Inclement weather contingency plans for spring sports championship season

Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com

If Monday’s ugly storm was any indication, weather may play a factor in the spring sports championship season. Then again, it usually does.

As such, the CHSAA office on Tuesday released its plan for weather contingencies involving team sports in the following memo sent to schools:

Girls Soccer

• If a weather element affects the field condition or safety of athletes, by National Federation Rule, the home site administration has the responsibility to determine if the game is to be started. Once the game has started, the game referee than has the responsibility to continue or suspend the contest.
• Review the NFHS Lighting Policy.
• If play is suspended for inclement weather during a postseason game, the contest will be restarted from the point of interruption. Referees should record all of the game information  and share it with both teams.
• Games that are not started or suspended because of inclement weather must be scheduled for the next available day. For example, if your match is postponed on Tuesday, the next available date of play would be Wednesday.
• Because these are playoff games, Sunday may be utilized for games that could not be played or completed on Saturday.
• All host schools need to communicate this to the CHSAA office, administrators, coaches, players, parents and fans.
• Please review the Postseason Tournament Game Tie-Breaking Procedures listed in the Girls’ Soccer Bulletin.

Baseball

Should weather interfere with the conclusion of play this weekend and through the next three weekends, our weather contingency plan is to use the first available day to conclude the tournament games play be postponed. For example, if your games are postponed on Saturday, then Sunday is the next available day and Monday becomes the next available day after that. If Monday is not available, then Tuesday becomes the next available day.

The basic philosophy of this tournament is to push game times back until we can get on the field. That may mean delays of several hours on game times. We will use the lights at those fields that have them, if necessary.

Because these are playoff games, Sundays may be used, but site directors will need to check with the schools in the tournament to ensure rescheduling does not create a greater conflict for those schools.

There is no waiver on pitch counts for postponed playoff games. Pitch counts are daily numbers, except that remember that no pitcher may throw for than 60 pitches over two days (15 pitches Saturday and 45 Sunday means that pitcher is done and must meet the mandated rest).

There may be situations where the facility availability will force the next available day out of the rotation. Please make sure that the site director is communicating with the traveling teams. All schools need to communicate this to their players, parents, administrators and fans.

Site directors and coaches, it is your responsibility to be in touch with each other on potential problems. If you must postpone, please try to maintain the same game time schedules once you have rescheduled the games.

If you are forced to go into next week, please work with your opponents on game times. If you must play two on Monday and finish on Tuesday, that is workable, or utilizing two sites and convening to one for the qualifying game if appropriate. Site Directors should be talking with their opposing athletic director about conflicts, etc.

Boys and Girls Lacrosse

Interrupted games will be continued from the point of interruption as per National Federation Rulebook.  Games that are not started or suspended because of inclement weather, must be scheduled for the next available day. 

Please remember to review the CHSAA Playoff Calendar for dates of the beginning and completion of each round of play. We will adhere to all listed playoff dates.