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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 15, 2021
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TheMesaTribune.com @EVTNow /EVTNow
High school coaches cautious as COVID-19 rises BY ZACH ALVIRA AND DREW SCHOTT Tribune Sports Staff
T
he Arizona Interscholastic Association’s new COVID-19 guidelines for the 2021-22 high school sports season are causing a stir among athletes and coaches. Some of the key changes from last year’s guidelines open the opportunity for players with no symptoms to present negative tests to come out of quarantine after 10 days rather than 14. Teams as a whole can have a shorter quarantine period – 10 days from last known exposure – if an outbreak were to occur. But vaccinated coaches and players are excused from quarantine as long as they do not present virus symptoms. “We worked with our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee,” AIA Executive Director David Hines said. “They are our doctors, and they are in tune with what is going on across the board. Vaccinations are available – that wasn’t the case last year. Just about all of our athletes are old enough to receive the shot. “The intention is, really, we would like to have teams not cancel games.” With the start of the high school football season only a few weeks away and COVID numbers rising, the AIA, like other entities, cannot to mandate vaccines. The state law banning mask mandates by schools left it with the option to only “strongly encourage” mitigation strategies like masks and vaccines. But the rise in cases has coaches erring on the side of caution and having honest talks with players about vaccines. For some coaches, like Mesa wrestling coach David DiDomenico, the new guidelines have brought up more questions. His main concern: how to not overstep his boundary as coach when talking to athletes about their vaccination status. “How do I ask them if they are vaccinated?” DiDomenico said. “I don’t think that’s any of my business, but it’s something I will have to ask. As a head coach
Head Mesa High wrestling coach David DiDomenico has once again urged his wrestlers to exercise caution as COVID-19 cases are rising in the state. He has stopped short of recommending the vaccine, however, choosing only to inform them so they make the best decision for themselves. (Zach Alvira/Tribune Staff) I think it’s one more thing we have to do, “My parents are of course worried and we can’t really delegate it.” about my health,” Bonds said. “These DiDomenico and his program navi- new guidelines, we did a lot of the same gated through last year’s season virtually things last year. Really, staying clean and unscathed. They staying home if didn’t have to canI’m sick is the big“We are one community, but gest thing. I’m just cel any matches due to active cases at the end of the day, there are thankful to have within the probeen able to wreschoices that every studentgram. athlete and their families have to tle this summer. He said he has “Last year, I make and whatever that decision didn’t do any, had brief conversais, hopefully they think it’s the everything was tions with his team best decision for themselves, about the guidecanceled. But I’ve lines and what they their family, their team and the been able to be mean for those this school community as a whole. consistent who decide to get year. I’ve had 48 - Lucas Ramirez, head boys basketball matches so far and vaccinated. Those coach at Saguaro, conversations have my goal is 50.” stirred up others Another athlete with athletes and their parents. in the Mesa Uni�ied School District, who Aaliayah Bonds, a senior on the Mesa asked to remain anonymous, said he and wrestling team, has so far navigated his parents had long conversations about through summer wrestling matches the bene�its of getting the vaccine: He without issue. And she’s thankful for that. wouldn’t have to miss school, practices Last year, she didn’t have the opportunity or matches if he were deemed to be a to compete until winter sports began. close contact and didn’t have symptoms.
Even if symptoms did arise, they would likely be mild. They weighed the pros and cons as a family and ultimately decided to get their �irst round of a two-dose vaccine last week. They will receive their second shot on Aug. 30. Two weeks later, they will be considered fully vaccinated. “We thought it was a good idea, especially since we are really serious about my future,” the athlete said. “Having to quarantine for 14 days if I was a close contact wouldn’t be a good thing for me. It gives me a great deal of con�idence to know that I will be safe. Hopefully the people around me are also being safe.” Conversations such as that with families have begun in other surrounding districts. Gilbert head football coach Derek Zellner has stopped short of making any recommendations to his players. “We do our best to preach hygiene, hand sanitizer, safe decisions, washing hands,” Zellner said. “When we’re not together I tell them, ‘Hey, be smart, make good choices. Don’t make any dumb decisions that’s going to jeopardize your season or any games for yourself or any of your teammates.’” Other East Valley coaches are taking similar approaches with athletes. Chandler head coach Rick Garretson has emphasized the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact to his players. He and Chandler High School Athletic Director Jim Culver have spoken with the Wolves about ways to be proactive and safe. “Communication makes the world go round,” Garretson said. “We have that ultimate communication and Jim Culver is very in tune with being proactive on things. We try to stay ahead of the game so that we don’t have things… that would close a team down for a week or two.” Lucas Ramirez, the head boys basketball coach at Saguaro, has made communication and transparency with his players a priority throughout the pandemic.
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