How to Safely Show Your Support for High School Athletics

  • football players in masks

    Published August 18, 2020

    It's official: high school sports begin this week in WCS. To keep everyone safe, there are important guidelines that should be followed. In addition, because there will be limited seating at events, parents and students will be given the opportunity to purchase tickets first. Remaining tickets will then be available for community members.

    “Families of those participating are being given the first priority in terms of purchasing tickets,” said WCS Athletics Director Darrin Joines. “Students will also have an opportunity to purchase tickets before tickets are released to the general public. In addition, 300 tickets are being provided to the visiting schools to sell to their parents and students.”

    Entry to the Game

    When arriving to a game, fans should observe social distancing guidelines and answer the screening questions at the gate. Temperature checks will be conducted.

    Wearing of Face Coverings

    Face coverings must be worn throughout the event and on school property except while eating and drinking. Children under two do not have to wear face coverings.

    In addition, players who are not on the field should be spaced out and must wear face coverings. Freshman and junior varsity team members who sit in the stands after their games are considered spectators and will be required to follow the same guidelines.

    Fan Attendance

    School administrators will decide the seating capacity for each event and limit attendees to allow for social distancing. Tickets will be provided to the schools and will be first available for students and families. Tickets that are not pre-sold will be offered to the general public. Depending on expected crowd size, schools may limit the number of non-ticketed spectators, so all WCS employees must have a ticket to attend an event. Bleachers will be marked in order to promote social distancing. Informal gatherings, such as standing on the track or playing behind the end zones, will be limited. There will be no tailgating.

    The district will consult with health authorities to determine any changes that need to be made during times of higher transmission rates.

    For fans who are unable to attend Friday night’s football game, high school media teachers or WC-TV, the county's government and education channel, may live stream home events. The schedule for this Friday is listed below. Live streams may be found on either the home team's YouTube channel or the WC-TV YouTube channel, depending on the game.

    Bands, Cheerleaders and Other Student Groups

    The home team band may be allowed to perform at halftime. During the game, bands should sit in a location where social distancing is possible. Depending on the space available, bands may play in shifts during the game. For example, half the band may play during the first half of the game, and the other half of the band will play the second half. The distance between the band, cheerleaders or other student groups and the crowd will also be increased. No visiting bands will be allowed.

    Concession Stands

    Concession stands will only serve prepackaged food. Workers will wear masks and stand behind a plexiglass barrier. Markings will be placed on the ground to ensure social distancing between those who are waiting in line. Schools will also develop plans to limit the amount of customers in one area, such as having drink stands throughout the venue or having pre-orders delivered to customers. Concession stands will follow the state guidelines regarding restaurant operation.

    Public Address Announcements

    Announcements will be made throughout the game to remind attendees to wear their face coverings and practice social distancing.

    Cleaning

    The host school is responsible for cleaning restrooms, concession stands and other public areas.

    Opposing Teams

    WCS teams will only compete with teams following the same player and coach screening process.

    Media

    Members of the media will follow the same guidelines as spectators while attending games.