Takedown Report

Look to Next Season # 7

1 } – #KEEPSTANFORDWRESTLING DEVELOPS POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO REVERSE DECISION TO DROP SPORT AFTER 2020-21 SEASON
One of the toughest days for the U.S. wrestling community since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was an announcement from Stanford University on July 8 that it will drop 11 varsity athletics programs after 2020-21 season. Almost a month later, the same question is still being asked again and again. Why wrestling?
The Cardinal wrestling team has been a rising program in recent years under head coach Jason Borrelli, winning its first-ever Pac-12 conference tournament title in 2019 and fielding a strong, young team that was expected to do some serious damage on the national scene over the next few years. This past season Stanford had three All-Americans; all underclassmen, two of them freshmen. The California Regional Training Center, affiliated with the program, recently added two-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic coach Kerry McCoy to lead the effort. The wrestling program, which has been on campus for 104 years, has established a new level of success with the current group of athletes, coaches and supporters. Borrelli’s tweet on July 8 set the tone for the effort that has moved forward to save the Stanford program. It said:
Nothing like a little adversity and a good challenge. First we will listen to understand why. Then we will strategize and prepare for the battle! Lastly, we will execute and make this right. Let’s go @CardWrestling fans… who’s with us? … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/August/03/Keep-Stanford-Wrestling-seeks-positive-solutions-to-save-program?mc_cid=a357f66b67&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – NCAA’S NEXT RETURN-TO-SPORT GUIDELINES: TESTING WITHIN 72 HOURS OF COMPETITION FOR HIGH CONTACT RISK SPORTS
The NCAA Sport Science Institute has released the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition to extend previous guidance and provide updated recommendations about the protection of athletes and prevention of community spread of COVID-19. The guidelines are designed to inform schools in responding appropriately based on their specific circumstances and in the best interest of returning college athletes’ health and well-being. Many sports require close, personal contact and require specially crafted guidelines. Among the recommendations put forth:
– Daily self-health checks.
– The appropriate use of face coverings and social distancing during training, competition and outside of athletics.
– Testing strategies for all athletics activities, including pre-season, regular season and post-season.
– Testing and results within 72 hours of competition in high contact risk sports.
– Member schools must adhere to public health standards set by their local communities. “Any recommendation on a pathway toward a safe return to sport will depend on the national trajectory of COVID-19 spread,” said Brian Hainline, NCAA chief medical officer. “The idea of sport resocialization is predicated on a scenario of reduced or flattened infection rates.” “When we made the extremely difficult decision … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/16/Newest-NCAA-COVID-19-guidelines-released?mc_cid=78726f35ba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Alvernia Announces The Addition Of Three Varsity Sports
Reading, Pa. (August 3, 2020) – Alvernia University Director of Athletics Bill Stiles announced Monday the addition of three new varsity sports that will bring the school’s total to 30. Alvernia will add Esports beginning in the 2021-22 school year and add Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Ice Hockey in the 2022-23 school year.  Esports will be varsity sport number 28 for the Golden Wolves and following the addition of Women’s Wrestling and Men’s Ice Hockey, Alvernia will be at 30 sports. As always, we are looking to meet the needs of our students and community while also providing additional opportunities to prospective student-athletes,” said Stiles. “Like many of our sports, particularly the ones we’ve added in the past 5-6 years, these offerings will allow us to recruit and retain new students while expanding our geographic recruiting footprint. … rest of story at _{https://auwolves.com/news/2020/8/3/general-alvernia-announces-the-addition-of-three-varsity-sports.aspx?mc_cid=a357f66b67&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – USA WRESTLING PRESEASON NATIONALS, NAMED FOR THE LATE BRIAN KECK, SET FOR OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 1 IN DES MOINES, IOWA
USA Wrestling has named its popular Preseason Nationals tournament after the late Brian Keck, who helped create the event and served as its event director for more than a decade. The 2020 USA Wrestling Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals will return to Hyvee Hall inside the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa, October 30 – November 1.
Keck worked with USA Wrestling to found the Preseason Nationals in 2008, a major early season national folkstyle wrestling event for athletes of all ages. The first event was held in Des Moines, then spent nine years in Cedar Falls, Iowa, before returning to Des Moines in 2018. During its 12 years with Keck’s involvement, the competition grew in size and prestige. Keck tragically passed away at the age 48 during a trip to Mexico in November, 2019. “Brian Keck provided the vision and passion to establish USA Wrestling’s Preseason Nationals as a premier competition for talented and motivated wrestlers from across the nation. It is appropriate that as this tournament continues to grow and improve, his contribution to the sport is recognized on an annual basis,” … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/August/05/Preseason-Nationals-named-for-Brian-Keck-and-event-dates-set?mc_cid=dabfe2c4a0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – College sports and the coronavirus: Latest COVID-19 news, schedule changes
MAC announces postponement of all fall sports seasons
On Saturday morning, the Mid-American Conference announced the postponement of all fall sports seasons, including the MAC championships due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council of Presidents voted unanimously on the decision. The announcement added that it is the membership’s intention to provide these student-athletes a chance to compete in Spring 2021. 
The fall sports affected include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.  According to the press release, The MAC has begun formalizing plans for the 2021 spring semester. The Conference will continue to consult with its Medical Advisory Panel and will monitor developments surrounding the pandemic with state and local health officials, the CDC, WHO and governmental entities. … rest of story at _{https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/ncaa/ncaa-sports-news-schedule-changes-coronavirus-updates-all-sports?mc_cid=dabfe2c4a0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – CIF MOVES CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SEASON TO SPRING, WITH JUNE STATE MEET
