how much work they’ve put into it. I just couldn’t imagine being in their shoes.”
Even with the optimism, Oxendine is forced to think about different variables, including his coaches, some of whom are older and could be vulnerable to the disease.
“It is unique because our coaches are all different, not just in age, but in thought process,” he said.
“To sort of cater to each one, I’ve got a couple of older coaches that don’t want to have workouts this summer and I fully agree with them. It’s a balance and I think every AD has had to deal with that.”
The NCISAA plans to release return-to-play standards for fall sports on Aug. 3. Those standards include but are not limited to health screening, sports specific modifications, spectator attendance, locker rooms, masks and social distancing, the association said in its release.
Some of those protocols have become routine for Fayetteville Christian and Trinity Christian. Both schools have been holding voluntary workouts since June and haven’t had a player test positive for COVID-19, according to FCS athletic director Leslie Snyder and Trinity football coach Chuck Webster.
The NCISAA “guidelines for conducting summer activities” were created by the association in conjunction with its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and are in compliance with recommendations from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“One thing I’ve been thankful for is that we’ve been fine through this whole time with no contractions of COVID-19,” Webster said.
“That’s with understanding that we don’t really know what’s going on (with the disease). We take it one day at a time. These kids — these teenagers — are handling a lot better than our adults.”
Snyder, who coaches volleyball, said the situation isn’t “ideal” but she’s thankful for the time with her team, even with the strict protocols in place.
“We’re blessed and super happy that we’ve had the chance to keep the girls active,” she said.
″. ... Blessed that we’re able to be together but still not ideal.”
Snyder admitted that she was “a little shocked” when the NCISAA announced its plans to proceed with fall sports.
“I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” she said. “It’s still contingent on when we move to Phase 3. ... It’s still in the air and a one-day-at-the-time situation.”
After two seasons of futility on the football field for the Warriors, who went 0-19 before making the move to 8-man football in 2019, the program won two games last fall. FCS is looking to build on that improvement in 2020.
“The football coaches are on pins and needles, ready to get started,” Snyder said.
“But they’re waiting patiently to get started. It’s frustrating but they still feel blessed that we’re able to do summer workouts and keep our kids active.”
The Crusaders are the reigning NCISAA Division III champions. It was their first state title in 10 years and their first as an 11-man football program.
But like Snyder, Webster is trying not to look too far ahead.
“We’re going day by day,” Webster said.
“Our association is trying to make this football thing work in the fall. With that, I feel like I have no choice but to have the mentality of preparing for a very dangerous game in many ways. We’ve been working out for two months now but we are following procedures and we’re not taking COVID-19 lightly.”
Webster praised his kids for their “toughness and mentality” throughout the ordeal.
“If it comes to not having a season, and that’s a fear of mine because it’s a possibility, we have to be realistic about it,” he said.
“It’s one hurdle after another as we move along, but my kids are handling it better than I have.”
As has been the case since March, safety continues to lead all discussions about a return.
“Not one time have I used the word mandatory,” Webster said of his workouts.
“I’ve had more turnout with voluntary than mandatory workouts this year. It’s been working for us, so we’re gonna ride this train as long as we can.”
Under the NCISAA’s plan, scrimmages in all fall sports, except football, are permitted to begin Aug. 24. The NCISAA has postponed football until at least Sept. 4 and plans to meet with schools that field football teams on the week of July 27 to discuss alternative plans and dates.
The N.C. High School Athletic Association, which oversees public schools, has delayed fall sports practices until at least Sept. 1 and the Cumberland County Schools system has delayed workouts indefinitely.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com
