Portage Community School District - High School Athletics

PHS Fall Sports Update ~ September 16, 2020

In order to best support our student athletes and mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19, while prioritizing the health and safety or our studnets and staff, the following protocols will be followed at home soccer, volleyball and football competitions.

Soccer

No pass requirement for spectator attendance.
Recommended that spectators are limited to player family members only.
Masks are encouraged to be worn at all times; will be required where social distancing is not possible.
Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and spread out around the field for social distancing.

Volleyball

Special passes will be required for spectator admittance and attendance.
Passes will be provided to player family members only and are not transferrable or shareable. These passes will be distributed to player families by the coaches.
No traditional passes will be honored.
Masks will be required to be worn at all times - a written medical clearance from a doctor must be provided for any spectator not wearing a mask.
Spectators will not be allowed to stand during the game/view from the gym floor - spectators must sit in designated seating areas and remain seated (except to use the restroom or leave the venue.)
Spectators will be asked to leave the gymnasium after the JV and JV2 games, prior to the start of the varsity game.
PHS home volleyball games will be livestreamed through the NFHS Network.

Football

Special passes will be required for spectator admittance and attendance to all scrimmages and home football games.
Passes will be provided to player family members only and are not transferrable or shareable. These passes will be distributed to player families by the coaches. Passes will also be provided to cheer team member families and marching band/color guard member families for the games when the cheer team and marching band/color guard are in attendance.
No traditional passes will be honored.
Masks will be required to be worn at all times - a written medical clearance from a doctor must be provided for any spectator not wearing a mask.
Spectators will not be allowed to stand and watch the game from the fence - spectators must sit in designated seating areas and remain seated (except to use the restroom or leave the venue.)
PHS home football games will be livestreamed through the NFHS Network.

If you have any questions, please contact PCSD Athletic Director Ed Carlson, carlsone@portage.k12.wi.us; 608-742-8545 ext. 1010.

Thank you for your cooperation.

PHS Fall Sports Update ~ August 3, 2020

While it is true that the Badger Conference as a group will not participate in any conference competitions or conference championships due to COVID-19, the Portage Community School District is still hoping to have a fall athletic season.

We are planning on pursuing and scheduling non-conference competitions with surrounding schools. In doing so, we are working in conjunction with our school nurse, board of education, local health departments, Divine Savior Athletic Training and the WIAA to implement a plan for co-curricular activities that mitigates the risks associated with COVID-19 as much as possible.

As of today, we are looking at the following sports to begin their practices on these dates:

Girls Golf Start: 8-17-20

Girls Tennis Start: 8-17-20

Girls Swimming Start: 8-17-20

Boys/Girls CC Start: 8-17-20

Football Start: 9-7-20

Boys Soccer Start: 9-7-20

Girls Volleyball Start: 9-7-20

Cheer Team: 9-7-20

If your student plans on participating in a fall sport, please be sure that all necessary paperwork is complete. Links can be found below.

If you still need a sports physical, Divine Savior Healthcare will be holding a WIAA Sports Physical Day on Friday, August 7 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Appointments are necessary and there is a fee for the physical. Additional information can be found here:

Divine Savior Healthcare WIAA Sports Physicals

At this point, the Portage Community School District has not made any final decisions on fall athletics at Bartels Middle School. Again, we are working in conjunction with our school nurse, board of education, local health departments, and Divine Savior Athletic Training to implement a plan for co-curricular activities that mitigates the risks associated with COVID-19 as much as possible. Additionally, meetings are being held with other local school districts to determine the logistics in holding middle school athletic competitions. Currently, we have made the decision to postpone the start date of all Bartels Middle School fall practices until at least September 8th. I can assure you that we will work hard to provide the safest possible environment for all of our activities. It is our hope that we will be able to hold some sort of a season for fall sports at the middle school level, but we just don't have further details at this point.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the PCSD Athletic Director, Ed Carlson at carlsone@portage.k12.wi.us.

In Regards to the 2020 Fall Sports Athletic Season and COVID-19

The following are recommendations for opening summer activities on Monday, July 6th, 2020. The resources for this reopening come from the National Federation of State High School Associations, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, and the Columbia County Department of Health. This protocol will be followed until further notice is given.

Coaches must communicate each day that if a student is not feeling well, they should go home immediately. Students should screen themselves and take their temperature at home. A temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater is a fever. Other symptoms students should report include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and reduced sense of smell or taste. Students that have any of these symptoms should contact their doctor or local health department for guidance on testing and possible quarantine.
Using smaller groups is a must, keeping cohorts together at all times. For example, in Summer Strength & Conditioning we will be establishing groups of no greater than 15 students that will be their workout buddies for the entire month. They will not mix with other students. Coaches in various sports may want to consider separating your groups into upperclassmen (Grades 11-12) and underclassmen (Grades 9-10) if your numbers are greater than 15 for open gyms, drills, workouts, etc. No indoor group should exceed 15 student-athletes. Students should leave immediately following the conclusion of their workout or activity.
Social distancing is extremely important. In the sport specific guidelines, please use small pods of student-athletes (5-10) when doing close proximity drill work. For example, wrestlers should be sparring or practicing moves with only people in their same pod group. Basketball should be practicing boxing with only players in their pod group, football players should be doing drill work with only players in their pod group, cheerleading stunts should only be done in pod groups. Sports can do team concepts as long as they keep distanced. The longer two people spend in close proximity to each other, the greater the risk of spreading the virus.
Hand sanitizer should be readily available in the weight room and in the gym. Weight equipment will be used by one individual, then wiped down by that individual before they move to another station. Do not share equipment without sanitizing between.
All summer activities are voluntary and participation should be discussed with guardians and or local physicians.
Attendance will be taken by coaches and a record will be kept of all Student-Athletes/Managers/Coaches that are present at each activity.
Locker Rooms are not to be used in the month of July. Students/Coaches should not share any clothing, shoes, or towels.
Equipment and clothing must be brought home everyday to be washed and cleaned before the next participation in practice. Consequently, with no locker room use, all athletic equipment, gear, and clothing will be stored at the residence of the student athlete.
Water Bottles can not be shared. Each student and coach needs their own bottle. Water bottles should be washed daily with warm and soapy water and air dried.
Masks are not being required by students during workouts. We recommend that students wear them when spotting in the weight room or if social distancing cannot be maintained for some reason. Coaches are highly encouraged to wear masks at all times, especially when indoors.
Please follow any directions posted for entering and exiting the building or facility