OSSAA amends rules concerning school cancellations and games

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  • Aviree Robison and the Weatherford Lady Eagles qualified for the Class 4A State Tournament. However, due to COVID-19, the team was unable to play those games after the OSSAA canceled the tournament. Josh Burton/WDN
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The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletics Association (OSSAA) has laid out a plan regarding schools closing if students or faculty at a school test positive for COVID-19.

If an interruption of a school event is caused due to public health concerns such as COVID-19 or any other emergency circumstances, the OSSAA is allowing non-district games and games which do not affect playoff seeding to be canceled. However, if it affects playoff seeding in any sport, each school must make an effort to reschedule the game.

On occasion, a state or local government authority or a local board of education or school governing board may, due to a specific public health concern or other emergency circumstances, cause a member school to be closed for a full school day or longer, which prohibits a member school team from participating in a scheduled regular season contest.

School closing shall mean the local health authority or board of education or governing board has canceled all secondary school classes and school sponsored extracurricular activities for a minimum of one full school day due to a specific public health concern, the OSSAA reported.

In that event, if the results of the contest does not impact placement in a playoff bracket in sports such as volleyball, cross country, fall and spring baseball and fast-pitch softball for Class A and B, basketball, wrestling, swimming, slow-pitch softball, track and field, tennis, golf, Class A or B. the Academic Bowl or Speech and Debate, the two schools should make all reasonable efforts to reschedule the contest at a different date and time within the regular season, but if the schools are unable to reschedule, the two schools may choose to cancel the contest, the OSSAA reported.

If the results of the contest do impact placement in a playoff bracket in sports such as fast-pitch softball, football, dual wrestling, soccer and spring baseball for Classes 2A through 6A, the two schools are required to make an effort to mutually agree to a date and time to reschedule the contest prior to the beginning of the playoffs in that activity, the OSSAA reported.

The agreement to reschedule should occur within 48 hours of the original contest. If the two teams are unable to agree on a rescheduled date and time, the placement in the playoff bracket will be determined by won and loss percentage for all teams in the district, and marginal points shall not be considered in breaking ties between teams. If two or more teams are tied in won-loss percentage, the highest position in the district will be awarded to the team who won against the tied team. If the highest position cannot be determined according to the outcomes in head-to-head contests between the tied teams, the highest position in the district will be determined by lot, the OSSAA reported.

If two or more tied teams are remaining after the highest position is determined, the next highest position in the district will be given to the tea, who won in head-to-head contests against the other remaining tied teams. If the next highest position is not able to be determined according the outcomes in head-to-head contests between the remaining tied teams, the next highest position in the district will be determined by lot, the OSSAA reported.

This same procedure will be repeated until all play-off positions for the district teams have been determined. The OSSAA will set the procedure for determining placement by lot. If a decision by a state or local government authority, or by the state or local board of education or school governing board, concerning a specific public health concern or other emergency circumstances, interrupts the conduct, scheduling, or locations of play-off contests, the executive director is authorized to develop and execute a plan in the best interest of the membership to continue, reschedule, or relocate post-season play. The Executive Director’s plan and determinations shall be considered valid and effective, the OSSAA reported.