by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Minnesota State High School League has made sweeping changes to the fall sports schedule for 2020.
Traditional fall sports of boys and girls cross country, girls tennis, boys and girls soccer, and girls swimming & diving will remain in the fall, while football and volleyball will be moved to spring 2021.
Fall sports will face the following restrictions:
• There will be a limit of three teams competing in a given cross country meet.
• A limit of two teams in tennis and swimming & diving meets.
• A limit of one to two events per team per week during the fall season, regardless of sport.
• Soccer practices may begin Aug. 17, with a 20 percent reduction in weeks and a 30 percent reduction in number of competitions, with no scrimmages.
• A decision on postseason events shall be determined at a later date.
A motion to move volleyball to the spring initially failed by a 9-9 vote. A second motion to begin volleyball practice as scheduled on Aug. 17 also failed. Then, a third motion to move volleyball to a spring start passed.
Likewise, a motion to start football on its originally scheduled start date of Aug. 17 was voted down. A subsequent motion to move football to spring, with no scrimmages and fewer games was approved.
The early spring football and volleyball seasons will run mid-March to mid-May, with a postseason that has yet to be determined.
The move of football and volleyball to spring pushes the start of traditional spring seasons of baseball, softball, boys and girls golf, and boys and girls track & field to a mid-May to early July schedule.
Spring sports that lost their 2020 season, football and volleyball will be allowed to practice this fall, but not hold any competitions.