Oregon High School Football and Soccer Seasons Postponed Until Spring

Oregon prep sports typically played in the fall, including football and soccer, will compete in March and April 2021, pushed back by six months from the original delayed date by COVID-19.

The new high school sports season was voted on and approved Aug. 5 by the Oregon School Activities Association's executive board. They also voted to waive coaching rules that typically prohibit training high school athletes out of season.

The delayed seasons will be limited to seven weeks.

Peter Weber, OSAA executive director, said today that the vote allows for students to participate in all sports seasons and takes into account the state's decision and timing for reopening.

"The board recognized that a one-size-fits-all approach isn't what's best for students across the state," Weber said. "By waiving policy to allow regional participation this fall, local school districts will have the discretion for participation in those areas that are able to do so safely per state directives."

To make room for football and soccer in the spring, the OSAA shuffled other sports around. Winter sports, like basketball, will be moved to January and February. Fall activities are scheduled to begin in March. Then come spring sports, like baseball, in May and June.

How much training time students get this fall will depend heavily on how much local school districts allow it. The press release stated that participation may include conditioning, practices and interscholastic competitions in those permitted activities as long as schools follow OSAA policies.

The delays still hold to an optimistic schedule: They assume that Oregon schools will open by January.