Fall Sports Postponed Until Sept. 8 For HCPSS Athletes

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The Howard County Public School System has delayed the start of its athletic season until at least Sept. 8. The school district noted Wednesday that coaches can continue to engage with student-athletes through virtual sessions to provide conditioning routines and drills.

In accordance with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association MPSSAA Roadmap to Recovery for Interscholastic Athletics, HCPSS established a return to play committee to assess opportunities for a return to athletic participation. This committee has connected regularly with the Howard County Health Department and MPSSAA to help guide the district's decision as to whether athletics could safely be resumed this fall.

Since the MPSSAA nor the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) have announced any changes regarding the fall athletic season, HCPSS decided that fall athletic programs will not begin Aug. 12, which currently is the designated MPSSAA start date.

The district noted Wednesday that it will continue planning to return to athletics for Sept. 8 or when the state and school system determine that it is safe to do so. Decisions regarding extracurricular activities for all levels are being evaluated.

"We anticipate further direction by the Maryland State Department of Education and MPSSAA soon and hope to have a decision and timeline finalized and communicated to our student-athletes and families as soon as possible. Registration will be closed temporarily and the community will receive notice when registration reopens," the district shared in a statement.