We’ve been waiting since March for the start of BIIF sports, and word on the restart will come on Thursday.
There’s an HHSAA executive board Zoom meeting that day, which could put things back into play or hit the pause button again.
“We’re still waiting for the DOE (Department of Education) and DOH (Department of Health) to give the OK for the kids to go back to school,” BIIF executive director Lyle Crozier said. “Nothing has changed. The winter sports will start in January, and the spring sports would start in March.”
The fall sports (football, girls volleyball, air riflery, bowling, cheerleading, cross-country) would join the winter ones (boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, wrestling, canoe paddling and swimming and diving) in starting during the new year. A few months later, the eight spring sports (baseball, softball, golf, judo, tennis, track and field, water polo, boys volleyball) would begin.
HHSAA executive director Chris Chun has been in close contact with the state’s education leaders.
“I know Chris has been meeting with the DOH,” Crozier said. “We need the DOH to give the go-ahead.”
School budgets for sports have been cut by 50 percent, he added, and the league will employ an East-West schedule to save on transportation costs.
There are BIIF schedules in place with and without HHSAA state tournaments.
As far as fans, Crozier said the league is looking at having no fans.
Despite no fans, sports teams across the country continue to battle COVID-19 cases.
“We’re leaning toward no fans,” Crozier said. “Some schools have the capability to live stream games, like Waiakea, Hilo, and Kealakehe. I know Hawaii Prep and Kamehameha plan to.”
The virus is a threat and once clusters form it’s tough to take down.
Wisconsin’s football game against Purdue was canceled on Tuesday at the Badgers had 27 active COVID-19 cases.
Also on Tuesday, the state reported 89 coronavirus cases, including 31 on the Big Island.
“Nobody has been practicing. Some teams are meeting on their own,” Crozier said. “They can’t use school facilities. I know some private schools like Iolani are practicing.”
Crozier remains hopeful that the Thursday Zoom meeting will bear good news.
“Hopefully, we’ll keep the numbers down and get the kids back in school,” he said. “Then we can get some practices started. Some of the kids have not been working out. Hopefully, we’ll start in late December or January. That’s what we’re shooting for.”