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SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM ❚ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 ❚ 3B What concerns exist with reopening prep and youth sports this fall? Pete Martini Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Athletes, coaches and administrators want high school and youth sports to open as safely and as soon as possible after months of being shut down by the coronavirus. If they resume action this fall, what will it look like? There won’t be an an- swer to that question un- til deeper into the sum- mer, but officials are al- ready discussing con- cerns and possible scenarios. “We’re just kind of get- ting into them,” said Peter Weber, executive director of the Oregon Schools Ac- tivities Association. “It’s just trying to figure out within the guidelines what things could look like.” South Salem's Justin Saunders Tyquiengco, 1007, competes in the OSAA Class 6A boys cross country state championship at Lane Community College in Eugene on Nov. 9, 2019. ANNA REED / STATESMAN JOURNAL Brainstorming ideas The OSAA has put to- gether contingency groups to brainstorm ideas for how to have a fall season while still ad- hering to the state’s guidelines, whatever those might be in August and September. Earlier in May, Gov. Kate Brown said large gatherings, such as sporting events, should be canceled or modified through the end of Sep- tember. “We’re talking about what things could look like for the summer, what practices could look like come fall, what contests could look like,” Weber said. “We’re trying to use the expertise of some of the coaches and (athletic directors) who are famil- iar with those different sports.” State tournaments were canceled before completion. High school sports in the fall include football, volleyball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls cross country. No fans a possibility? There has been discus- sion nationally for college and professional sports about competitions with no spectators, and that also is a possibility for high school sports. But that can create is- sues financially for schools and school dis- tricts. “If you have an event with all of the expenses, and none of the income, then that probably doesn’t work very well from a financial stand- point,” Weber said. “But with those conversa- tions, there’s still a lot to be learned about what the requirements could look like, and those types of things. At this point, we’re just trying to figure out what ideas are out there.” West Salem Athletic Director Bill Wittman said the sports budget al- ready has taken a hit with the cancellation of spring sports. “We didn’t get our spring participation reve- nue that we usually do, so we’re already starting off a little bit behind,” Witt- man said. “Are we going to see a reduction in par- ticipation because fam- ilies are nervous about coming back too soon?” One of the significant duties of an athletic di- rector is event manage- ment for high school sporting events, and with a number of possibilities, they need to think about how many people it will take to pull it off. “Officials, transporta- tion, game workers, con- cessions, ticket-takers, you name it,” said Witt- man. “If the guidelines are different than we’re used to, and we assume McNary's Ashlyn Lyda (4) and Liberty's Sophia Magdaleno (6) chase after the ball during the Liberty vs. McNary girls soccer game at McNary High School in Keizer on Sep. 10, 2019. ANNA REED / STATESMAN JOURNAL they will be, then you’ve got crowd control, as far as lines and social dis- tancing. Who’s going to enforce it, how’s it going to be enforced?” The district is aware of the potential budget shortfall for high school sports in the fall, but it does not currently have a plan to address it. “We have just con- vened a team to begin working on fall logistics,” said Lillian Govus, direc- tor of community rela- tions and communica- tions for Salem-Keizer Public Schools. “Certain- ly, that’s one piece to be considered.” Different counties in different stages? One possible hurdle the OSAA will have to deal with is the fact that not all counties could be at the same stage of re- opening. It’s possible the more densely populated areas in Portland, Salem and Eugene could have differ- ent state mandates than more rural areas in cen- tral and southern Oregon. “Does that mean we play more regionally if we’re able to play?” We- ber said. “It could mean a lot of different things.” Transportation also could be an issue. “Transportation is a big conversation as well. If we’re needing to main- tain some level of social distancing, what does that do to transportation and travel?” Weber said. “With more regional play, in some sports, probably not football, that could mean that you have schools in different clas- sifications that normally wouldn’t play each other, but if I needed to stay within my county, those may be things that need to be looked at.” Sprague, West