Minnesota prep football, volleyball, traditional spring sports can hold fall practice

COVID-19 took away their 2020 high school sports seasons but Minnesota football, volleyball and spring sports athletes can still practice this fall if their schools are willing.

Details were released Tuesday for three-week fall training seasons approved by the Minnesota State High School League as part of decisions to delay football and volleyball to a newly created season from March to May. The league's spring sports, which shut down in April because of the coronavirus pandemic, also can practice this fall.

The training for football and volleyball runs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 3, with a maximum of 12 daily sessions. Practice for spring sports runs Oct. 5-24, also with at most 12 daily sessions. Tryouts, scrimmages with other programs and captains' practices are not allowed, the league said.

Schools can choose whether to implement full or partial training seasons or not offer them.

The league also gave schools the discretion to allow athletes to compete in a fall sport, such as soccer, cross-country, girls' tennis or girls' swimming, while also take part in one of the practice-only seasons for another sport.

The league's board of directors voted Aug. 4 to approve shortened seasons for other fall sports, including boys' and girls' soccer and cross-country, girls' tennis, and girls' swimming and diving. Practice for those seasons begins Monday.

PAUL KLAUDA