WIAA schools decide on fall sports options, many fall schedules still being built

Area conferences working on game day health protocols

We have reached the deadline for WIAA member schools to decide their plans for fall sports, and out of all the member schools, Wissports.net is reporting roughly 70 percent have opted to remain in the fall.

The majority of the Coulee Region’s schools are moving forward with fall sports. Schools who are opting for spring football include Central, Logan, Arcadia, Black River Falls, G-E-T, Wauzeka/Seneca, Bangor, Brookwood, Cashton, Necedah, New Lisbon, Royall, Kickapoo/La Farge, North Crawford, and Wonewoc/Weston.

Wissports.net is reporting all Coulee area soccer programs except Central and Logan are playing this fall, and that most volleyball programs are doing the same (except in the Scenic Bluffs, where all except Hillsboro are moving to spring). All Ridge and Valley volleyball programs except Seneca are playing this fall, and Hillsboro will join the R&V schedule as an independent.

Most low-risk sports like cross country and girls golf are proceeding this fall, while Bangor and Necedah deciding to push cross country to the spring.

The WIAA released return-to-play guidelines last month and advised members to allow for social distancing of athletes and spectators, and to follow county guidelines on spectator numbers.
La Crosse County Health, for example, currently advises personal social gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors. For mass gatherings, they advise venue capacity limits of 50 percent.

MVC Conference Commissioner Steve Hole says they are developing gameday protocols, but at this time, only immediate family would be allowed to attend.
The Dairyland Conference has already decided to have just four spectators per athletic participant.

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