While the boys and girls of summer continue competition, the Iowa Department of Education has opened the door for the athletes of 2020-21 to start potentially returning to action as soon as this fall.

Guidance has been issued that allows schools to begin offering all activities as of this Wednesday. Districts should work with county health departments on current restrictions in a given area before beginning contact, and local school administration will make the determination as to what is and isn’t permitted.

Out of season Coach-Athlete contact can begin under the provisions, as can strength and conditioning. Outdoor workouts for students are encouraged, and health guidelines have been released as it relates to voluntary sessions, including:

-maintaining of social distancing
-wearing of masks when six feet can’t be maintained
-workout groups of 10 or less including coaches and medical personnel
-multiple pods of ten are allowed if facility space allows, and groups must stay together based on different sports
-sanitary measures must be implemented, including effective cleaning and disinfecting
– coaches are required to maintain a daily record of participation and symptoms, if they occur

Read the rest of the guidelines for the return to summer workouts for all athletes at KNIAKRLS.com.