The IHSA has released its tentative guidelines for Stage 2 in the Return to Play Plan. Those guidelines are tentative because they still must be approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health and would coincide with the state moving into Stage 4 of the Governor’s Restore Illinois Plan. All four regions in the state are currently on track to reach Stage 4 June 26.

The Stage 2 plan increases the numbers allowed to practice together to 50, whether indoors or outdoors and allows for game play. The 50 allowed includes players, coaches, and referees, but does not include spectators. Schools can choose to allow spectators, with the number limited to no more than 20 percent of the existing seating capacity. Multiple groups will be allowed in a facility as long as 30 feet of space between groups and interaction is limited to games.

Among other highlights in Stage 2:
* Spotters for weightlifting will be allowed
* Athletic equipment such as baseball bats and helmets should be cleaned between each use
* Shared equipment such as athletic balls, thud pads, and sleds should be cleaned frequently during use
* No shared towels, clothing or shoes
* Athletes should bring their own water bottle and must not be shared
* Hydration stations (water fountains, etc) can be used to fill bottles but must be cleaned after every practice/contest
* No handshakes, high fives, fist bumps or hugs pre or post match
* No spitting or nose blowing without a tissue

School officials will still need to record who is attending the workouts, when, and any symptoms they may present. Local school administration will decide what activities will be permitted at their school.

When this stage begins, it will mark the start of the summer contact days. Monday, the IHSA Board of Directors approved a total of 20 summer contact days and eliminated the no contact “dead period” that was scheduled August 3-9.

To see the full Stage 2 draft, click here: Stage-2-RTP-DRAFT.