High school football for the holidays — it’s coming.
The HHSAA announced on Friday that its executive board, representing the state’s five leagues, voted unanimously to have a full sports calendar. That means fall sports, including football, will play out a normal schedule once the currently postponed start date of Sept. 24 arrives.
The hope is that all student-athletes will be vaccinated by then.
“It is a testament to our members to be able to agree to a calendar on such short notice. Furthermore, the calendar preserves league and state championships, which gives student-athletes something that has been missing since February 2020,” HHSAA Executive Director Chris Chun said. “It shows the Department of Education, Department of Health, and our state and county leaders that there is a plan in place once all schools can resume (sports) on Sept. 24.”
Football season will end roughly six weeks later than its usual Thanksgiving week finale. Football season will extend through December and into January — believed to be a first in the islands — with state tournament play booked for the weeks of Dec. 27-Jan. 2 and Jan. 3-9.
Winter sports are slated to finish approximately four weeks later than usual. Spring sports will begin in late February with state tournaments in early May — the normal time frame and dates of pre-pandemic years.
The sports calendar, which began with football on July 19 before being postponed on Aug. 4, restarts on Sept. 27 for all fall sports.
Girls volleyball, air riflery, bowling and cross country are scheduled to have state championships during the week of Dec. 6-10. The state competitive cheerleading championships is slated for the week of Dec. 13-19.
Winter and baseball seasons also appear to be in full with no abbreviated time frames on the sports calendar, which was sent to media on spreadsheet form. Girls basketball will officially begin the week of Nov. 29-Dec. 5. Girls soccer will start on the week of Dec. 6-10. Canoe paddling, swimming and diving, boys basketball, boys soccer and wrestling are slotted for the week of Dec. 13-19.
The effect of vaccinations has helped set the course for the 2021-22 sports calendar, even as the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases has soared to 729 per day statewide.
List of sports start dates and state tournaments
Revised by HHSAA, Aug. 13.
Fall
Girls volleyball: Sept. 27, end Dec. 10
Cross country: Sept. 27, end Dec. 10
Air riflery: Sept. 27, end Dec. 10
Bowling: Sept. 27, end Dec. 10
Cheerleading: Sept. 27, end Dec. 19
Football: Sept. 27, end Jan. 9
Winter
Girls basketball: Nov. 29, end Feb. 19
Girls soccer: Dec. 6, end Feb. 27
Canoe paddling: Dec. 13, end Mar. 6
Swimming and diving: Dec. 13, end Mar. 6
Boys basketball: Dec. 13, end Mar. 6
Boys soccer: Dec. 13, end Mar. 6
Wrestling: Dec. 13, end Mar. 13
Spring
Girls water polo: Feb. 21, end May 8
Tennis: Feb. 21, end May 8
Judo: Feb. 21, end May 8
Boys volleyball: Feb. 21, end May 8
Girls golf: Feb. 21, end May 8
Boys golf: Feb. 21, end May 8
Track and field: Feb. 21, end May 15
Softball: Feb. 21, end May 15
Baseball: Feb. 21, end May 15
HHSAA executive board approves sports Means NOTHING with IGE in charge.
He will come up with another BS emergency proclamation and kill hs sports till he gets his way trying to vaccinate the whole state.
I really hope this comes into fruition and not to pacify us all and the drop the bomb on us again. I am glad the 5 leagues decided on moving forward, if only our politicians could move that quickly to make decisions and not wait so long to inform the residents of decisions that impact all of our daily lives. Can’t wait to see the kids play and feel normal once again.
A lot can happen between now and 9/24/2021…
so does that mean for boys volleyball season the first game will be the week of the 21st or is that when they hold tryouts.
With boys volleyball starting up on 2/21 does that mean that’s when tryouts begins or will that be the first week of games scheduled?
Whoa, just released… ILH stay making their own FB schedule without OIA… Bye OIA. better luck next year.