NCHSAA makes changes to basketball, football guidelines at winter meeting

Published 1:37 pm Friday, December 4, 2020

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This week’s winter meeting of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association brought forth a number of changes to high school sports for this season and beyond.

Approved at Thursday’s meeting was a new 60-second timeout in each quarter for the upcoming basketball season “to provide an opportunity for athletes to adapt to wearing masks.”

The committee also approved a $4 million allocation from the endowment to distribute to high school programs. A subcommittee will be formed to determine how the money will be doled out.

Football next season will look different with the elimination of the subdivisions, along with reduction in the number of regular season games including an endowment from 11 games to 10. The first game of the season can not occur more than two days before the final Friday in the month, Aug. 27.

Virtual monitoring will also be allowed for athletes going through concussion protocol.

In a statement, NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker said the association was “grateful to be able to again offer competitive opportunities for student-athletes across the state. We are doubly thankful to the foresight and wisdom of past Boards that have put the Association in a position to weather the tremendous storm that COVID-19 brought into all of our lives. Not only will the NCHSAA weather the storm, we will be able to provide financial assistance to our member school’s athletic programs during these difficult times because of the dedication and guidance of so many past Board members that set the Association on solid footing.”

Tucker added as the NCHSAA awaits “the COVID-19 vaccine and hopeful abatement of the current worldwide crisis, we believe that better days are ahead for NCHSAA Member Schools and we will again be able to offer the robust programs and championship events that our student-athletes, coaches and communities have enjoyed for so long.”

About Charles Curcio

Charles Curcio has served as the sports editor of the Stanly News & Press for more than 16 years and has written numerous news and feature storeis as well. He was awarded the NCHSAA Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year and named CNHI Sports Editor of the Year in 2014. He has also won an award from Boone Newspapers, and has won four North Carolina Press Association awards.

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