All high-contact sports, including high school football, were cleared to begin games by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday.

COLUMBUS – Football will be played in Ohio this fall.

Gov. Mike DeWine made the announcement during his daily press briefing Tuesday a new health order will soon be released detailing procedures for the beginning of competition for contact sports — football, soccer and field hockey — this fall.

“We lay out exactly the road map and how this should take place and what has to be done to make it as safe as possible,” DeWine said.

DeWine added attendance will be limited to family members and close friends. He also said the order will give an opportunity for bands and cheerleaders to perform with their families in attendance.

“Virtually everyone I have talked to has put the focus exactly on where it should be, and that focus should be on young people and letting them play,” DeWine said. “It’s also important I believe that young person have someone there if possible to support them. Many times it’s family members. Sometimes, it may be someone else who’s very close to that particular young person.

“It’s not going to be your typical Friday night football in Ohio,” he cautioned.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said competition in those three contact sports can begin Friday.

That is the scheduled first day of Ohio High School Athletic Association competition in soccer and field hockey. It also will allow football teams to hold a scrimmage in advance of opening night Aug. 28.

More: Licking County updated football schedules

In response to a letter sent from more than 20 school districts in suburban Cleveland, DeWine said the OHSAA will allow individual schools to move their seasons to the spring if they choose without repercussions to eligibility.

“No one can guess what the future is going to be,” DeWine said. “We don’t know frankly what the situation is going to be or how far into the season we will be able to get or if we can get all the way into the season we certainly hope.” 

DeWine said the order will not include testing requirements. He added the government understands it is not realistic to ask schools to test student-athletes unless symptoms are shown.

“(Testing is) not what we based this decision on,” he said.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said local and state health officials will be attending events to ensure protocols are being followed. Husted noted competing this fall will take responsibility and accountability from school officials, parents and students.

DeWine echoed that sentiment.

“I hope that the desire to have a season will inspire our young people, our athletes, our student-athletes 24/7 to be as careful as they can,” DeWine said.

Dr. James Borchers, of Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, addressed recent findings tying Covid-19 to an increase in cases of myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart. Borchers said vigilance should be taken if an athlete shows sudden fatigue when practicing or competing.

Borchers, a former Ohio State football player and father of teenage athletes, was asked if he would allow his children to compete in contact sports this fall.

“Every individual needs to look at what’s going on in their environment and what their community looks like,” Borchers said. “If the infectivity rate is extremely high and we don’t have the ability to test, I would have real concerns about letting my son play a contact sport. That being said, if I lived in an area where the infectivity rate is well-controlled, is low where I felt like our community has embraced the guidelines to allow our athletes to compete in a healthy manner, then I would feel better about letting my son go forward.”

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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