IHSA Still Awaiting IDPH Approval of Return to Play Guidelines

The Illinois High School Association had been hopeful it could release Return to Play guidelines for coaches and student-athletes in the wake of the pandemic. The hope was that the guidelines would receive Illinois Department of Public Health approval in time for guidelines to be released June 1. The approval is yet to come.

Here's a statement from IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson issued Tuesday on the situation:

“I recognize that IHSA schools, students, and coaches are anxious for the IHSA Return To Play Guidelines to be released. In many ways, they represent the first step in a return to normalcy as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee was diligent in their development of these guidelines, and we have worked in good faith with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to make sure our plan optimizes safety for high school students in Illinois. IDPH approval is vital in this process, and we understand and respect that they have pressing statewide issues to resolve that take precedence over high school sports. Quarantine has been a test of patience, and now we ask our IHSA community for just a bit more of it as we collaborate with IDPH to finalize these Return To Play Guidelines. We understand that the return of athletics is important to our high school students from a physical, mental, and emotional perspective, but we also recognize that we must be in full accord with IDPH to maximize safety and help avoid any setbacks in reuniting our students with their coaches.”