Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District has had to develop additional sporting event guidelines for the 2020-2021 school year in order to ensure the safety of all student-athletes and coaches involved. The COVID-19 pandemic called for new cancellation guidelines to be put in place, changing the season agendas for many high school sports.

Sporting events have often been cancelled or postponed due to bad weather, however in the light of this new pandemic, the district had to develop new guidelines that follow a multi-step process. 

“Sporting events can be canceled because of a few different situations,” Associate Athletic Director Kirk Eaton said. “Weather is the most obvious and common reason, and [then] health and safety considerations in light of COVID guidelines.”  

These new guidelines have brought the possibility of new results for many high school sport seasons, changing the outlook and aspirations many players and coaches have had for this year.

“If a game is officially canceled because of bad weather, the team that was winning at the halfway point of the game is declared the winner,” Eaton said. “Any game that would have been canceled due to COVID and was not made up would be declared a ‘no contest’ by district policy. If that resulted, the playoff tiebreaker rules might have to be used if that team was inline for a playoff berth. In all situations, the school principals, both head coaches, and the CFISD Athletic Director will agree on when games are suspended or canceled.”

Although some games are called off, not all the games are nullified. If possible, both teams will partake in a rematch. However, this may not always happen due to time restraints. 

“With a COVID situation, if there is enough time to conduct an investigation to still play the game that will happen,” Eaton said. “If there is not enough time then the game will be moved to the next available playing date per district policy.”

Weather cancellation policies have not changed; however, they have been used several times this season due to unexpected changes in weather conditions. 

“We have weather guidelines that determine safe conditions related to lightning in [the] area, cold temperatures, and excessive heat. For weather, we can delay until an agreed-upon time by both teams to move it to the next day in light of bad weather,” Eaton said. “Any varsity game canceled to weather is rescheduled following UIL policy to the next available playing date.”