AURORA | A week after boys golf began, the remainder of the fall prep sports get underway Monday across the state with the opening of official practices.
The Colorado High School Activities Association allows football, girls volleyball, boys soccer, softball, cross country, boys tennis, field hockey and gymnastics to begin preparation for the new season, with the regular season ahead at the end of the week for softball and boys tennis and about a week later for the rest of the sports.
Boys golfers started practice Aug. 2 and already have reached regular season play.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, only five sports were in action last fall in boys golf and boys tennis, softball, cross country and football, which was a split season with some programs playing in the spring. Girls volleyball, boys soccer, field hockey and gymnastics were all shifted to the spring.
CHSAA has returned to a normal looking calendar in terms of number of contests and postseason size according to bulletins in each sport it put out last week (story).
Cherry Creek Schools Athletic Director Larry Bull told the Sentinel that participation numbers across the district were expected to be at pre-pandemic levels this fall after taking an expected dip last season.
“Last year things changed every two minutes it seemed like and it was a challenge, but we’re very hopeful about this year,” Bull said.
In terms of COVID-19-related things, Bull said Cherry Creek Schools would be following the recommendations of the Tri-County Health Department.
Earlier, Aurora Public Schools said that its athletes would be required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or submit results of testing every two weeks to participate (story).
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
