Jason Bates watched as a nightmare scenario come to fruition Saturday.
Iola High’s wrestling coach was in Caney along with a small group of Mustang wrestlers for the Kan-Okla Classic.
Typically one of the largest wrestling competitions of the year, participation in this year’s tournaments was limited because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to limiting the number of schools and competitors at sporting events such as wrestling, the Kansas State High School Activities Association voted in November to prohibit spectators from attending any of the winter sports.
One of the biggest drawbacks to the decision, Bates explained, was how schools would respond if an athlete was injured, because having no spectators also meant having no parents in the stands.
That led to Saturday’s tournament, where a wrestler from another school injured his knee seriously enough to require a trip to the emergency room, Bates noted.
An assistant coach went with the injured to the hospital.
He quickly ran through how Iola would have responded. Assistant coach Ron Schomaker would have gone with the athlete to the hospital, leaving Bates alone with the rest of the school’s participants.
But what if the injury was life-threatening? What if the rest of the team was set to leave with one of their teammates still receiving treatment?
And how would the school be able to reach a parent easily?
Such an event was one of the biggest issues raised when the state’s high school sports governing body voted in November to bar spectators from winter sports events like wrestling and basketball until late January, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The subsequent response from parents across the state prompted the Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors to back off the prohibition slightly Tuesday. Starting Thursday, all interscholastic activities in the state will allow up to two parents or guardians for each participant.
That means parents of players, coaches, student managers, cheerleaders, dance teams, pep bands and student journalists now are welcome back to games and activities.
Face masks will remain mandatory for everyone except players when they’re competing and officials during active play.
The original order was to prohibit fans until Jan. 28. The new order also runs through Jan. 28, giving the KSHSAA board members other opportunities to decide by then whether to continue restricting attendance or to allow them to expire, allowing large crowds for the rest of the season.
