WINTER SPORTS

ROANOKE, Va. – Hollins University recently announced it will not be participating in any high risk spring sports--women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s indoor track and field or women’s lacrosse-- due to COVID concerns. This comes after it decided in December to opt out of the basketball season. Protocols that Hollins plans to continue to adhere to. When you’re not competing it’s hard to practice for weeks and weeks. A full time out so to speak, for what could be a great run for the Hollins next season.

ROANOKE, Va. – It’s official, the VHSL Executive Committee has approved the “Championships +1” voted upon in July. On Wednesday afternoon, the committee approved the plan that looks to not cancel any individual sports during the 2020-2021 school year. Here’s how the three seasons will look. Winter Sports - December 7 – February 20 (First Contest Date – December 21) Basketball, gymnastics, indoor track, swimming/diving and wrestlingFall Sports - February 4 – May 1 (First Contest Date – March 1) Cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf and volleyballSpring Sports - April 12 – June 26 (First Contest Date – April 26) Baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and track and fieldThis plan truncates seasons to about 60% of their original length. For high-risk sports to be played, Virginia would need to have fewer coronavirus restrictions in place.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – On Monday afternoon, the VHSL released a proposed plan that was discussed in a special work session by the VHSL Executive Committee. The organization developed the proposed schedule that would include regular season and postseason championships, called the “Championships + 1″ schedule. VHSL proposed schedule for Season 1- Winter Sports (VHSL)For Season 2- Fall Sports, we would see six football games over a 7-week span. VHSL proposed schedule for Season 2- Fall Sports (VHSL)For Season 3- Spring Sports, baseball and softball would each play 12 games with soccer and tennis receiving 10 regular-season contests. VHSL proposed schedule for Season 3- Spring Sports (VHSL)“I want to be clear that this work session was not intended to produce a final plan.

ROANOKE, Va. Sorry sports fans and athletes, youll need to a little while longer for high school sports to begin. The plan, approved 34-1, was one of three options presented earlier this month for high school sports to happen in Virginia. Winter Sports - December 14 February 20 (First Contest Date December 28)Fall Sports - February 15 May 1 (First Contest Date March 1)Spring Sports - April 12 June 26 (First Contest Date April 26)This plan truncates seasons to about 60% of their original length. For high-risk sports to be played, Virginia would need to have fewer coronavirus restrictions in place. Had the sports seasons been flipped, both boys and girls lacrosse and boys and girls soccer seasons would have been canceled.

FOREST, Va. – The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Presidents Council voted to postpone conference competition and championships for fall and winter sports through the end of the 2020 calendar year The ODAC remains focused on providing meaningful competition for all student-athletes in 2020-21, which includes an intention to sponsor conference competition for fall and winter sports in the spring semester. “In light of the broader public health concerns surrounding athletic competitions, the well-being of our campuses and everyone involved in athletic competition made this decision the right one. ”The conference’s leadership worked extremely hard to explore ways we might have conducted conference championships and competition in the fall,” explained ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston. The ODAC leadership will communicate further developments regarding competition in 2020-21 as solutions are finalized and implemented. ODAC member schools include Ferrum College, Hollins University, University of Lynchburg, Roanoke College, Sweet Briar College, Washington and Lee University and the football program at Southern Virginia University.