La Conner High fall sports: delay of games

The first whistle hasn’t blown and already there’s a delay of game call for fall sports at La Conner High and around Washington state.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Board of Directors has moved to push back the start of the fall sports season two weeks.

The WIAA action, taken last week, was in response to the coronavirus threat and makes Sept. 18 the start of fall sports games and matches.

The adjusted schedule shifts the start of football workouts to Sept. 5. Other fall sports, such as volleyball and soccer, are to begin Sept. 7.

La Conner High coaches have already developed game plans for dealing with COVID-19 and the modified schedule.

Braves head soccer coach Galen McKnight plans to conduct rotating “pod practices” consisting of four players and himself.

New La Conner head football coach Jeff Scoma said he, too, will emphasize small group instruction on the practice field.

“For football,” he said, “most of the time we are in smaller groups, so this is something we do already. Of course, we will also ensure that we follow all protocols for social distancing during practices and games.”

Scoma said no detail will go untended.

“For games, we have to continue to be smart where everyone brings their own water bottle and keeps their items isolated per the WIAA guidelines,” he said.

La Conner High head volleyball coach Suzanne Marble, whose team is primed to make a run for a rare state championship three-peat this fall, said she and assistant coach Pam Keller are making normal pre-season preparations despite uncertainties posed by COVID-19.

“There are a lot of unknowns at his point,” said Marble, a state Hall of Fame coach. “Pam and I are moving forward as we always do and planning for the 2020 season.”

Scoma also prefers looking at the situation through the proverbial half-filled glass.

“We will see a few weeks’ delay to start the season,” he acknowledged. “However, we will still have the same number of practices and lead-up to the season.

“We’re hoping,” he added, “for a two-week delay and a progression toward normal sports and school.”

More clarity is expected when the WIAA board meets again next week.

“We won’t know a lot,” Marble said, “until the 22nd of July. We’re praying for some sort of season.”