The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Board of Directors backed away from a three-phase proposal to start summer activities on June 1 with social distancing and sanitation guidelines.

The motion to approve the plan failed on a 7-6 vote.

The decision means school districts can start high school summer sports activities immediately under normal association policy.

Organized team practices are not allowed during the summer break.

Summer conditioning and strength training, clinics and camps can start, according to the association’s policy manual.

The OSSAA board also kept the summer dead period in place. This year the dead period will be June 28 through July 5 unless it is repealed by the association’s board in its June 9 meeting.

The board’s decision centered on local control versus association regulation.

Director Rusty Puffinbarger of Leedey said the association will create inequities between districts whether it approved the restart proposal or not.

“Where I live one of the frustrating things for a lot of people around me is there are counties where there are still no cases of COVID-19.

As I looked on Oklahoma’s COVID-19 site just this morning, ages 17 and under there are no deaths, yet.

One would be too many, but that’s a real number. I think what we do at our school needs to be on us a little bit,” Puffinbarger said.

Director Rex Trent of Binger-Olney said the association has a handbook that pertains to all sports.

It has workout and practice timetables for all sports.

“Every day we have to be safe. We’ve learned valuable lessons as far as hygiene. We are trying to teach our kids to become better at those things.

We have a document. If we went by that blue book document … it tells what sports can do what at what time,” he said.

OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson said the three-phase plan was designed to do two things — keep students healthy and ensure schools will have athletics, band and other activities this fall.

Phase 1 started June 1 and ended June 28.

It would have allowed coaches to have one-on-one contact with athletes.

Camps, clinics and leagues were banned.

Strength and conditioning was permitted.

It also featured social distancing and sanitation recommendations.

Phase 2 ran from June 29 through July 31.

It allowed non-contact drills although training devices like stand-up dummies, tackling wheels and blocking shields were permitted.

Intrasquad scrimmages and tryouts also were allowed.

On July 15, unrestricted practice would have been allowed for band, cross country, fall baseball, fastpitch softball, volleyball and nonathletics.

Phase 3 was scheduled to start Aug. 1.

Fall sports practices could continue. Other team practices would stop.

With the three-phase plan rejected, coaches cannot work with athletes during summer.

Strength and conditioning programs are allowed.

Football start dates will be Aug. 10 for non-contact practice and Aug. 14 for practice with pads.

Zero-week games can be held Aug. 27-29 with the official start of varsity football scheduled for Sept. 3.

Organized cross country and fast-pitch softball practice can start July 15 with the season opening on Aug. 10.

Oklahoma high school sports have been out of kilter since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the state in March.

The OSSAA had to cancel its Class 2A-6A state basketball tournament and all spring activities, Jackson said.

“As we gain information about this virus, prospects are that things aren’t going to look as they have for a long time,” Jackson said.

“School is going to be different. Activities are going to look different.”

The OSSAA is trying to discover the best way to start athletic and nonathletic activities this fall, Jackson said.

“We laser-focused in on fall, and tried to prepare for what that could be,” he said.

“We got a sense the membership wanted our guidance and leadership in these times. We’ve tried to step up and provide that.”

Summer typically is a transition time without any games or competitive activities, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education halted classroom instruction in March and started distance learning on April 6.

Coaches and students have not interacted in months, Jackson said.

The three-phase proposal would have allowed coaches and students to recover some of that lost coaching time.

“I didn’t get to watch the meeting, but my phone started blowing up after it was over,” said Commerce head football coach Steve Moss.

“We’re going to use common sense and set up some guidelines. There definitely will be sanitizing going on; just do the right things. They (the OSSAA) were kinda extreme.

“It is great that we will get to see the kids again.”

Those voting no were Craig McVay of El Reno, Jason Sternberger of Kingfisher, Jerry Needham of Oktaha, Rusty Puffinbarger of Leedey, Rex Trent of Binger-Oney, Bryan McNutt of Antlers and Don Schneberger of Boone-Apache.

Those in favor were Rick Pool (Kiowa), Darren Melton (Lincoln Christian), Duane Merideth (Durant), Mike Simpson (Guthrie), Dr. Sean McDaniel (OKCPS) and Jerry Olanson (Glenpool).

“It’s a no-win situation. We’re not going to make everyone happy,” McNutt said.

“The best thing we can do is operate in the best interest of our school children to provide for their safety and get them to where they do understand what may be facing coming back to school in the fall.”

There were more than 500 participants in the Zoom meeting that was attended by 14 of the association’s 15 directors.

Davis said that if a positive case of COVID-19 were to pop up, things would be shut down for the recommended two weeks.

Plans are to do a lot of activities outdoors because the weight room is the biggest area of concern, he said.

“Our guys and girls have always done a great job of keeping our weight room sanitized and clean,” Davis said. “They do a great job of it.”