Jefferson County Public Schools superintendent Marty Pollio on Tuesday said he’s “a proponent” of moving fall sports to the spring of 2021, just two days before the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control is set to meet on the topic.

Pollio’s comments came during a meeting of the JCPS Board of Education. Pollio called himself “a proponent” of the model adopted in Virginia, where winter sports will begin in December, fall sports were moved to a February start and spring sports will open in April.

“They would have to be shorter seasons, but in the end all of our kids would be able to compete in that way,” Pollio said. “I would hope (the KHSAA) would consider something like that so that all of our kids would have the opportunity to play.”

The KHSAA Board of Control will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to review the plan it announced July 28. That plan called for cross country, field hockey, football, soccer and volleyball to begin practices Aug. 24 and begin competition the week of Sept. 7.

Since then, Gov. Andy Beshear has recommended Kentucky schools wait until Sept. 28 to start in-person learning in an attempt to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

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Pollio suggested the KHSAA will have problems keeping its current plan given Beshear’s recommendation.

“I find that challenging for the Board of Control to do that based upon the amount of counties that we have hot spots in and the guidance from the governor that has been provided last week and continues to be provided every day,” Pollio said.

Pollio’s comments came on the same day Ohio announced it will continue with plans to start its high school football season Aug. 28. High school football in Indiana will kick off this Friday. 

Earlier this week, Pollio told the Courier Journal that — if the KHSAA keeps its current plan — JCPS could consider canceling fall sports while other schools in the state play.

Jerry Wyman, director of athletics for JCPS and also a member of the KHSAA Board of Control, said the KHSAA is likely to consider several plans Thursday, including moving fall sports to the spring.

“I don’t think anything is off the table at this point,” he said.

According to JCPS officials, 11 athletes in all sports have tested positive since limited practices began in late June — four from Manual, two from Butler, two from Male and one each from Atherton, Fern Creek and Seneca. JCPS is not tracking the number of athletes who are tested and is not releasing information on which sports were involved in the positive tests or where athletes were suspected of catching the virus.

Three of the seven JCPS board members expressed concern Tuesday about starting practices for fall sports next week.

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District Two representative Chris Kolb was the most adamant.

“I cannot personally foresee any circumstance in the next month or so in which I could in good conscience vote to allow sports or any in-person activities to go ahead, except for those are most tightly controlled and absolutely and utterly necessary,” Kolb said. “The sooner we can shut as many things down as possible, the sooner we can get kids back in school where they belong.”

District Three representative James Craig said he was nervous about JCPS “being the domino that makes everything fall statewide” and wondered if some sports might be better-suited than others to begin in the fall.

“Ten kids running in the woods (for cross country) doesn’t seem so dangerous to me, based on the information available to me tonight,” Craig said. “High school wrestling, high school basketball might be a different conversation. I’m really anxious about making sure we do everything possible to provide for these kids.”

District Seven representative Chris Brady asked Pollio and Wyman about the possibility of moving fall sports to the spring.

“I, too, have really big concerns about going back into sports in the fall,” Brady said. “I’m a parent of one of our JCPS athletes, but I have to look at safety first.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/jasonf.