Athletic team workouts stop in three Ky. school districts amid new COVID-19 concerns

Russell Independent Superintendent M. Sean Horne on Monday night said two of that district’s athletic teams are stopping workouts for the next 14 days because “a student of ours has tested positive for COVID 19 (Coronavirus).”

“I have directed that two of our athletic programs cease practice for the next 14 days,” Horne said in a statement, “We have been in contact with Health Officials and are following their instructions. I know that all of us are wishing for a swift recovery for our Russell student.”

Horne did not specify which teams stopped practices. He said as further details come to light an updated statement will be released.

In Pike County, Phelps High School football coach Andrew West said he suspended conditioning after a player was exposed to the coronavirus by someone outside of the team. The student has no symptoms and is awaiting test results, West told the Herald-Leader Tuesday. Practice is expected to start July 8.

Clay County school officials, on June 24, said due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and based on the recommendation from the Clay County Health Department, all Clay County Public School Athletic activities are postponed until further notice. District officials didn’t immediately comment. The state has seen an increase in cases recently since activities have resumed and businesses reopened.

Athletic teams are engaging in voluntary conditioning orchestrated by coaches trying to keep their players fit. While they are on campus, there has been no official start of practice.

Kentucky High School Athletic Association Commissioner Julian Tackett said Tuesday that while temporary shutdowns are going to happen, health guidelines appear to be working exactly as intended.

“Different regions and areas will be affected differently at different times and this seems an appropriate method of letting the local level handle situations,” Tackett said.

In addition, June is a time that would normally have only minimal activity, so it does not impact competition at this point, Tackett said. Districts have been able to take a pause when they have public health situations, he said.

“Also, this is a chance... to reinforce across the state, the public health recommendations on a preventative side - social distancing, universal masking/face coverings.... and hand and equipment sanitizing,” said Tackett.

Tackett said that there likely will be and have been other positive cases of coronavirus among student athletes, but the specific numbers are not being tabulated due to privacy laws.

Many school districts opened athletic training on June 15, the earliest KHSAA and state guidelines would allow. Public schools in Fayette County and many others began holding workouts together beginning Monday. All districts are under a rigorous protocol for screening athletes as they enter practices and as they participate. Current guidelines allow for up to 50 players on site separated into groups of 10.

The official start of fall practice was not to begin until July 10 for football and July 15 for most other sports, but current guidelines remain in effect until at least July 12. The KHSAA Board of Control is expected to meet within the next two weeks to outline further protocols that could include the start of play for some sports. Golf would be the first sports to start its season under the old calendar on July 31, but decisions on whether the pre-coronavirus calendar will hold have not been made.

This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:32 AM.