CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Beginning July 6 for high school and July 13 for middle school, CMCSS will begin permitting limited in-person athletic practices and conditioning on campuses with modifications and protocols for the health and safety of students, employees, and the community.

The plan was developed by the District Programs and Activities Coordinator in collaboration with local and regional athletic directors and coaches with input from the district’s Communicable Disease Team. Guidance from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) as well as from the Tennessee Pledge Access Guidelines for Noncontact Sports and the CDC were taken into consideration.

Some of the modifications and protocols in the plan include:

  • required parent/guardian consent for students to participate
  • daily temperature checks and COVID-19 symptom evaluations for students and employees
  • social distancing guidelines
  • limiting groups to no more than 10 people at a time (including both coaches and athletes)
  • members of workout groups will remain the same each day to aid in contact tracing
  • staggered work out times
  • students and employees must bring their own water bottles
  • increased equipment and facility sanitization and personal hygiene expectations
  • no spectators

Athletic directors and coaches at each school will be responsible for adhering to the plan.

Workouts will be on a voluntary basis. No athlete or coach will feel pressure to participate in or experience any repercussions for not attending any on-site, face-to-face workouts.

Accommodations, including virtual options, will be provided for families who do not feel comfortable with students returning to in-person practices at this time.

Coaches will be sharing more information with their student-athletes over the next few days before the TSSAA sanctioned dead period between June 22 and July 5. The district will develop guidance regarding the resumption of other typical late-summer activities such as performing arts, JROTC, and extracurriculars and communicate those in the coming weeks.