CONCORD, NH – On Thursday, the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) Council unanimously approved an updated “Return to Play Guidance” document for high school athletic programs on competitions, practices and other best practices if they decide to participate in interscholastic sports this fall.
The update provided a new “third phase” that came after deliberation by the NHIAA Sports Medicine Committee, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu’s Economic Re-Opening Task Force and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
In the third phase, the NHIAA added recommendations for a designated team warm-up area to provide necessary social distancing, excluding anyone living outside New England from attending games or practices and scheduling time for adequate cleaning of facilities between sequential sporting events.
In addition to the updated document, the council reaffirmed the recognition of all fall sports for the 2020-’21 school year and that all fall sports will be permitted to begin practices on Tuesday, Sept. 8 with a start date for games forthcoming.
The decision on participation for interscholastic competition remains with individual school districts, no announcement has been made yet regarding high schools from Manchester.
A full copy of the updated guidelines can be found below.
