The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) confirmed on Jan. 14 that school winter sports will be starting on Jan. 19. CIAC announced that all low, moderate and high risk sports will be able to practice as of this date unless determined otherwise. Various sports will have intrasquad competitions through March, and there are different regulations for each sport.
CIAC’s low risk winter sport is swimming. Moderate risk sports include: ice hockey, gymnastics, basketball and indoor track. The high risk sports, wrestling, competitive cheerleading and competitive dancing, are advised to only hold small group conditioning and non-contact skill building.
“I’m so excited to get back in the pool and start swimming again with my teammates,” Jessica Qi ’22 said.
It is recommended that teammates and coaches change their masks routinely at mask breaks, time outs or game stoppages as well as wear a face covering the entire game or meet. There will be no CIAC state championships; however, most moderate risk sports will have a league level postseason in March. Indoor and outdoor track will be able to practice but will not have any meets until March the earliest. Intrasquad competitions will begin no earlier than Feb. 8.
Indoor track coach Jesse McCray informed his indoor track team of the new regulations for the upcoming season.
“As of right now distance training will be at 2:45 when we start practices,” McCray said. “Sprinters, multi events and field events will practice later.”
Many other teams are required to have split practices in terms of contact tracing and facility usage.
“I am upset that we can’t have a normal last season,” Clara Holleman ’21 said, “but I am happy I at least get to practice one last time with my friends.”