TAPPS, SPC delay fall athletic season, TAPPS looks to start football games in October
The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the fall sports season, this time with private schools in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) and Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC).
On Thursday, the SPC postponed its fall season until Sept. 8 and any counter games wouldn’t occur until the week of Sept. 21. “The conference will not regulate when or how individual member schools hold training sessions or practices.”
“As a conference committed to the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and communities, the SPC continues to access and review the appropriate public health and safety information from medical experts,” the SPC said. “We value the importance of our athletic programs as vital parts of our schools’ developmental programs.”
Falls sports in the SPC are football, cross country, field hockey and boys and girls volleyball. Fort Worth Trinity Valley, Fort Worth Country Day and Arlington Oakridge are among the area schools, making them the first schools in Tarrant County to delay the start of the fall season.
The announcements come a day after Dallas County issued an order that affected more than 50 schools in North Texas, including public school districts in Dallas, Highland Park, Duncanville, DeSoto, Lancaster and Cedar Hill.
Dallas County pushed back the start of in-person classes and athletics until after Labor Day.
Tarrant County has yet to issue an order, as well as the University Interscholastic League (public schools), but a statewide announcement by the UIL could come on Monday.
On Friday, TAPPS also delayed the season.
Teams aren’t allowed to practice until Sept. 8. Football can practice in full pads during the week of Sept. 14 and the only scrimmage will take place the week of Sept. 21. The first games would start Oct. 1-3 as many teams are going to a 5 or 6 game schedule. The regular season was scheduled to start Aug. 27-29.
Dates for playoff and state title games remain the same. State would be the first week of December in Waco.
Volleyball would start on Sept. 8 with a scrimmage during the week of Sept. 14. Official matches can start during the week of Sept. 21. Other TAPPS sports affected include soccer and field hockey.
Both the UIL and TAPPS have said that any athletes in online learning will still be eligible for competition.
TAPPS
Football
September 8: Start of fall practice
September: 14: First day of full pads
September 24-26: Scrimmage
October 1-3: Regular season
Volleyball
September 8: Start of fall practice
September 14: Scrimmage
September 21: Regular season
Field Hockey
Fall Soccer
September 8: Start of fall practice
September 21: Scrimmage
September 28: Regular season
Cross Country
Swimming
Team Tennis
Golf
September 8: Practice
September 14: Scrimmage
September 21: Tournament/Meets
SPC
Football
Boys Volleyball
Girls Volleyball
Cross Country
Field Hockey
September 8: Regular season
September 21: Conference games
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 3:06 PM.
