Fall Sports Update – Board of Control Meeting 8-14-20

CHESHIRE, Conn. – The CIAC Board of Control met today to discuss the communication received from the Connecticut Department of Public Health yesterday.

Following today’s CIAC Board of Control meeting, the board extended an invitation to DPH to meet in the coming week to discuss its recommendations for interscholastic athletics. CIAC will look to emphasize the value of the integration of athletics with the return to education and concerns of equity and consistency between interscholastic athletics and other athletic opportunities. Based on DPH recommendations, the board took the action to pause all in-person interscholastic fall sport activity including conditioning programs which are already underway until Monday, August 24.  Coaches are encouraged to promote virtual safe contact and conditioning with their athletes during the pause so as to not lose the conditioning gains and socialization benefits made during the summer.

CIAC welcomes continued collaboration and input from experts while emphasizing that the safety and health of students is the focus of all decisions. The importance of safely conducting interscholastic athletics remains paramount. Connecticut COVID health metrics show students have been safely participating in athletics across the state throughout the summer and that participation in private or town programs would likely continue throughout the fall if interscholastic opportunities are cancelled. While outside programs have had minimal issues thus far, CIAC believes its collaboration with health experts and relationships with its member schools has lead to a plan providing the best alignment with COVID mitigating strategies and creates the best opportunity for a safe and equitable fall sports season..

CIAC has been consistent throughout the challenges presented by COVID-19 and will continue to consult with its education partners and medical experts and review positions from state leaders in an effort to create interscholastic athletic plans that align with the educational interests of our member schools and provide the safest athletic experience for Connecticut student-athletes.