ROCKFORD – Illinois High School Athletics Association has decided to ignore COVID-19 mitigation orders to start high school basketball season. The high school basketball team season was potentially put on hold due to the sport becoming more of a high risk than expected. “The Board took action to follow the guidance of the IHSA Sport Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) and will allow Boys and Girls Basketball to begin practices, per IHSA Return to Activities 2.0 on November 16,” according to the IHSA Board. 

Contests will be on November 30th, they will be held in an Illinois COVID-19 region or within a conference. “After diligent discussion, the Board has made the decision today to follow the recommendation of the IHSA SMAC as it relates to basketball.” The Board remains considerate of rising COVID-19 cases in Illinois and understands the importance of adhering to safety guidelines for the good of all citizens. The IHSA board said. “However, the Board has not been presented any causal evidence that rising COVID-19 cases make basketball more dangerous to play by the IDPH or any other health organization nationally or internationally.”

(Compiled from 23WIFR by Hailey Skaggs for the Guilford Voyager, original reporting by the 23WIFR Newsroom)