WPIAL Pushes Back Start Dates Of Fall Sports
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The WPIAL is pushing back the start dates of fall sports.
The PIAA is moving forward with fall sports as scheduled and says it's offering "flexibility to schools, leagues, and/or conferences to begin contests after the first contest date."
The PIAA says it understands that there's no one-size-fits-all, so sports will be approached with localized measured decisions.
Using that information, the WPIAL says it has decided to use a "hybrid start" which means fall sports won't begin any later than Oct. 5 and there will be different start dates for different sports.
The football season won't start until Sept. 10 and the regular season is cut back to seven games. Golf and girls tennis can start Aug. 24, and other sports will begin Sept. 14.
With the exception of football, no changes have been made to the WPIAL tournament schedules.
The WPIAL says one of the benefits of the hybrid start is that school districts can focus on reopening without the added complications from sports -- like hosting teams or traveling. It also allows low-risk sports like golf and tennis to continue as scheduled.
At this time, the PIAA says spectators for K-12 events aren't allowed. Allowing fans depends on state guidelines.