In an email obtained by News 5 Sports, CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green announced on Monday that she will be meeting with Governor Polis and his COVID-19 response team this week to reconsider the 2020-2021 football season as previously approved by the Governor's office.
"The recent headlines by associations, school districts and conferences to revisit previous decisions regarding fall football has caused a resurgence to the Governor and his COVID-19 Response Team to reconsider the 2020-2021 football season as previously approved by his office," the email read to CHSAA school members. "The Governor, his team and I will be meeting this week with a subsequent meeting scheduled with the CHSAA Board of Directors. My goal is to provide the membership with an update on or before 9/10."
We definitely hear you all and will continue to work with our state, educational and health officials. We appreciate their willingness to keep the dialogue open!
— Rhonda BlanfordGreen (@RhondaCHSAA) September 7, 2020
CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green released the following statement later in the day on Monday:
"In recent weeks, we have seen reconsideration at the Association, school district and conference level regarding the resuming fall sports, especially football. We also hear those who are advocating for a reconsideration of the 2020-21 sport calendar. Over the course of the past week, this has prompted conversations at the state level to see if some outdoor fall sports could resume under the state safety guidelines, including variances that would be needed to make this happen. We appreciate their willingness to keep the dialogue open. Our office will continue to provide further updates if any changes occur with the 2020-21 activities calendar."
In August, CHSAA announced that high school athletics would be split into four seasons and sports teams' schedules will be shortened under the calendar for the year.
Thank you @GovofCO @jaredpolis @RhondaCHSAA for continuing to communicate through this process. I know we have a challenging road ahead but am confident that we can all get this done together for all student athletes that are in need right now.
— Ryan Goddard (@CoachRGoddard) September 7, 2020
Contact sports, including football, girls volleyball, and others, had been moved to the spring, while boys golf, softball, boys tennis, and cross country are currently taking place this fall as originally scheduled – the “A” season.
CHSAA said that football practices would begin Feb. 22 and conclude on May 8 “due to the specific equipment and safety rules.”
