The Schuylkill League said Saturday that away fans have to stay away from high school sports events this Fall.
Despite the prohibition on all fans being lifted recently by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, there’s still a limit of 250 people who can attend outdoor sports events. The limit for indoor events, like volleyball matches, is just 25 people.
Even at 250 people, once you count all the players, coaches, refs, and team staff members, it severely limits the amount of people who can watch a game as a spectator.
Away Fans Have to Stay Away from Schuylkill League Fall Sports Events
So, to prevent any overcrowding or violation of Wolf’s rules, the Schuylkill League says fans from visiting teams have to stay home.
“This directive places each school district in an unenviable position when determining access to Schuylkill League contests. The genesis of our decision is both student and health-centered, primarily focusing on our students who participate in school-sponsored activities,” the league says in a press release on Saturday. “It is the decision of both Schuylkill League Superintendents and the Schuylkill League Executive Committee that each away school will only be granted a set number of student-athletes, coaches, and essential game workers. All away fans will not be granted access.”
Ever since the ban on fans attending sports events altogether was lifted earlier this week, schools have tread carefully when it comes to opening the fan gates at stadiums.
North Schuylkill pleaded with parents and fans not to “create an issue” by trying to watch from outside the stadium, too.
In a social media message, the school wrote, “Please be advised that we are still operating under a No Spectator plan for home events until further notice. Also, no spectators are allowed on school grounds around the facility during those events. Please do not put the admin or game personnel in a position to create an issue.”
Other schools have not been as strict as North Schuylkill. Fans were allowed in some stadiums today for a round of scrimmages between local schools.
For the actual games coming up this week, each school in Schuylkill County appears to have its own plan for how to handle fans coming into the stadium. The most popular plan so far seems to involve giving players vouchers to give to parents that would get them in the gates.
In lieu of these very restrictive spectator policies, schools are working on presenting live streams of games for the Fall season.
The Canary will attempt to track down as many live streaming sports events as they’re happening so you can have one destination to find your hometown teams.
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