Oregon has cleared the way for shortened high school basketball and wrestling spring seasons to proceed.
The Oregon Health Authority, at the direction of Gov. Kate Brown, updated its “Sector Risk Level Guidance Chart” Tuesday to allow full-contact indoor sports, starting Friday, April 23. Previously, full-contact indoor sports had been prohibited.
OHA said more guidance is forthcoming.
The Oregon School Activities Association rearranged Oregon’s sports calendar because of COVID-19 precautions. It moved the seasons later to give time for coronavirus cases to come down and shortened the seasons so the traditional sports schedules wouldn’t overlap.
Oregon schools are almost halfway through “season 3” of the sports calendar. None of those sports is considered full contact. Season 4 starts May 10 and includes full-contact sports basketball and wrestling.
With a submitted plan, K-12 schools can hold indoor full-contact sports, but there are limits on participants and spectators depending on a county’s risk level. At the extreme level, gyms are limited to six people, plus employees.
