Indoor fall sports—girls volleyball and gymnastics—will have to wait to return to action while outdoor sports will continue as planned as part of the NJSIAA’s Return-to-Play plan.

The plan, announced Thursday, has given New Jersey high schools’ fall sports teams hope for a season — and a roadmap for when and how each of the sports will be able to play for the upcoming academic year during the coronavirus pandemic.

Those changes include an additional fourth season for the 2020-21 season and updated starting dates for all sports.

‘Season 1′ would include all fall outdoor sports and would follow the starting dates outlined in July. ‘Season 2′ include all winter sports with practice beginning Dec. 3, 2020 with competition starting Dec. 21, 2020. ‘Season 2′ will follow the same postseason format as ‘Season 1’ with a two-week period between Feb. 5, 2021 and Feb. 17, 2021.

‘Season 3′ will include girls volleyball and gymnastics beginning Feb. 16, 2021 with regular-season competition opening March 3. The postseason will be held between April 15 and April 24. If ‘Season 1’ cannot be completed in the fall, there is a possibility it will be moved and finished in ‘Season 3.’

‘Season 4′ will include all spring sports but does not have a set start date, instead opting for a wait-and-see approach from the first three seasons before determining dates for practice, regular and postseason play.

“Last spring was a difficult time for all of us but it has been a very difficult time for student-athletes,” NJSIAA COO Colleen Maguire said in addressing the media Thursday. “NJSIAA sports can provide that needed outlet. We’re fortunate New Jersey is in a position to play high school sports.”

Gov. Phil Murphy appeared to leak the news of postponing fall’s indoor sports in his Monday press briefing, when he said, “I’m hugely of the opinion that we need sports. It needs to be responsible – and at this point it needs to be outside. I can’t see going inside at this point yet.”

Indoor gatherings are limited to 25 people or 25% of a room’s capacity – whichever number is lower.

“It looks like they’re taking the idea of the shortened season and moving it to the spring, which I think is a great idea,” Jackson Memorial gymnastics coach Lisa Perlman said. “I think it’d be a great idea to do the season now and get it done because I think we still can, but I am glad to hear that they are postponing it instead of completely canceling it.”

Outdoor fall sports will follow the timeline announced in July, with practice beginning Sept. 14 and competition starting the week of Sept. 28. If those sports seasons cannot be completed during the current format, those sports will be played during the Season 3 calendar.

“Our situation is unique in that New Jersey has done a pretty solid job of keeping the numbers low,” Eastern girls soccer coach Jamie McGroarty said. “As long as that continues, this is a prudent move. If it changes, obviously they’ll have to make a decision. But at this point, this decision is right on point.”

Multi-sport athletes won’t need to make a tough choice

With other states pushing fall athletics to the spring season, those athletes playing multiple sports may be faced with a difficult decision.

It’s one that, under the current plan, New Jersey athletes won’t need to endure with the four-season plan.

With the inclusion of the fourth season, three-sport athletes will still have a chance to play all three of their sports. Under the current plan, there would be only one day of overlap between the seasons with ‘Season 2′ postseason ending Feb. 16, 2021 and practice for ‘Season 3′ beginning the following day.

That could change, however, as the spring season awaits a set start date. That’s a point that the NJSIAA will revisit with so many current unknowns, Maguire said.

“NJ is really special in that we have a tremendous amount of multi-sport athletes,” Maguire said. “Our last, worst-case scenario is to make them have to choose. Unfortunately in other states they’re not there. But that was loud and clear in our task force. We want to protect those opportunities. We want to continue to let them say that they’ve been a three-sport athlete for four years.”

The power of peer pressure

Making the right choices has always been key to preventing contracting COVID-19 or any illnesses.

It’s something that both Maguire and Dr. Damion Martins, a member of the NJSIAA medical advisory task force as well as the NFL’s COVID-19 task force, acknowledged with a hope that a positive amount of peer pressure can keep student-athletes from making decisions that could be detrimental to their programs and communities

“There’s a lot of power in peer pressure,” Maguire said. “You don’t want to let your teams down. I think with the right messaging, I trust the message our coaches are giving their kids. This isn’t the time to expand your social circle and go to large-scale parties.”

Martins, in educating both administrators and professional athletes in his role with the New York Jets, spoke about his message to clients how much of a competitive advantage in making the responsible choice.

And while social media posts have popped up recently with college students ignoring social distancing guidelines throughout the country, Martins knows how much that peer pressure can work in a positive light.

“These (college) kids are in dorm rooms and parties and out and about,” Martins said. “That’s where the spread occurs. It’s important that we remind everyone to be socially responsible.”

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