Salem, South Salem and McNary are in the Mountain Val- ley Conference in football with the three Bend schools — Bend, Summit and Mountain View. And in all other sports, McKay is in that conference as well. So there is a chance if transportation is limited, the conference could split into the Salem schools competing against each other, and the Bend schools competing against each other. “Everybody is con- cerned a little bit about that,” Wittman said. “They would rather play against themselves and regionally than not play at all.” Club of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties is starting to look at possi- bilities for having sports again in the fall. “We know kids are go- ing to need the positive interaction and guidance more than ever when our community begins to transition to pre-corona- virus times. Unfortunate- ly, we’re not sure when that will be,” said Kyle Buse, athletics director for the Boys and Girls Club of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties. The Boys and Girls Club is in constant com- munication with Salem- Keizer Public Schools and other youth sports pro- viders to determine what sports might look like in the fall when they offer volleyball and flag foot- ball. The Boys and Girls Club is planning to begin fall registration on July 1. “(We’re) using the next several weeks to closely monitor conditions in Marion County and the state of Oregon,” Buse said. “And recommenda- tions from Gov. Brown.” Bob Merwin, president of the Tualatin Valley Football League, a non- profit tackle-based foot- ball program for third- through eighth-graders in the Tualatin Valley, Portland and Salem, said they will likely mirror what OSAA does. “If we do anything less than that, I don’t think it speaks well to what we’re doing," he said. Even though they could have the discus- sion, Merwin doesn’t think it will be worth hav- ing a season in the fall if parents and family can’t attend the games. “The way that we run our league is by a demo- cratic system, and I’m one vote of those, so I can tell you what my personal opinion is: No way,” Mer- win said. “Youth football is as much a family expe- rience as it is a player ex- perience. And if you elim- inate the family from that, in my world, no it’s not worth it.” Pete Martini covers high school and college sports for the Statesman Journal. You can contact Pete at pmartini@States- manJournal.com, 503- 399-6730 and follow @PeteMartiniSJ Obituaries Beverly (Norman) Myers SILVERTON - Beverly Jean Norman was born in 1938 in Egeland, North Dakota. She moved to Dufur, Oregon with her family in 1944. She also lived in Brownsville, Tillamook, and San Diego at various times where her father pioneered churches. Bev married Lynwood Myers (deceased) in 1962. They were married for 54 years and made their family home in Silverton, Oregon. In addition to being a loving mother and wife, Bev was generous with her time and gifted at serving. She volunteered in the accounting office at Christian Center of Salem for 30 years. Bev faithfully served with Christian Women’s Club for most of her adult life. She loved to support missionaries and she served as “Camp Grandma” for many summers at Royal Family Kids Camp. Bev was also known to regularly buy and collect supplies for donation to the Union Gospel Mis- sion, Simonka Place, and Hope Pregnancy Clinic. Beverly is survived and lovingly remembered by her sister Darlene Wood, brother-in-law Ray Myers, brother-in-law Gordon (Nancy) Myers, son Mark Myers (Shelley), daughter Angie Hanson (Steve) and grandchildren Bryce Hanson, Kameryn Myers, Summer Hanson and Kendra Myers. After a long battle with vascular dementia her spirit left her earthly body on May 24, 2020 at the age of 82. The family would like to thank the caregivers and staff at The Woods at Willowcreek for their thoughtful care. No service is scheduled at this time. Testing student-athletes? During OSAA’s plan- ning for the fall, there have been conversations about possibly testing student-athletes at the start of fall camp. “What does it look like when you’re screening kids and coaches for a practice? How do you do it? Can you do it?" asked Weber. "Hopefully, every- one is good, but if some- body is not, then what do you do? And a lot of that will come from the med- ical community.” The OSAA has not set a specific date to have a plan in place. “We’ll have regular meetings with our board as we go into the sum- mer," Weber said. "So much of it is going to be contingent on what’s the plan for schools.” Simple Cremation $795 Simple Direct Burial $995 Church Funeral $2965 TUALATIN 8970 SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd (503) 885-7800 PORTLAND 832 NE Broadway (503) 783-3393 TIGARD 12995 SW Pacifi c Hwy (503) 783-6869 EASTSIDE 1433 SE 122nd Ave (503) 783-6865 MILWAUKIE 16475 SE McLoughlin Blvd (503) 653-7076 Privately owned cremation facility. A Family Owned Oregon Business. 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