Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Phases by Region as of 01/25/21
COLFAX - Football, volleyball, and cross-country sports starts are delayed.
Due to COVID-19, the district moved the start date of football from Feb. 1 to Feb. 10 and volleyball and cross-country to Feb. 15.
Competition will follow, to comprise of only league games with each season ending by April 3 in a league championship of some kind.
Reporting to the school board Monday night, Athletic Director Gina Hopkins laid out the current status.
Masks will be required at all times for coaches, referees, and athletes. A limit of 200 people would be allowed in an indoor or outdoor venue, including fans. A football schedule has been made and Hopkins had a volleyball schedule in hand Monday.
Starting competition will depend on the Eastern Washington region moving to Phase Two for the state Department of Health, from its present status of Phase One.
"I think it's a tough road to look at athletics to happen anytime real soon," said district Superintendent Jerry Pugh. "Really, are we going to get a chance to open this up?"
Hopkins was set to attend a meeting Tuesday regarding discussions for junior high school seasons.
"Athletics is kind of where we were for academics last summer," Pugh said. "From things being set one week, to changing the next ... I have yet to meet any superintendents who are pleased with this new (regional) plan to include us rural counties with Spokane County."
The virus metrics released last week did not favor sports competition.
"It went backwards," Pugh said.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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