LHSAA Unanimously Approves October 1 Game Start for High School Football

I'm pretty sure you could hear the eruption of cheers statewide as the Louisiana High School Athletic Association made the announcement that high school football games will return to Louisiana beginning October 1st and they can begin full contact practices today, September 10.

Director Eddie Bonine says that obviously this will be a shortened season with only an eight game schedule and teams will begin their season against their previously scheduled week three opponent.

From the Louisiana Radio Network, we learn, “We need some normality for our student-athletes, our coaches, our teachers, and our families and parents and communities in which all of you live and I truly believe that sports is an important piece of that,” says Bonine.

Bonine says he's certainly expecting our share of additional issues as the season begins, “There is going to be hiccups, our coaches have been monitoring cases and checking temperatures and practicing social distancing, wearing masks when they can, and they have still had cases.”

He goes on to say that apparently football's biggest health risks will actually be in the stands, and for that reason the LHSAA will defer to local officials using local health guidelines to determine stadium capacities and attendance procedures.