IHSA Announces Sports Schedule With Basketball Games Beginning Immediately After Seven Practices

High school basketball games will be happening soon in Illinois, with other sports to follow as high school athletes finally have a timeline for when their sport can return to competition.

The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors announced a new sports schedule Wednesday for the rest of the school year after receiving clearance from the Illinois Department of Public Health last week.

Boys and girls basketball can begin playing games immediately after seven days of practice for regions that have reached Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan.

All schools in Central Illinois have reached Phase 4 and many already have started contact days, which will count as official practices. There are currently five regions in the state in Phase 4 coronavirus mitigations.

The basketball season will run through March 13 with no state tournament.

The IHSA board also said football practice will start beginning March 3. The six-game season begins on March 19 and runs through April 24 with no state tourney.

Boys soccer season will be from March 1-April 17, with volleyball from March 8-April 24. Neither will have a state tournament.

Volleyball will have its season from March 8 until April 24.

Traditional spring sports will start on April 5 and go until June 19. Spring sports are getting a longer season because they missed all of last year and they are allowed to have a state series.