High schools: Fremont board approves purple-tier sports to return, but is that the final hurdle?
Nearly six hours into a marathon meeting, the Fremont Unified School District board gave the green light for its five high schools to return to athletic competition in cross county, swimming, tennis and golf.
The unanimous vote, made at 12:22 a.m. Thursday, followed seven speakers and a brief discussion by the board.
The most pressing concern for some board members was whether the return to competition would still have to be negotiated with labor bodies even with the board’s approval.
Apparently, it does.
“As soon as the board makes a decision tonight and we move into the negotiation phase, we would proceed with seasons as soon as we reach that date and assuming all of the levels of the health in the county remain consistent,” Zack Larsen, the district’s director of secondary education, told the board.
Asked by board member Desrie Campbell if it’s realistic to resolve a negotiation in time for the league’s March 1 start date, Larsen added, “It’s tight. I am not a member of the negotiations team, but I know the folks on both sides and I know they’re committed to doing what’s best for Fremont. I would hope. But I don’t know.”
Fremont schools American, Irvington, Kennedy, Mission San Jose and Washington are members of the Mission Valley Athletic League that also includes James Logan, Newark Memorial and Moreau Catholic.
The league has put the wheels in motion for a two-season, return-to-play sports calendar to finish the academic year.
The first season — which will include cross country, swimming, boys tennis and girls golf — is scheduled to start March 1 and end in mid-April, about the time a second season will begin.
The second season, which will include the remainder of the purple-tier sports, plus other sports that are cleared at that time, will stretch through June 12.
There will be no league champions. There also will be no section playoffs or championships. The North Coast Section, of which the MVAL is a member, is not having a postseason this school year so more kids can have a longer season.
FUSD Board of Education votes unanimously to approve.
— Fremont USD (@USDFremont) February 11, 2021
Swim meets will be done virtually, just as they will be across the Bay in the Peninsula Athletic League. Swimmers will compete in their school’s pool and times will be compared to opponents competing in their school’s pool.
“With swimming, we felt that virtual would be the only way to get it so that we’re not having multiple schools at your site,” MVAL commissioner Tom Breen told the Bay Area News Group.
No spectators will be allowed.
The NCS has given leagues throughout its 12-county governing area that stretches from Alameda County to the coastal side of the Oregon border the autonomy to put together schedules and calendars that work best for them.