Texas high school teams allowed to resume workouts, but questions remain about upcoming fall season

The UIL issued guidelines earlier this month on when student-athletes can resume their seasons ahead of the new school year.

SOUTHLAKE, Texas - The UIL issued guidelines earlier this month on when student-athletes can resume their seasons ahead of the new school year.

However, some coaches and teams are still wary about that after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

School athletic teams can get back to practice on Monday.

The UIL says it’s planning on games this fall, but things can change very quickly during this pandemic.

If high school football is played, what will it look like this fall?

“You know, I think that’s the biggest thing is a lot of people don’t know,” said Riley Dodge, head football coach for Southlake Carroll High School.

Dodge said all he knows is, for now, his team is back to practice on Monday.

“It’s definitely been different,” he added.

The UIL recommended schools close summer workouts between July 3 and 12. Schools are allowed to reopen Monday, with a face covering rule for student-athletes when not exercising.

UIL officials said fall competition seasons are set to go on as scheduled, but the pandemic has proven anything can change.

“Yeah, I think it’s the old cliché, control the controllable,” Dodge said.

Dallas ISD Executive Director of Athletics Silvia Salinas said that for now, its 31 middle schools cannot resume athletics.

“You have to be just very careful on how we’re going to proceed,” she said.

Its 22 high schools may, but they’re not required to. She added that people must understand that with such a large district, comes different circumstances.

“What happens on one side of town might not be happening on the other side of town,” she explained.

Hillcrest High School’s coach said they’re holding off on returning to practice this week.

“But first and foremost, how are we going to teach kids? How are we going to get back to school?” Salinas added. “You know, even teachers have concerns about coming back.”

Southlake Carroll’s coach hopes football is, safely, alive and well this fall with more than just what’s happening on the field, but he understands, logistically speaking, there are plenty of unknowns.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces to travel to locker rooms,” Dodge said.

Dallas ISD officials said that even though schools are allowed to resume practice and conditioning, the district is not allowing its schools to do one-on-one and competitive drills. Only strength and conditioning for the time being.