(11/1) The Fairfield Area School District (FASD) school board approved at their October 12 meeting to increase the number of players’ family members and friends that will be allowed to attend school games during the current COVID-19 restrictions.
The increase in allowable spectator attendance was effective immediately upon passage by the board. Of particular focus was the approval allowing an increase in the number of families and friends permitted to attend games being held indoors, which, up to the board meeting, which had previously been zero.
Discussing permitted capacity in the high school gym, FASD Athletic Director Crystal Heller said that the pre-COVID capacity was over 700, but that as the result of having to maintain social distancing, that number was dramatically reduced to a maximum of 51 individual spectators, employing the use of the larger bleachers.
In presenting the proposal to increase the numbers of attendees from zero - which centered especially on indoor volleyball, Heller told the board, "We would like to increase (spectator attendance) from zero, that volleyball currently has, to three passes per athlete, to make them the same as all other fall sports."
The athletic director pointed out that the school has two volleyball teams, one being the junior varsity team, consisting of 11 girls, and the other being the senior varsity team, consisting of ten girls. "So, it would be 33 (spectators allowed) in the gym for the first game and, we’d clear it (the bleachers), and then 30 (spectators) for the second game," which are the same measures employed in managing spectators for the boys’ and girls’ soccer games.
Sharon Sass, Fairfield, told the board, "We (family members) haven’t been to any (volleyball) games for our seniors," and really appreciated the change, noting that there were only three home games left in the school year.
She said allowing family members to attend the last of the fall season’s volleyball games "would really mean a lot, especially for our seniors," Sass said, adding, "(We’re all) kind of heart-broken - This is their (seniors) last season," and that it would mean a lot for them to "have some parents in the stands for the last couple of home games."
Meanwhile Frederick County been granted state-approval to begin school team sports.
Brad Young, President of the County Board of Education, told the News-Journal, "The state approved a new plan yesterday (October 26) that we can adopt which (sport) would start the winter season in December, with competitions in January. The board will have to vote on it." He stated that the winter season would be followed by fall season, and then the spring season.
Regarding spectator attendance, the Young stated, "There will be restrictions on how many can attend, but those are not set yet. It will be very limited."
