The 15 Chronicle Country high schools are slated to begin preseason football season in the coming weeks.

For the 2 public and private school sports leagues, it’s also 2 different storylines.

Things appear to be going to plan for the SC Independent School Association. Following a 10-day “dead period”, the football teams are slated to begin preseason practice this Monday.

Players will work out in helmets only through Phase 1, progressing to helmets and shoulder pads on Aug. 10.

They will don full gear and begin contact drills on Aug. 17, the same day other fall sports can start its respective seasons.

When the regular season starts Aug. 28, teams will also get to play in front of a full section of fans.

The smooth progression is credited, according to Athletics Director Mike Fanning, to the diligence shown by players and parents in dealing with the pandemic

“Thank you for how well summer workouts have gone,” he said. “We have not experienced flare-ups or clusters and when a positive case has occurred you have been prepared and addressed it appropriately and not panicked.

“Be prepared for that positive case in your athletic program.”

The league also this week introduced sports-specific protocol for the upcoming season. This will involve issues such as how ballboys and officials will work on the field this season.

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE

Meanwhile, there’s an air of uncertainty with the S.C. High School League.

The current plan calls for preseason football practice to start Aug. 17 and the regular season to begin Sept. 11 (SEE REVISED SCHEDULES B5).

However, an alternative plan supported by Lexington School District 1 is still an available option.

Its plan would split the sports year into 4 seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring 1, Spring 2), move “high” risk sports like football, wrestling, volleyball, lacrosse and competitive cheer to the spring and start “low” risk sports like baseball, softball, girls’ tennis, girls golf and cross country to the fall.

The plan was initially voted down 16-1 by the S.C. High School League Executive Committee. Plan co-sponsors Lexington District 1 Superintendent Greg Little and District athletics director David Bennett appealed July 22 to the 7-member Appellate Panel.

Following a 2-hour discussion, the panel voted 5-1 to table a final vote on the appeal until Aug. 10 - a week before preseason football workouts begin.

Panel member and Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center President/ CEO Otis Rawl cited a lack of information on both plans for reasons to continue on a final vote.

“I don’t feel comfortable making a decision as large and impactful as this with the information we have today,” Rawl said.

Should Lexington win the appeal, the S.C. High School would have to adopt its plan.

The responses have varied to Lexington’s plan.

“I do like the fact that they’re trying to create a situation where the low-risk sports are playing now and the higher risk sports are playing later,” Myrtle Beach head coach Mickey Wilson said. “Hopefully we have a vaccine by the winter and can get on the field from a football standpoint and a wrestling standpoint by the spring. I do like the concept but I think there are some kinks that need to be worked out.”

The SC Coaches Association of Women’s Sports said volleyball and softball coaches were against it.

The SC Baseball Coaches Association said in its survey 67% of the coaches also said no to Lexington’s plan.

The S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association is also against Lexington’s plan.

“Should the SCHSL have to deal with postponements or even cancellations of other athletics in the Fall or Winter seasons, then unfortunately those sports may have to deal with the same ramifications that 2020 Spring athletic programs faced earlier this year,” it said in a statement. “After discussions with other spring auxiliary coaches’ associations, the SCHSSCA believes SCHSA spring sports have already sacrificed enough. If it happens to the fall/winter campaigns, we hope those sports will display the same dignity that the spring sports demonstrated this past year.”

Gray Collegiate boys’ soccer coach Kevin Heise, whose spring program was among those cut short last year, fully supports the association’s position.

“I am in full agreement with the stance of the SCHSSCA and believe that given the situation, we should continue with the monitor-and-adjust path we are currently on in regards to the SCHSL calendar,” he said. “Spring sports were heavily impacted this past year and should not be subject to reduction of season and games, simply to acquiesce another sport. If some adjustments have to be made in the fall due to covid-19, then that seems to be fair.”