OHSAA details changes ahead of the 2020 football season

OHIO — From longer timeouts to socially distanced coin tosses, guidance from the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) details changes for the fall 2020 high school football season for schools choosing to participate.

Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) announced Tuesday he would allow schools to take part in contact sports, including football, in the fall 2020 season – or postpone fall sports until spring.

WHIO has previously reported on the OHSAA’s decision to hold a six-game regular season with all teams qualifying for postseason play.

>> OHSAA shortens regular season to 6 games before all teams enter playoffs

Guidance Tuesday from OHSAA goes into specific detail for football on top of recommendations and rules for all sports in this fall.

You can read the policies, recommendations and rule changes in full here:

Among the changes

• The box for team members will be lengthened along the sideline to allow for social distancing
• Cloth face coverings are allowed during the game
• The ball will be disinfected regularly during the game
• A timeout may be lengthened to two minutes; players each will get water from their own water bottles
• Only necessary personnel will be at the center of the field for the coin toss, with all personnel six feet apart
• Shorter halftimes
• No handshakes

Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted (R-OH) said Tuesday, discipline could be put in place for schools who do not comply with OHAA guidelines. DeWine and Husted both implored students to take the health guidelines seriously, and are tasking coaches with ensuring rules are followed.

Rob Dement, Athletic Director at Centerville High School, told News Center 7′s Sean Cudahy Tuesday, this has been a work in progress for coaches all summer.

“We have great kids but they are teenagers. They are coachable, so we have times we do have to continue to coach them,” Dement said.

Despite the changes, the official word a football season will happen was welcome news for parents like Brittany Allen, whose son plays for Centerville.

“He’s been playing since First Grade, so if he couldn’t play, it was going to be a bummer,” Allen said, adding, this season comes with extra anticipation after months dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They’ve been in a house since march they haven’t really been able to do anything sports is like my son’s outlet,” she said.

Cox Media Group