GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Athletic Association has loosened some requirements for fall sports to allow schools more flexibility following hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Craig Damon, executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association, outlined changes Oct. 14.
“This year has been a very unique year for us,” Damon said. “Most of the state has been impacted directly or indirectly by inclement weather throughout the year with two major hurricanes, unprecedented tornadoes, some severe thunderstorms and extensive flooding.”
Such weather has led to games getting delayed or canceled.
The Florida High School Athletic Association is waiving the minimum contest requirement for individual fall sports tournaments for bowling, cross country, golf, swimming and diving.
“We’re waving that minimum contest for those individual sports so our student-athletes, who may have been impacted by weather at some point in time during the year, will have the
ability to participate in state series,” Damon said.
For volleyball, the Florida High School Athletic Association extended the time frame for district tournaments to end one day later on Oct. 19.
For football, the Florida High School Athletic Association is moving a bye week originally scheduled for Dec. 2 to 6 for finalists in 1A to 7A state tournaments to Nov 4 to 7 to allow for an extra week during the regular season.
“This week can be used in several different ways,” Damon said. “It can be used to make up a game or it can be used as a bye before starting a playoff.”
Football playoffs now start Nov. 15. State championships for 1A through 7A will be held Dec. 11 to 14 at FIU’s Pitbull Stadium.
Damon said these adjustments could change considering there’s seven weeks remaining in hurricane season. No changes have been made to the winter sports schedule.
“None of us here on staff are meteorologists and we are at the mercy of Mother Mother Nature at this point in time,” Damon said.
