Can high school sports start? It depends on the school. Here’s your guide to the SIC.
The Southern Idaho Conference prides itself on its unity. But the coronavirus nixed that tradition.
Plans to resume high school sports vary widely across the 5A and 4A leagues covering the Treasure Valley. And that’s despite the fact Ada, Canyon and Gem counties are all in the red category of Idaho’s back-to-school guidelines, its highest level of community spread.
Some schools plan to play games while in the red category. But others have made it clear they must drop out of the red before suiting up.
Practices and fans provide more disparity. And the league straddles two local public health districts — Central and Southwest — adding another wrinkle.
So instead of setting protocols as a league, each individual school district must decide its best path forward. That sets up an uneven start to the fall high school sports season that mirrors the uneven start to the academic year.
The Idaho Statesman surveyed every school district and the lone private school in the SIC to see when they plan to start practice, when games can begin and how they’ll handle fans.
Here’s where they stand in an ever-shifting landscape as of Thursday.
BOISE SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Boise, Borah, Capital and Timberline (all 5A)
Practices: Boise is still working on its plans and was not ready to release them Thursday, district activities director Jon Ruzicka said. But he said team practices will not begin Monday.
Games: Boise will not play any games before Labor Day, Boise Superintendent Coby Dennis said during Thursday’s school board meeting. It will not play if Ada County is in the red category of community spread.
Fans: Boise has not settled on a plan for fans to attend games.
WEST ADA SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Centennial, Eagle, Meridian, Mountain View and Rocky Mountain (all 5A)
Practices: The state’s largest school district will start team practices Monday with Ada County still in the red category.
Games: West Ada teams will not compete against other schools while still in the red, West Ada activities director Jason Warr said.
Fans: No games means no fans in the red. An approach for fans in yellow remains undecided.
NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Columbia (4A), Nampa (4A) and Skyview (5A)
Practices: Workouts of 10 or fewer players can begin Monday. Full practices can’t start until Canyon County is out of the red category of community spread.
Games: Would not start until Sept. 8 at the earliest, and only if Canyon County is out of the red.
Fans: No fans in either the yellow or red categories.
KUNA SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Kuna (5A)
Practices: The Kavemen will start team practices Monday.
Games: Kuna has worked with Central District Health and believes it can play games under the red category, district spokesperson Allison Westfall said.
Fans: None until Kuna drops into the green, or lowest, category of community spread.
BISHOP KELLY
High schools: Bishop Kelly (4A)
Practices: The Knights will start team practices Monday.
Games: Bishop Kelly is unlikely to play games as long as Ada County remains in the red, Athletic Director Tom Shanahan said.
Fans: No fans are allowed in the red category. The school could have limited fans in the yellow category, but it has not settled on a strategy yet.
CALDWELL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Caldwell (4A)
Practices: Weight room workouts and conditioning can continue in small groups. Caldwell is working on a proposal to its school board to allow sport-specific practices to start while Canyon County is in the red category.
Games: None while Canyon County is in the red category.
Fans: None until Canyon Country drops to the green category.
EMMETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Emmett (4A)
Practices: Team practices started Thursday.
Games: Emmett teams can still play if Gem County is in the red category. The Emmett School Board has declared itself in the orange category of Southwest District Health’s four-tier system, and it plans to reopen school with an alternating schedule. But if Emmett moves itself to red, games are canceled.
Fans: The Huskies are still finalizing a plan for fans. One idea includes allowing two fans for each player, Emmett Athletic Director Gavin Watson said.
MIDDLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Middleton (4A)
Practices: The Vikings start team practices Monday.
Games: Middleton can play games when Canyon County is in the red category.
Fans: The school has not yet decided how to handle fans in the red category, Middleton Athletic Director Andy Ankeny. It is also considering limiting to two fans per player.
VALLIVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT
High schools: Ridgevue (4A) and Vallivue (4A)
Practices: Teams started practices Thursday.
Games: Vallivue teams can play games if Canyon County is still in the red category.
Fans: The district is still working on a plan for fans, Vallivue Athletic Director Tony Brulotte said.
This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 1:08 PM.
