A sports director suspended a top school football game Thursday night in Utah when bleachers followed coronavirus protocols.
Jeremy Lewis, the athletic director at American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah, temporarily stopped betting the first part of his school game opposite Timpview High School when he saw that many enthusiasts had taken off their masks and were closer, rather than staying. in their seats.
Lewis turned to the crowd and told them to put the mask back on and return to their assigned seats. When enthusiasts learned that the game would not resume before doing so, they began to comply. Lewis estimates the delay in less than a minute.
“Today, for the game to continue, we all have to make sacrifices,” Lewis told USA TODAY Sports. “… These are just the situations that lately are required to play football here and those are the needs to watch football. That’s why we’re going to do everything we can to let our athletes continue to play football. They love it.”
While many states were delayed at the start of top-tier school football or boosted the season in the spring, Utah began its season on time, fitting with the first state to start its top school season amid the pandemic.
UHSAA rules require all players in any of the groups to go through temperature controls before the game. Masks and social distance between spectators are recommended.
However, the Alpine School District, the district in which American Fork High is located, has stricter protocols. These come with a capacity of 25% on all sports occasions with all tickets sold in advance and a mask requirement. In addition, all enthusiasts should point out a way of agreeing before attending sporting events.
The form, the copy of which was delivered through a district spokesperson to USA TODAY Sports, includes language that reads: “Viewers must wear a mask to attend all SDG events. Games may be delayed or suspended for non-compliance.”
WARNING: Protesting parents do not understand. Big Ten takes care of footballers’ fitness
NFL RECORD PREVISIONS: Can Cam Newton push the Patriots to the playoffs?
“The Alpine School District is doing everything imaginable to provide a safe environment for school and sports occasions,” a spokesman told USA TODAY Sports. “We hope that these occasions will continue in the future, as we expect everyone to run together to comply with established protocols.”
When the game stopped on Thursday, Lewis said many American Fork players had also begun dealing with the crowd, which was usually made up of parents and families, telling them to move in so that the game would simply resume.
“The American Fork High School team turned to the stands and started yelling at the fans:” Move, move, move, move to the right position, get out! Go to the other aspect where your position is! “Lewis said.” That’s great. They perceive that each and every game is a gift right now. “
Head coach Aaron Behm in favor of closure, according to Lewis. American Fork won the game 31-21.
Lewis noted that by interrupting the game, he simply does his job by following the protocols assigned to him across the district, and hopes the incident will lead to greater compliance in the future.
“It’s not something I was looking to do in any way,” Lewis said. But I hope that other people will be able to perceive that the consequences of not dressing in a mask and that it will be imposed, of not taking social distance, will be imposed, and that if they do not need the game to be interrupted at all. Array then just use your face mask and where you bought a ticket.”