[BillyMac]

Got an interesting email yesterday. Our state board (representing six local boards, covering every interscholastic basketball official in the state) has decided to withhold our annual dues to the state interscholastic sports governing body until were assured that there will be interscholastic basketball in the winter of 2020-21 (basketball officials are the only winter sports officials to withhold annual dues).

Also received another email from a reliable source who is hearing about many high schools and/or school systems opting out of junior varsity, freshman, and middle school basketball games this upcoming COVID season.

The only fall indoor sport here is girls volleyball and the girls are playing while wearing masks, a concession made to the State Department of Health, who initially wanted fall girls volleyball to be played outdoors. I don't know much about girls high school volleyball but it seems to be a stop and start game that can be played with masks.

I'm not so sure that high school basketball can be played while wearing masks, if it ever comes to that.

I think back to my varsity officiating days, on large high school courts (some college size), trying to run like a gazelle, finishing the game with my underskirt, jersey, slacks, and socks, fully soaked in sweat, working only as as an official, not actually playing, I can't imagine high school players participating while wearing masks.