River Ridge creates rules for spectators at sports events
By A.J. Gates
As the fall sports season slowly comes to fruition, school and conference officials have been working tirelessly on safety measures and protocols for fans and athletes alike, hoping to minimize risks of contracting COVID and keep all of our student/athletes and fans safe during the fall sports season.
Fans of football, volleyball and cross country teams competing in the Six Rivers and Ridge & Valley conferences will have a specific set of protocols to follow when attending sporting events during these abnormal times.
Like many of the teams competing in the Six Rivers conference, Potosi will be abiding by the new safety regulations, and has posted a link to their fall sports protocols on the front page of the school’s web site.
When it comes to spectators at football games, the Six Rivers and Ridge & Valley conferences have come together, and agreed to allow four spectators for each student/athlete.
Those spectators will be required to social distance and to wear a mask at all times.
Speaking with River Ridge activities director and Six Rivers conference commissioner, Wade Winkers, there will be a roster at the front entrance to their football games, where four people can sign their names behind the player’s name they are there to watch.
By having fans sign their names behind each player, it also allows the school to contact trace, knowing exactly who was at what game in case something should arise.
The same will be done at volleyball games this fall, though the Six Rivers conference has agreed as a whole to only allow two spectators to attend for each student/athlete.
Like football, those attending volleyball matches will also be required to wear a mask and social distance at all times.
At River Ridge home volleyball matches, the plan is to have all fans, home and away, sit on one side of the gymnasium, with the players and coaches all sitting on the other side.
At Potosi, their plan is to have all home spectators sit on the north side of the gymnasium, with the visiting fans sitting on the south side.
At volleyball matches, the fans aren’t the only ones required to wear a mask, as players, coaches and managers will also be required to do so, even those playing.
For football games, coaches and managers on the sidelines will be required to wear a mask, though players, on the field and on the sidelines will not be required to do so.
Admission to all games will be free for those designated to attend, while no concessions will be available at the games.
There will also be no bands performing prior to the games or during halftime, and there will be no student sections.
Winkers did note though that if a particular school board had approved restructured protocols for their individual venue, the Six Rivers as a whole agreed to accept those protocols.
Case in point, at Albany they have decided not to allow any visiting fans to their home volleyball matches, due mostly to limited seating at their gymnasium.
As of now, cross country meets in the Ridge & Valley conference are not allowing spectators, but according to Winkers will allow up to four spectators per student/athlete beginning Oct. 1.
