Maine high school athletes received good news last week as two Maine Principals Association committees approved all fall sports and specific guidelines for each. On Aug. 27, the Sports Medicine Committee recommended a fall sports season, including football, which the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) labeled as “high risk” and soccer as a “moderate risk.”

On Aug. 28, the association’s Interscholastic Management Committee moved the proposal further by also recommending a fall sports season with COVID-19 related guidelines. But there is still doubt around the state on whether or not football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, golf and cross country will happen this fall. Boothbay football coach Ed Crocker hopes his second eight-man football season kicks off Sept. 18, but he knows the ongoing pandemic may result in state officials sacking the season.

“I’m happy hearing the MPA is allowing fall sports. These kids haven’t had anything to do as far as a structured program since March, and I think it’s important that we have a season,” he said. “We’ve watched kids play basketball and the yacht kids play ultimate frisbee this summer, so it doesn’t look like COVID-19 is having an impact on young people.”

Whether all or some sports are played this fall will be up to Gov. Janet Mills. Crocker believes how other states handle football and other sports may play a large part in how Maine proceeds. So far, Massachusetts, Vermont and 15 other states have canceled football, according to NFHS. But Pennsylvania is playing football without delaying the season’s start. “Maine will start football almost two to three weeks after Pennsylvania. So I think whatever happens that will have a big impact on us,” Crocker said. 

Schools can also opt out of the season. In Maine, Camden Hills is the only high school to opt out of the fall season.