The TSSAA has given us more clarity as to what cross country practices should look like right now.
On Monday morning, they announced official practice regulations and guidelines for fall sports.
You can find their full report for high school sports right here.
Here are the official practice regulations:
- Teams and players must follow local mandates and the rules of the facility regarding social distancing and cleaning protocols.
- Schools are expected to substantially maintain social distancing between players, coaches and spectators.
- If a local mandate is absent, schools are encouraged to adopt the Tennessee Guidelines for Non-Contact Sports.
Those are the official guidelines for non-contact sports -- including cross country, golf and volleyball.
The statement adds "the following practice regulations are designed to help schools ensure the health and safety of the players and coaches involved in fall sports. These regulations supplement the existing TSSAA practice regulations and sports calendars in response to the Governor's extension of Executive Order No. 38 and continued concern over the spread of COVID-19."
Two weeks ago, executive director Bernard Childress said cross country was "not a high-risk sport," and could continue as scheduled.
For now, it looks like practices won't be effected too much and meets can continue.
We'll continue to update you as more information comes out.