BREAKING: MSHSAA announces possible alternate schedules for schools

SIKESTON — There are now options for schools in Missouri to play sports at different points during the 2020-21 academic year.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Board of Directors announced Thursday its approval of a possible alternative schedule for its member schools.

“The traditional seasons are still being offered at this time for those schools able to participate,” MSHSAA Executive Director Dr. Kerwin Urhahn in a release. “Today’s action by the Board of Directors puts into place a plan of action our staff devised in the event a school is not able to participate partially or in whole. This could give those students an opportunity to complete a season in their sport.”

MSHSAA stated that any fall sport can play in the alternate fall season if it meets the following criteria:

* Length of traditional season participation, and

* Access to a traditional postseason

The Board also outlined that any school participating in the alternate fall season automatically receives eligibility to participate in the alternate spring season.

The alternate seasons’ layout as such:

* Alternate fall season, March 12-May 1

* Alternate spring season, May 14-July 10

As of now, MSHSAA is still planning to have the winter season go from November 2 to March 20 — following the original model, which Cape Central athletic director Tyson Moyers expects his programs to follow.

“I do,” Moyers said of his expectation that Tiger sports will begin Aug. 28. “At this time,” he quickly added.

Moyers felt positive regarding the MSHSAA decision because it shows the organization’s willingness to be flexible in this very challenging time.

“I like that (MSHSSA) is doing everything it can to provide opportunities for kids to participate in activities,” Moyers said. “They are trying to help kids.”

MSHSAA Communications Director Jason West said that schools would have until Sept. 11 to decide if they want to forgo the current fall season and play in the alternate format.

Locally, Sikeston athletic director Andy McGill said that fall sports would go on as currently scheduled and he repeated Moyers’ sentiments.

“I think the biggest thing that I see is that MSHSAA is trying to do the best to allow every opportunity for kids to be able to participate,” McGill said. “Allowing an alternative fall season, if the school decides they are not able to play, because of COVID-related issues, will allow an alternative season for fall sports to be able to participate.”

McGill added that moving forward if there were a situation where they would have to move to the new format, that scheduling would be the biggest challenge.

Sikeston typically schedules games against opponents from Kentucky and Illinois, which have altered their athletic calendars.

“No. 1 is scheduling and figuring out what our area schools are doing and that they are following suit,” McGill said. “We’ve already had to adjust with certain sports when we play out-of-state teams, like Illinois and Kentucky, where they’ve not been able to play this fall. So, we’ve already made adjustments to our schedule and will continue to make adjustments to our schedule.”

Moyers said everything he thinks about in getting Cape Central athletics to run smoothly this fall is “day to day.” Aspects of managing sports at all levels are changing swiftly and often dramatically, and he isn’t alone in that regard.

“I think that it is a good thing for MSHSSA to offer an alternate season for those student-athletes who may not be able to play this fall,” Perryville athletic director Justin Dreyer said. “Hopefully this does not come into play with our fall sports and we can get an entire season in.”

Tom Davis, regional sports editor for Semoball.com, contributed to this story.