Spring Sports: Monday, September 21, 2020, to Friday, October. 30, 2020

Fall Sports: Monday, November. 2, 2020, to Friday, December 11, 2020

Winter Sports: Monday, December 14, 2020, to Friday, January 22, 2021

Required Documentation for Participation

Students must provide documentation of an updated pre-participation physical evaluation (sports physical) before participating in any conditioning and re-engagement activities. All pre-participation forms and COVID-19 acknowledgment forms must be completed prior to the start of activities. 

Student Athlete Participation Packet

Sports Physical Form

Parent Packet

COVID-19 Acknowledgement

First Semester Voluntary Conditioning and Skill-based Engagement Guidelines

• All activities will be voluntary for both students and coaches. All practices/workouts, etc. must be voluntary and cannot be held against non-participants for competition beginning February 1. 
• All activities will be open to all high school students, and there will be no try-outs. According to MPSSAA guidelines, selection of teams cannot happen until the February 1^st seasons begin; therefore, anyone interested in any sport must be allowed to participate during the Fall sessions.
• Sports that are not “in season” during the identified time periods may not meet in any capacity.  Meaning basketball teams may not have open gym during the Fall spring and/or Fall identified “seasons.” 
• All activities must be held on school campus, with the exception of golf - unless alternate arrangements have been approved by school administration. 
• Activities will be held Monday through Friday from 3:30 PM until 8:00 PM, with a limit of 2 hours per day for each sport or activity.
• All activities must be conducted in cohorts of 10-15 students and follow current social distancing guidelines.
• One coach per 10-15 student-athletes
• Cohort composition must remain consistent during each session and throughout the conditioning and re-acclimatization activities. Students will remain in the same cohort from their first to last day of participation. 

• Week 1 = Cohort (10-15 students) conditioning/re-acclimatization activities only.
• Weeks 2-6 = Cohort (10-15 students) skill based coaching/instruction may take place
• The use of locker rooms will not be permitted
• Teams must follow sport-specific guidelines on allowable activities and equipment (See Rules Consideration Document)
• For non-indoor sports, if there is inclement weather, practice will be cancelled.  Baseball/softball/tennis/track/etc. will not utilize gym or other indoor spaces.  The only exception to that is utilizing the weight room under the same protocols implemented in the summer workout sessions.  AD’s can provide guidance on numbers of students allowed at a time, etc.  
• Teams may not participate in non-MPSSAA sanctioned competitions such as recreational or club leagues.  This participation can result in becoming ineligible for MPSSAA competition beginning on February 1. 

Use of Face Coverings

• Students and staff must follow ACPS guidelines for face coverings while on school property or at approved alternate sites. 
• All students and coaches must have a face covering with them (on their person) at all times.
• Students engaged in high-intensity physical activity outdoors do not need to wear a mask when socially distanced.
• Coaches are expected to comply with and enforce the use of face coverings whenever social distancing of 6 feet is difficult to maintain. 
• Students and staff must use face coverings while indoors at all times.
• During weight conditioning and while in the weight room, students must use face coverings at all times, even while lifting.

Check-In Procedures

• Carpooling is not recommended
• Parents/caregivers who choose to remain on site must remain in vehicles and should avoid congregating in the parking lot or on athletic fields. 
• Coaches will track attendance and utilize contact tracing forms

Safety and Hygiene Practices

• No shared water bottles or utilizing “troughs (football)”. Students must bring their own water bottles labeled with their names.
• All equipment and balls must be sanitized before and after sessions
• Any “pennies” or practice shirts must be given out the first day and used by the athlete through the entire “sport season” in the Fall.  There should be no back and forth between the coach and players with “pennies” where shirts could be shared.
• Players nor coaches should leave any clothing, shoes, bags, etc. overnight.  Everything should be brought to practice daily and taken home at the conclusion.  
• Hand sanitizing stations will be available
• Athletes are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer
• Athletes should be reminded not touch their faces
• Team huddles, handshakes, fist bumps, spitting, chewing of sunflower seeds, and other activities that promote transmission of illness will not be permitted. 
• Athletes who are sick from COVID-19 may not attend a practice or training until they are cleared for release from isolation according to CDC guidelines and cleared to return by a healthcare provider. 
• Any staff or youth athlete exposed to a person with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 may not attend the program until they have completed quarantine following CDC guidelines.

Published 9/21/20

Spring Sports Model to begin September 21^st

Allegany County Public Schools plans to return to extracurricular activities as the school system safely returns students to small group in-person learning. As part of the guidance from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), ACPS must consult and collaborate with the Maryland Public Schools Secondary Athletic Association (MPSSAA) on any plans to return to play and/or practice.

