There was a surge of positive news for Connecticut winter and spring high school sports on Thursday. Except for wrestling.
Indoor track and field will be allowed to hold dual meets starting March 1 following a vote by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Board of Control on Thursday.
Wrestling, however, will not be allowed to proceed with a dual-meet season while competitive cheerleading and dance can hold virtual events only, also starting on March 1.
Basketball, gymnastics, boys' swimming and ice hockey began their abbreviated seasons earlier this month.
There will be no state tournaments in any winter sports.
The CIAC also announced its plans to run a "traditional" spring sports season with preseason practices beginning on March 27, the regular season starting on April 10, and the state postseason tournaments starting on June 1. That includes boys' lacrosse, CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini said Thursday night, which was considered a high-risk sport for infection.
Governor Ned Lamont also announced that the number of fans allowed at high school and youth sports would be increased with a cap at 25-percent or 200 fans, whichever is the lower number. Out-of-state competitions and tournaments would also be allowed starting on March 1.
Indoor track, wrestling and cheer/dance were previously shut down because they were considered "high risk" sports by the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations and the Connecticut Department of Health. The CIAC did, however, leave open the possibility for an abbreviated winter season, weather permitting.
"I've (thought) about it every day when I'm out there with the kids and we're conditioning and doing our workouts and stuff that these guys will get a chance to compete," said Fitch indoor track and field coach Rich Kosta, who is also a member of the CIAC's indoor track committee. "It looks like that's on the horizon."
The NFHSAA made a decision earlier this month to drop categories for all sports and left those decisions up to individual states.
The CIAC met with state DPH officials last week to discuss the new COVID-19 guidelines and made the changes after receiving DPH recommendations.
"The board set March 1 as the date schools may begin indoor track dual meets," the CIAC said in Thursday's release. "Those competing in running events must wear masks. In alignment with DPH, those competing in jumping activities will be allowed to remove their mask during the approach and jump before putting the mask back on after the jump is complete."
Competitive cheer/dance will follow similar guidelines.
"Mask wearing will be required with the exception of brief removal of the masks by individuals engaged in stunts, lifts, tumbling and other acrobatics," the CIAC said. "Masks must immediately be put back on after those specific activities are completed."
The Board of Control said wrestling can continue with "conditioning and non-contact skill building," but will not have a competitive season.
"Wrestling is obviously such a close contact sport," said Waterford head coach Chris Gamble, who is a member of the CIAC's wrestling committee. "I was not surprised (by the news).
"I'm disappointed for the kids, especially for the seniors. I'm sure there's a lot of kids in the state that played football and they wrestled, so now they've missed out on both those sports."
Kosta said that he and East Lyme girls' coach Carl Reichard, a fellow committee member, have shared ideas for how to conduct ECC meets next month.
"Nothing is official," Kosta said. "We understand that we needed to stay close to home and that we're going to be outdoors, so we've been thinking about maybe a small rotation (of dual meets) with some of the (ECC's) shoreline schools on Saturday."
Fan attendance has been a tricky subject with parents wanting to watch their kids and administrators wanting to limit exposure.
Lungarini said Thursday that the organization continues to recommend against spectators even after Lamont's announcement. The CIAC has let each district make their own decisions about attendance.
The ECC has not allowed fans at its events.
Old Lyme athletic director Hilda Heck said that her school has followed the CIAC's recommendation and noted that the school has a small gym that makes spacing people out difficult. She said that most of the Shoreline Conference schools had decided against fans, too.
Leagues such as the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference and Southern Connecticut Conference didn't allow fans for the first week of the abbreviated winter season, which began Feb. 8. The SCC has since allowed its membership to make their own decisions about spectators.
n.griffen@theday.com
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