Both Mississippi and Alabama’s private school associations are planning to begin their fall sports seasons as originally scheduled.

The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, which governs Lamar, Kemper Academy and Newton County Academy in athletics, and the two Alabama private school associations that govern Russell Christian Academy have not made any changes to their fall sports calendars.

Earlier this week, the National Junior College Athletic Association announced the suspension of most of its fall sports until the spring, and the Mississippi High School Activities Association instituted a two-week delay for the beginning of fall practices and competition between schools due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For area private schools, schedules will remain the same heading into the fall seasons.

MAIS 

Fall camp for football begins July 27, with jamboree (exhibition) games being allowed Aug. 6-8 and Aug. 13-15. The regular season is scheduled to start Friday, Aug. 21. For volleyball and girls soccer, the regular season starts July 31; for cross country, meets are allowed beginning July 26. 

Lamar athletic director Shane Adams said the school chose to hold off on beginning its cross country, volleyball and girls soccer seasons until the student-athletes were back in the classroom.

“We chose not to start anything prior to school starting just because there was so much uncertainty at the time, and we didn’t want to put anything on the schedule where we would have to cancel this one or that one,” Adams said.

In late May, the MAIS’s executive board put out a release containing guidelines for reopening campuses and starting athletic competitions for the fall seasons. They include guidelines for players, coaches, officials and fans designed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. A few additions have been made since the original posting, Adams said, such as player boxes for football being between the 10-yard lines instead of the usual 25-yard lines in order to allow them to socially distance, as well as further explanations of certain guidelines.

“The general guidelines are the same,” Adams said.

Since the pandemic is ongoing, Adams said there’s always concern seasons might not be able to finish. For now, the schools are focused on getting those seasons started.

“It’s on the back of everybody’s minds,” Adams said. “Sports are important. They have the ability to bring people together, but nothing is more important than the safety of our kids. We’ll get it started, and if we have to stop, then we’ll stop, but that’s better than not starting at all.

“We’re planning on opening and having classes on Aug. 10. Every athlete we have goes through screenings daily. Our first football game is Aug. 21, and we plan on playing.”

AISA/ACEA

Russell Christian Academy is governed by the Alabama Christian Education Association in football and the Alabama Independent School Association in all other sports. RCA athletic director Andy Braddock, who is also the school’s head football coach, said the football team will begin its helmet-and-shorts practices Monday, and the season will begin in August as scheduled.

Whatever guidelines are instituted by the governors of Alabama and Mississippi regarding sports, if any, Braddock said RCA will follow those guidelines. RCA plays its home games in Meridian but travels to Alabama for its away games due to being a member of Alabama private school associations.

“If (Gov. Tate Reeves) says we can’t play in Mississippi, we’ll just have to play all of our games in Alabama,” Braddock said. “Right now everyone is onboard. If we can play in Mississippi, whatever (Reeves) mandates to be able to play, we’ll do. We just want to play.”

Braddock expressed skepticism that social distancing could be consistently observed at football games due to the nature of the sport.

“It’s a contact sport,” Braddock said. “If they say we can play football, there’s no social distancing in a contact sport, but if they tell me I have to stand on my head so we can play football, I’ll stand on my head.”

Volleyball, RCA’s other fall sport, might have an easier time with social distancing, but Braddock cautioned parents not to let their children do anything they don’t feel is safe.

“Volleyball and football are what we’re concentrating on,” Braddock said. “They don’t consider volleyball a contact sport. Everyone will have their own water bottle and own towel, and we’ll social distance as much as we can. If parents have a concern, we tell them don’t let their kids (participate). Otherwise, we’re going to roll with it just like a regular season.”

Like with the MHSAA, the Alabama associations are leaving fan attendance parameters in the hands of the individual schools. 

“They’ll give us suggestions — they always do — such as only having so many people per outdoor activity,” Braddock said. “We’ll follow them to the best of our abilities.”