Toledo Public Schools has moved one step closer to allowing the six member teams in the City League to have at least an abbreviated version of a fall sports season.
But, the district stopped short of announcing an official start of competition.
TPS spokesperson Patty Mazur confirmed the CL’s fall athletic programs can begin practice on Sept. 14, with the intention of a possible start of competition as soon as Oct. 1.
“We have not approved sports for the fall,” Mazur said. “Practice is to begin on Sept. 14, at this time. That could change depending on status of COVID at that time.”
A decision on the fall sports season is expected Sept. 25.
The district had announced on July 30 all CL sports would be suspended through Oct. 1, at which time the coronavirus status in the Toledo area would be re-evaluated for a possible approval of fall sports.
The decision to allow practices to begin Sept. 14 would enable City League sports to start play roughly two weeks earlier than the July 30 decision would have allowed.
Mazur said the CL teams at Bowsher, Rogers, Scott, Start, Waite, and Woodward would all have to hold the mandatory number of practice days required by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for each sport, and that all OHSAA regulations and guidelines will be followed.
Fall sports offered by CL schools include football, volleyball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls cross country. All of these CL sports teams had been holding preseason workouts before the suspension was announced on July 30.
Last week, the City League announced two different plans: one for fall sports in the fall, and one for fall sports in the spring.
The fall timeline included the Oct. 1 start date for all fall sports and all City League football teams competing in the state playoffs starting Oct. 9. Football teams no longer in the postseason would be allowed to resume conference games Oct. 17.
If TPS opts for fall sports in the spring, practice would begin Feb. 14 with a season decision Feb. 25. The season would start March 1 with the football teams playing five conference games.
In both scenarios, a City League football championship game would occur.
First Published September 1, 2020, 12:42 a.m.
