SA’s college football season and other winter sports could get underway in July
The 2020 college football season was in limbo – organisers feared it would be cancelled for the first time in 95 years. But now with SA’s new COVID-19 cases seemingly declining there’s a renewed hope with a potential start date revealed.
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College footballers, including SA’s top AFL draft prospects, could return to the field as soon as July with a potential start date revealed.
The Sports Association for Adelaide Schools alleviated some concerns the campaign would be cancelled altogether after a spokesman confirmed on Thursday trial games might begin on July 26 — week one of Term three.
It is hoped round one can then kick off on August 1 and traditional intercols hosted on September 12.
The college football season was earmarked to start on May 2, after the school holidays.
But like all sports across Australia, it was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The SAAS spokesman said the proposed dates, which would also be used to guide the start of other postponed winter sports, depended on how the virus numbers progressed.
SA recorded no new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, leaving the total at 438.
Of those, 394 have recovered, leaving only 40 active cases in the state.
“By extending the winter sports timeline we will be able to have seven weeks of winter sport including a week for the intercols,” the spokesman said.
“But this is all subject to the progress of the virus containment and the return to school.
“Schools are certainly keen, if able to return to normality so the school communities can get the best from their school experience from this interrupted year.”
The governing body could not provide details on when teams could begin training together again nor if crowds would be allowed to watch the college football matches.
“We have just used these dates as a aim for a starting point to help with planning, hopefully we will be able to apply (them),” the spokesman said.
It is believed SA’s college football season has never been called off in its 95-year history — not even World War II halted the traditional games.
But some coaches feared this year would not go ahead due to the world health pandemic.
Speaking to The Messenger on Thursday, Rostrevor first XVIII coach and three-time Magarey Medallist James Allan welcomed the news.
“At the moment any suggestion of getting games underway is exciting,” Allan said.
“I am doing a bit of stuff online with the boys, keeping them connected and engaged at the moment.
“But they’ll be pretty excited to hear there’s still a potential to play footy.
“It’s still uncertain with everything, really, but to hear there’s actually some dates and some hope gives us something to gear towards.”
St Peter’s coach Sam Elliott agreed.
“It’s fantastic and I’m sure everyone at this stage just wants to play football,” Elliot said.
“I think it’s good for the whole school communities — even the parents and supporters of the boys to get back involved with football.
“It’s going to be good for everyone.
“If (training) is allowed two days before the game potentially starts, or four weeks, it doesn’t really matter, we’ll be happy with whatever and just following the guidelines we get set.”
Immanuel mentor Troy Clements said he had become optimistic there would be some sort of season with SA having so few new COVID-19 cases.
“I had been speaking with some of my assistant coaches and some parents recently and with the way the numbers have gone the past two-three weeks, particularly in SA, I was very confident we would’ve got some footy played in third term,” Clements said.
“This is a huge relief for myself as a coach and as a parent that we are going to have a football season this year.”