Fans in stands approved for SC high school games. Here’s what that will look like
Football games are back in parts of the country, and they’ll be played again in South Carolina soon if everything goes as planned.
High school football seasons are underway in Tennessee, Alabama, Alaska and Utah. The first private school games in South Carolina are this Friday; S.C. public school games start in a month. Seasons have been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster is limiting stadiums and other venues to a maximum of 250 people or 50% of the posted occupancy, whichever is less — but exceptions can be made through an approval process. And both public and private high schools have been approved to allow fans at games but with limited capacities, face covering guidelines and social distancing rules in place.
A closer look at where things stand in the state in regards to stadium capacity and fans.
Public schools
The S.C. High School League plan for fan attendance was approved by the SC Department of Commerce on Thursday.
Face coverings will be mandatory at all times for spectators and staff. Public schools won’t kick off the regular season until Sept. 25, but there will be scrimmages before that.
The league got approval up to 12,000 fans per game but the only time that will happen is for state championship football games. Each school or school district will make the final decision on the capacity for venues for all fall sports so that family groups can remain six feet apart at all times.
The league also said Thursday that if a school doesn’t think it can comply with the league’s spectator requirements for venue use, they can submit their own application to the Department of Commerce for an exception to the current capacity limits.
Tailgating will be banned at public school athletic events, according to the SCHSL plan, which says “gathering of crowds for tailgating or other social interactions are prohibited.”
A task force made of athletic directors and coaches assisted in planning the protocols for events.
According to the plan, a school’s capacity plan can “include standing room only and non-traditional seating areas.” And the plan must give consideration “to seating occupied by bands, cheerleaders or any other group that will have seating blocked off for their use during the event.”
The league is encouraging schools to have online ticket sales or pre-sales to avoid long lines. If possible, tickets should be sold in a “drive through” manner where each car will purchase tickets for everyone in the car to prevent standing in lines.
Other guidelines included:
▪ Congregating in groups inside a venue is not allowed. Any area that cannot be monitored to ensure social distancing can be maintained should be a restricted area.
▪ Block off seats on each row that are closest to the steps to allow for six feet. social distancing during traffic flow.
▪ Host schools should consider having a COVID-19 coordinator that lays out a specific plan on how to deal with someone who becomes ill during the contest that minimizes their contact with others in attendance.
Both SCHSL and SCISA said there will be no post-game handshakes following games and any postgame awards should be given at a later time or virtually.
A full list of guidelines can be found on the SCHSL’s website.
Independent schools
The S.C. Independent Schools Association’s plan to allow fans at athletic events was approved last week by the S.C. Department of Commerce.
SCISA’s football season begins Friday with Midlands private schools Hammond, Heathwood Hall, Ben Lippen, Northside and Richard Winn and Lowcountry’s Hilton Head Prep, Hilton Head Christian, John Paul II and Thomas Heyward in action. Cardinal Newman was scheduled to play but canceled its game with Thomas Heyward to allow students to be back in school for a few weeks before hosting a game.
Capacity will be reduced, and will vary, at all SCISA venues this season. According to SCISA athletic director Mike Fanning, seating will be every other row in the stands, and the row near a walkway will be blocked off. At places like Heathwood, Ben Lippen and Hammond, they will encourage fans to bring lawn chairs to sit in grassy areas, marked off by 8-by-10 spots, for football games.
Heathwood Hall won’t allow students or general fans — only parents of players — at its home opener against Laurence Manning, according to athletic director Jeff Whalen. The situation will be evaluated after that.
Masks must be worn at SCISA events while entering, exiting and moving around the venue. Once you’re seated and distanced away from other parties, those face coverings can be removed.
SCISA already has hosted volleyball, swimming and cross country events. Fanning has been encouraged by the safety measures in place.
“It is just like in a game, when a rule is broken a flag is called,” he said. “We are asking schools when they see behavior not meeting expectations, that they blow the whistle until correct behavior is happening.”
This story was originally published August 23, 2020 at 8:21 AM.
