Hurricane Florence

UPDATE: Monday, Sept. 24 After careful consideration of all ‘moving parts’ of Hurricane Florence’s aftermath, it is apparent we must make additional changes to the 2018-19 fall sports schedules.  With several South Carolina school districts remaining closed, the SCHSL is extending the volleyball and girls tennis seasons for an additional week as well as altering some swim deadlines.

Please note the following changes: Volleyball and Girls Tennis Update: Both Volleyball and Girls Tennis State Finals will be held on November 10, 2018. Volleyball and Girls Tennis Press Conference will now be held November 7, 2018. The press conference will be available on Facebook Live starting at 9 am.

Swim Update: Member schools with swim teams in AAAA and AAAAA Region 6 and AAA Region 8 will be allowed to compete until October 2 for the purpose of submitting times for the state finals.

Please stay tuned to www.schsl.org to review the brackets for each sport and classification as we will update as needed.  The state final dates and venues for Competitive Cheer, Girls Golf, and Swim will remain as scheduled; there are no changes.                

Reminder: Region matches take priority over non-region matches and tournaments.

Commissioner Jerome Singleton states, “The schools most affected by flooding and unable to practice or compete have expressed a strong desire to continue their season with the aid of an additional week and/or schedule considerations. It is our hope to serve the best interest of the membership as a whole with consideration to those schools who have had their schedules revamped due to no fault of their own. We are fortunate to have a membership of team players supporting one another during this trying time. Thank you to everyone working to keep our students fully engaged in academics and athletics.”

The League Office will continue to monitor issues due to Hurricane Florence and make any adjustments as necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 803.798.0120 for clarification or questions you may have.  Again, your support and willingness to add these adjustments to your calendar while assisting member schools who are working through weather related issues is very much appreciated.

UPDATE: Tuesday, Sept. 18  11:30 am Thank you for your continued patience and understanding following the arrival and destruction of Hurricane Florence. The membership’s ongoing support of their fellow schools that are experiencing traumatic personal losses in addition to the interruption of athletic events is not surprising yet very much appreciated. It goes without saying the aftermath for many of our counties is one of tremendous damage: loss of homes, vehicles and other personal properties, not to mention the schools and athletic facilities. Working as a team has and will always be the strongest characteristic the SCHSL membership displays year after year.

The SCHSL Executive Committee met via conference call this morning and concluded the following decisions pertaining to the remainder of the fall sports season:

Football Update:The SCHSL Executive Committee has extended the regular season for football to add a Week 11.  All games (Varsity and Sub-Varsity) originally scheduled for Week 4 (September 10th -14th), that have been postponed due to evacuations and/or weather may be moved to the week of October 29th – November 2nd.  Regular scheduled games for Weeks 5-10 will remain as scheduled.Additionally, the football playoffs for all classifications will now begin on November 9th, and the State Championships will now be scheduled for December 7th and 8th.   NOTE: Teams are still limited to their maximum number of contests for the regular season.

Volleyball, Swim, Girls Golf, Competitive Cheer, Girls Tennis and Cross Country Update: There are no changes to the sports season calendar for these sports. They will remain as scheduled. Reminder: Region matches take priority over non-region matches and tournaments. The League Office will continue to monitor weather updates and make any adjustments as necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 803.798.0120 for clarification or questions you may have.  Again, your support and willingness to add these adjustments to your calendar while assisting member schools who have been hurt the most by the storm is very much appreciated. Sincerely, Jerome Singleton

Monday, Sept. 17  11:30 am As I start this ‘post-Florence’ Monday, it is not without a heavy heart for the various areas of our state that have been devastated by her winds, rain and now, excessive flooding. The SCHSL Executive Committee will hold a conference call on Tuesday, September 18 at 8:30 a.m. to assess the challenges for those areas still experiencing an upheaval of their normal education and athletic process, as well as the remaining fall season schedule for the entire state. In the interim, please give full consideration to the health and safety of your student athletes when making any sports schedule adjustments locally.

We understand, support and encourage your haste for a return to normalcy and hope to assist you any way we can. There will be specific opportunities for South Carolina athletic programs to apply for grant monies from the Carolina Panthers at a later date. Please be on the lookout for that notice as they are prompt with aid after these type of weather emergencies.

In addition to our appreciation of your patience and leadership, I ask that you share this information with all members of your athletic program as well as the need to periodically visit www.schsl.org and SCHSL social media pages for regular updates.

We are a team and will work together for the betterment of our schools, athletic programs and communities. Stay tuned for an update tomorrow morning after the conference call is concluded.

Sincerely, Jerome Singleton SCHSL Commissioner

Wednesday, Sept. 12  4:00 pm First, let me share with you my thanks for putting safety first in your districts and schools by following the Governor’s order and EMS recommendations to this point. It is evident South Carolina’s history has prepared us all for a worst-case scenario when it pertains to inclement weather. I have continued to monitor Hurricane Florence and the expected trajectory in the following days. As previously shared, we have not yet decided on any mandated statewide schedule changes. It is my intention to have our athletic departments to follow the instructions of state officials, their local EMS professionals and school administration-in that order. At this moment, the safety of our students and personnel, their families and all SC citizens is the concern. Once the storm passes, we can evaluate the impact it has on our member schools and communities, assess the aftermath and explore potential options for a return to normalcy. I do not wish to make premature or unnecessary predictions in absence of all available information. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the ongoing support and assistance by our member schools not directly affected by inclement weather to those member schools severely affected. Your willingness to work with scheduling issues as well as your student body lending many helping hands in the days and weeks to follow is not unnoticed. Your actions are a shining example of good sportsmanship beyond competition. Again, I appreciate your patience and partnership in maintaining the structure of our league and reassuring your staff as well as fans that we will share updates as soon as developed. Your astute leadership is key for a smooth continuation of our fall sports season. Visit the www.schsl.org and social media pages for regular updates. We are in this together and my prayers are ongoing for a lesser version of Hurricane Florence than predicted. Jerome Singleton Commissioner, SCHSL

Tuesday, September 11 at 11:00 A.M. Governor McMaster announced that the mandatory school  and state office closures in AIKEN, ALLENDALE, BAMBERG, BEAUFORT, BARNWELL, COLLETON, HAMPTON, and JASPER counties has been rescinded.  Counties still in effect Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston,  Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown,  Horry,  Lexington, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg. Monday, September 10 Consistent with the entire state, the SCHSL staff is monitoring the impending and approaching tracks for Hurricane Florence.  As per policy, the regular season schedule is primarily governed by the member schools/conferences. In light of the numerous emails and/or calls received this morning, we offer the following suggestions and points as you consider upcoming schedules:

• Pay attention to the state officials and the orders given from the Governor’s office
• Local school policies must be adhered to during the regular season
• Every decision should be made with the safety of all participants (players, coaches, students, spectators, etc.)
• The Rules and Regulations Section of the SCHSL Handbook that addresses postponed contests and should be reviewed and considered when it becomes necessary (For all sports – page 84, and additional instructions for football on page 40; item #5)

Relative to the playoffs, it is premature to think about that and to question whether the regular season will be extended. Stay safe and please follow any safety guidelines mandated by your school system as well as evacuation recommendations from local government agencies. Hurricane Preparedness:  https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes SC Shelter Locations: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.html State of Emergency: https://www.scemd.org/ Jerome Singleton Commissioner, SCHSL