What's The Rules Today?

Someone many years ago gave me excellent advice regarding coaching: "If you're going to prepare then don't worry,  but if you wish to worry then don't prepare; choose ONLY ONE."
Actually, my approach was always to anticipate everything that could come at you in a contest then prepare a counter move. I'd like to say that I never worried but then I would be lying. Funny thing, the only time I never worried about sport competition was when I was pitching, whether Little League, high school or college.  Think about it!

I tend to see the positives but always anticipate the potential for negatives. We've all heard those uplifting slogans: 1) Hope springs eternal, 2) The glass is half full, 3) However long the night, the Dawn will break, 4) Every cloud has a silver lining.  There's two other slogans I've thought of lately: 1) Fish or cut bait and 2) you crap your friends, I'll crap mine but let's not crap one another. (Folks, I cleaned that up a bit).

The Illinois High School Association causes me to doubt their 'Intentional Leadership' during this pandemic. I understand the profound delimma facing America's schools. Should they reopen? Can they reopen safely or should they teach online and embrace virtual classroom education until the winter semester and then make new assessments? These are monumental decisions for States and local School Boards. What is not a difficult decision is answering the question, should we have fall and winter sports? The answer to that question is found in the answers to these questions: Can sport competitors wear masks, social distance and keep their hands clean? If the answer to these questions is 'NO' then the IHSA leadership needs to stop dangling false hope  before student-athletes and  coaches.

I can't wait to see my first football game with the rules: 1)  'Players may not touch one another.'  and 2) If after a contest an official or player tests positive for COVID-19, all other players and officials must quarantine for 14-days.' There's a re-scheduling nightmare Mr./Ms. Athletics Director.

These times call for purposeful and deliberate leadership and a stoppage of offering guidelines for participation on Monday and then revoking those guidelines on Thursday. And even though there are obvious efforts in stated guidelines for the IHSA and local districts to 'Pass-the-buck' hoping to avoid liabilities...lawyers will have a field day.

Please know that I have long been and continue to be a strong advocate for the Illinois High School Associstion. As the result of serving on IHSA advisory boards, the legislative commission and as a national liaison for its coaching certification education program, I have witnessed close up the effectiveness of its mission. A few years ago when Illinois lawmakers were sticking their noses into the IHSA business claiming a lack of transparency, I was on the telephone with my representatives reminding them of Illinois' unprecedented political leadership failure. That said, I am not seeking to dismiss the great value in the IHSA.

I tout the educational value and growth development found in interscholastic sport and  extra-curricular offerings but the ultimate concern of the Illinois High School Association must be the health and well being of young student-athletes, mentors and their families during the apex of a pandemic.