Families, student athletes, and all those who wish to participate in extra curricular activities should note the following:

• MPSSAA has suspended all sports until the second semester, which is currently set for February 1- June 19, 2021.
• MPSSAA has allowed for a return to sports without competition (conditioning, weight-training similar to summer conditioning programs) in the first semester.
• MPSSAA is planning for all three sports to be held consecutively, with limited competition, beginning after February 1, 2021.

Therefore, Allegany County Public Schools will follow a similar model beginning September 21st with spring sports, followed by fall and then winter. Each “season” will meet for approximately six weeks on the following timeline:

• Spring Sports - September 21st through October 30th (6 weeks)
• Fall Sports – November 2nd through December 11th (6 weeks)
• Winter Sports – December 14th though January 22nd (6 weeks)

These dates are tentative and will be based upon changes or guidance issued by MPSSAA. ACPS must ensure that sessions will be limited to five days a week with no sessions on weekends. Coaches can do less than that in order to prepare, but are not permitted to do more. ACPS must also ensure that safety plans for practices will be in place, and the entire plan is approved by MPSSAA before implementation.

Spring sports include: Baseball, Softball, Outdoor Track and Field, Tennis, and Unified Track and Field

Fall sports include: Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Golf, Cross Country, Unified Tennis, Cheerleading, Dance Teams, and Band

Winter sports include: Basketball, Wrestling, Indoor Track and Field, Bowling, and Unified Bocce.

By following the detailed plan outlined above, ACPS will safely prepare student athletes for return to play. In addition, the school system will support and participate only in competitions that are sanctioned by the MPSSAA.

Coaches are permitted to work with students Monday - Friday (3:30 – 8 p.m.) with no access on weekends. Guidelines are listed below:

1. According to MPSSAA guidelines, selection of teams cannot happen until the February 1^st seasons begin; therefore, anyone interested in any sport must be allowed to participate during the Fall sessions.
2. All practice/workout/conditioning/etc. must be voluntary and cannot be held against non-participants for competition beginning February 1^st.
3. Sessions may not begin before 3:30 p.m. and may not exceed two hours in length.
4. Sports that are not “in season” during the identified time periods may not meet in any capacity. Meaning basketball teams may not have open gym during the fall spring and/or fall identified “seasons.”
5. Teams may not participate in non-MPSSAA sanctioned competitions such as recreational or club leagues. This participation can result in becoming ineligible for MPSSAA competition beginning on February 1^st. (See 80% rule clarification sheet)

Coaches may choose to re-engage students in a virtual setting as well, and a detailed plan will need to be submitted. Athletic Directors will be in communication with coaches regarding safety plans, scheduling, and protocols.

MPSSAA Two Semester Roadmap

Second Semester February 1, 2021, - June 19, 2021

1. Fall, Winter, Spring Sport competition and championship seasons administered in modified formats.
2. SEASON 1 - Sport Season Winter (8 weeks)
3. February 1 - February 21, 2021 - Sport Season Practice and Reconditioning.
4. February 22 - March 27, 2021 - Sport Competition Season.
5. 5 - weeks of interscholastic athletic competition available.

1. SEASON 2 - Sport Season Fall (8 weeks)
2. March 15 - April 4, 2021 - Sport Season Practice and Reconditioning.
3. April 5 - May 8, 2021 - Sport Competition Season.
4. 5 - weeks of interscholastic athletic competition available.

1. SEASON 3 - Sport Season Spring (8 weeks)
2. April 26 - May 16, 2021 - Sport Season Practice and Reconditioning.
3. May 17 - June 19, 2021 - Sport Competition Season.
4. 5 - weeks of interscholastic athletic competition available.

The attached press release was issued by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. The impact of this decision on ACPS extracurricular activities will be forthcoming in the near future.

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) in consultation with the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and the Public School Superintendent Association of Maryland (PSSAM) has decided to postpone the 2020 high school fall and winter competition season during the first semester. This decision comes in light of the recent announcements of local school systems to begin education virtually and provides each school system with options for the gradual increase of student engagement for the physical and social-emotional health of students.

With this announcement, local school systems will be able to use MPSSAA waiver regulations as approved by the Maryland State Board of Education on June 23, 2020 for student engagement during the first semester. The MPSSAA, the MDH, and the PSSAM will continue to collaborate on finalizing a hybrid two-semester plan focused on student engagement options in the first semester and modified competition seasons for all sports during the second semester. Details of the hybrid two-semester plan will be available in the coming weeks prior to the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.

The health and safety of student participants, coaches, and officials is a primary concern for the return of interscholastic athletics and activities. The MPSSAA, the PSSAM, and the Maryland State Department of Education collectively share a commitment for the return of these highly beneficial educational programs when it is deemed safe for all school communities.

As per Governor Hogan's guidance issued on 7/16/20: