IHSA is no closer to having fall, winter, or spring timelines. After meeting with the IDPH , Executive Director of IHSA , Craig Anderson , the Illinois Department of Public Health made no changes it’s COVID-19 restrictions. This means all IHSA sports will remain on pause. Anderson met with IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike , on Wed. , Jan. 6, in hopes of at least a timeline of when sports will resume. 

      Anderson said, “ My goal, which has been the same all along, is trying to generate some discussion that will get us some timelines — timelines on when we may be able to get going, or even on when we might know something more,” Anderson said Friday. “Once timelines are established, we can at least start to move forward. … Unfortunately that did not happen here.”

      Anderson, as well as other members of the IHSA, used the meeting to recommend new guidelines for storts members from the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee that could help re-start sports. Anderson also asked the IDPH to look over the risk levels of all remaining sports, “with consideration for lowering some sports from their current risk levels.”

      “They said they would go back and at least look at that,” Anderson has stated that soccer and volleyball are at medium risk, and football ranked as a high risk. Fall sports were supposed to re-start on Feb. 15. But as of right now everything is still on pause. 

      On Wed., Jan. 13. IHSA and IDPH met again. The IHSA was hoping this meeting will be a step closer to knowing when sports will start up again. Unfortunately it was the exact opposite. The season still remains suspended. Coaches, student-athletes and fans expecting the IHSA  to unveil a plan for the remainder of the 2020-21 sports calendar after Wednesday’s board meeting didn’t get it.“The most frustrating thing about this is there hasn’t been any guidance,” Evergreen Park boys basketball coach Jim Sexton said. “They just keep moving it down the road without making any decision. I wish there were a plan in place.” Although the best thing to do right now is work hard on your skills. Take this time to get better at your sport. Use this down time as an advantage. Who knows Sexton and many others might get their wish Jan. 27. That’s when the IHSA will meet again to review options for an updated sports schedule.