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Following Monday's announcement by Gov. Phil Murphy that indoor contact sports could resume with restrictions, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's Sports Advisory Task Force on Tuesday issued a memo updating the structure of the winter high school sports season.

Chief among the updates is that competition will be limited to two events per week and two teams per event, meaning that basketball, wrestling and hockey tournaments, wrestling tri and quad meets and invitational meets in indoor track, bowling and swimming cannot take place. All competitions will be single events between two teams.

The NJSIAA said this is subject to change but expects any decisions by the Department of Health on whether to expand the number of participants/teams for events to not be made until close to the start of the season or during the season.

Teams will be limited to 15 events during the regular season. If tournaments end up being allowed they will count toward the 15-game limit.

As it was with the fall preseason, teams can have one scrimmage and are encouraged to compete against a neighboring school.

Other items in the memo were unchanged from the NJSIAA's Return-to-Play announcement on August 20. The winter season, or Season 2 as it is referred to in the memo, can start practices on Dec. 3. The regular season will begin on Dec. 21 and conclude on Feb. 3. The NJSIAA postseason will run from Feb. 5 through Feb. 17 and, depending on the sport, will be structured regionally based on counties or based on NJSIAA sections. If sectional championships are held, the 2019-2020 classifications will be used.

Out-of-state competition is prohibited unless a waiver is granted for exceptional circumstances.

The eligibility date for transfers who changed schools after Nov. 1, 2020, is Jan. 11. Student-athletes who transferred between March 16 and Nov. 1 will be eligible immediately.

 

Managing editor Bob Badders can be reached at bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Badders. Like Shore Sports Network on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest video highlights.

 

 

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