WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – With just about a month to go until the start of the season for high school sports, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced their recommendations for fall sports. 

The MIAA voted on Tuesday that fall sports will begin September 14, so schools and athletes have time to adjust to new safety guidelines, but there are still many questions surrounding the season. 

High school athletes, parents, and coaches are hopeful that these empty fields won’t stay that way for long. A number of colleges have canceled their fall seasons, but the MIAA is trying to have fall high school sports. 

It seems the season won’t change too much from past years, it will just be starting a few weeks later. 

“We might have to compact some games into fewer weeks but in terms of the preseason we will still have a couple weeks to prepare, still be able to get scrimmages in as long as those are allowed so once the season starts I think things will go generally how they usually go for preseason and the beginning we will just have to wait a couple more weeks than usual,” said Matt Mosher, girls soccer head coach at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. 

The MIAA’s has dedicated a specific task force to Covid-19 safety for student athletes. The Task Force has met weekly over the past two months to come up with a plan for fall sports. 

Despite the MIAA’s announcement to push that start of sports back, the decision of when and if high school fall sports are played depends on the guidelines for youth and K through 12 sports which will be set by the Governor Charlie Baker. 

It is unclear when Governor Baker will be announcing those guidelines but it should be soon with just weeks until the start of school.