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has determined, in collaboration with our 10 Sections, that education-based athletics for the 2020-2021 school year will begin with a modified season of sport schedule (see below for 2020-21 sports calendar). Our calendar reflects the season for each CIF sport and the last date for Section Championships and Regional/State Championships in those sports where a Regional/State Championship is currently offered. Following this announcement, each CIF Section Office will release their own calendar to reflect regular season starting and ending dates and Section playoffs. It is anticipated that most Section start dates will commence in December 2020 or January 2021. We are continuously monitoring the directives and guidelines released from the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health, and local county health departments and agencies … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/20/CIF-announces-California-HS-wrestling-will-be-in-spring-2021?mc_cid=7e573bd55d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – WIAA MODIFIES WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING, STARTING SEASON IN LATE DECEMBER OR IN JANUARY
RENTON, Wash. – The WIAA Executive Board took action on Tuesday to modify the 2020-21 WIAA sports season calendar in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes will create four WIAA-sanctioned seasons and will also move moderate- and high-risk team sports, originally scheduled for the fall season, to the WIAA Season 3.
The fall sports of cross country, slowpitch softball, as well as alternative seasons for golf and tennis, have been determined to consist of WIAA Season 1 and will each begin practices the week of September 7, a date determined by the Executive Board at a previous meeting. The viability of girls’ swim and dive taking place in WIAA Season 1 is dependent on more information from the Department of Health.
The remaining fall sports of girls’ soccer, 1B/2B boys soccer, volleyball and football will now be scheduled to begin in the early spring of 2021 as part of WIAA Season 3.
The Board recognizes that participation in any fall sports will depend on county progression through the phases laid out in Governor Inslee’s Safe Start plan over the coming weeks. The Executive Board will create benchmarks on July 28 to be met in order for WIAA Season 1 to take place. If the benchmarks are not met, the Board will plan to move the remainder of fall sports to WIAA Season 3.
Traditional winter sports will all take place in WIAA Season 2 with the expectation to begin in late December or early January. Traditional spring sports will occupy WIAA Season 4 to end the school year.
The supporting document below provides tentative dates of when seasons could potentially start and end, but a final decision has not been determined by the Board.
Editor’s Note: In the modified schedule posted by the WIAA, the current plan is to hold the Washington state high school wrestling championships during the week of March 1-7. Also, wrestling will have pre-practice for one week, with competition beginning at the end of the second week.
“Since March, the philosophy of our Association has been to allow students every chance to participate,” said WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman. “We’ve asked our Executive Board and planning committees to be as creative … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/22/WIAA-in-Washington-to-delay-start-of-high-school-wrestling?mc_cid=b08de964d0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – CHSAA MOVES COLORADO HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SEASON TO JANUARY THROUGH MARCH
AURORA — The Colorado High School Activities Association has announced its 2020-2021 interscholastic athletics and activities calendar, following months of collaboration with Gov. Jared Polis, the CHSAA Resocialization Task Force, the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, the state’s COVID-19 Response team, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the CHSAA Board of Directors and administrative staff. “The health and safety of our student participants, coaches, officials and essential personnel, including volunteers is a primary concern for the return of interscholastic athletics and activities,” said CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green. “We are very grateful for the state, health and educational leaders for their shared commitment of a return to these highly beneficial education programs when it is deemed safe for all school communities.” Note that the resumption of all activities and athletics are subject to change based upon any changes to national, state or local guidelines. … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/August/05/CHSAA-moves-Colorado-high-school-season-to-January-through-March?mc_cid=dabfe2c4a0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – OSAA SHIFTS OREGON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SEASON FROM LATE DECEMBER THROUGH EARLY MARCH
All sports will have a seven-week regular season followed by a ‘culminating week’
Adapting to restrictions from COVID-19, the OSAA has set a new course for 2020-21 school activities. Taking a cue from Nevada’s association, the OSAA announced Wednesday that it has opted to schedule truncated winter, fall and spring seasons – in that order – with contests starting in the new calendar year and running through late June. That means the basketball season will go from Jan. 11 to March 7 and the football season will run from March 15 through May 9, all predicated on COVID-19 guidance from the Governor’s Office and Oregon Health Authority.
“The goal was to try to maximize opportunities for students, providing three distinct seasons for schools later in the year,” OSAA executive director Peter Weber said.
Two weeks ago, the OSAA pushed back the first contest date of the fall season to Sept. 23, keeping the first date of fall practice at Aug. 17. But due to state restrictions for COVID-19, the vast majority of Oregon school districts have committed to starting the year with online learning, casting doubts on fall sports and activities. … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/August/06/OSAA-shifts-Oregon-HS-wrestling-season-to-late-December-through-early-March?mc_cid=d480353b0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – No football until February: Virginia committee votes to delay high school sports
There won’t be any high school sports in Virginia until at least mid-December, and the traditional fall sports season — including football, cheerleading and volleyball — will be delayed until at least February 2021. That’s according to a plan approved Monday by the Virginia High School League’s executive committee, which makes rules for public high school sports in the commonwealth. The plan calls for a delayed and condensed series of athletic seasons, but would keep all sports in the season where they are currently aligned.
The decision comes as many Virginia school districts have announced plans to start the upcoming school year with virtual learning options to continue slowing the spread of the coronavirus. A look at the high school sports plan approved by the committee: … rest of story at _{https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/07/no-football-till-february-virginia-committee-votes-to-delay-high-school-sports/}

August 9, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized