Having touched heavily on the MIAA’s modifications for the upcoming high school soccer season, it’s only fair to take a look at the changes coming to other fall sports in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While none change their respective games quite as drastically as soccer’s new rules, the modifications officially announced Friday will have an impact on how athletes compete this fall.

Field hockey will look the most different, with each team having its active participants reduced from 11 players on the field to seven, including a goalkeeper, and contact minimized. Penalty corners will be replaced with 25-yard strikes, with all players being marked five yards away on all free hits.

Officials will use electronic whistles or air horns in place of traditional whistles and the pregame stick inspection is to be done by each team’s coach.

In cross country, only dual meets will be allowed to start the season and runners are being encouraged to get workouts in in pods of five to 10 teammates.

The MIAA has asked leagues to identify one course with wider spacing that could be used to host all league meets, if “practical and/or possible.” The central course would also make things easier for runners in since walking courses prior to races won’t be allowed this fall.

All previews will be done virtually via maps or video.

Sending runners out in waves of up to 10 and asking that they not run in a pack during races are also among the modifications.

Runners will be allowed to remove masks while running and socially distanced, but will likely need to use them when entering widened finish lines, with teams going to a designated side depending on their team.

Modifications in golf seem fairly straightforward, which makes sense given the low-risk nature of the sport.

Clubhouse access will be limited to only restrooms, with one person at a time allowed in, and handshakes and sharing of equipment on the course will not be allowed.

Before the start of each match, the visiting team will be required to send a list of participants to the home coach and the home team will be responsible for sending course rules in return to help curb contact and handouts before a round.

As in other fall sports, masks will be required while within six feet of another golfer and tee times will be set at least 10 minutes apart for groups when single-tee starts are being used.

In girls volleyball, contact between teams will be prohibited and all players will be required to wear masks, with face covering relief allowed if social distancing is possible.

Balls will be cleaned – by an adult – and alternated in after each rally and to reduce the chance of contact with an opponent, “front row plays will be restricted from traditionally attacking the ball while the ball is above or in front of the 3-foot line.”