Havre High to allow limited fans to fall sporting events

Across the state of Montana, as fall sports seasons loom, counties and school districvts have been annoucning plans on how to conduct sporting events amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Tuesday, Havre Public Schools announced theirs.

As per Havre High athletic director Brian Kessler, there will be limited attendance at Blue Pony games for the fall season. There were specific guidelines and rules set in place for all fall sports, with most of the guidelines sharing similarities, while there were others that carried slight differences. It goes quite in-depth, but Kessler was happy to help elaborate and talk about the new guidelines set.

With COVID-19 around, Kessler is glad to be able to go forth with a plan that works out for both the players, coaches and fans of Havre fall sports.

"We're doing our best," Kessler said. "There are obviously things, in anything you do, where you question it a little bit, but this is a way we can get kids back in as normal as possible and playing a game. I think it's our best shot. It keeps people's safety in mind, like our kids, coaches and people who work our games, while giving us an opportunity to play high school sports. I think with what we have, and none of us having done something like this before, we're in the best spot we can be with the guidelines set in place. Things can change as we go, possibly more relaxed or stringent. It is a learning process and we are in the best spot we can be at this point."

The guidelines carry similarities depending on the location of the game. When a game is in the Havre High Gymnasium, attendants will be expected to sit in clearer-marked designated areas to help with social distancing, seating will be in the west bleachers to distance the teams on the east side and protect bench workers, masks will need to be worn when entering the building and until one finds their seat, as well as going to the restroom or concessions, but once one is seated and social-distanced, masks do not have to be worn and lastly, attendees must not congregate in common areas and no large groups may be inside the building.

As for a game at Blue Pony Stadium, there are slight differences. Designated areas will be put in place to accommodate social-distancing and parking inside the stadium is not allowed. Masks will need to be worn when social distancing cannot be met, as well as when one goes to the restroom or concessions, but when seated and at proper distance, the mask may be removed. Lastly, when the game is over, no one will be allowed on the field, with the guidelines asking that attendees and players leave promptly and talk with the kids when they get home.

There will be guidelines for tracking attendance, too. Each rostered player will be allotted two tickets for each home game. Coaches will put in submissions from players each time in regard to who will receive those tickets, which will create a pass list. With that, attendees will be asked to show ID and sign in when attending a game. Tickets will change colors for each week.

The tickets are a crucial part of the guidelines, which Kessler helped clarify in regard to the handing out of the tickets and why they will have a weekly color change.

"Our hope would be that the parents would be able to utilize those tickets," Kessler said. "That way they can go in and watch their son or daughter play. But, it is essentially up to the kid when it comes to who they give those tickets to. The color changes are to make sure we are delineating between games and that we know, just by a quick look, that that person signed into that game. It is to help monitor in that way."

Cross country and golf carry the same attendance guidelines. Parents will check in at designated areas and receive a pass that must be worn at all times on the courses. For all games in the HHS Gymnasium and at Blue Pony Stadium, there will be a livestream through the NFHS Network (nfhsnetwork.org) and this will be true for all Class A opponents that Havre will play, allowing fans to watch the Ponies compete when on the road.

Other parts of the guidelines state that, until further notice, there will not be an entrance charge, but if the season goes on and more fans can attend, that will change.

Kessler elaborated on the decision to not charge attendees to start off the season.

"When looking at that, there was a real chance we would have fans, so we wouldn't really have a lot of revenue coming in anyway," Kessler said. "From that, only giving two tickets and how we're being selective about that, it was our thought just to let those two people in, not worry about charging and then reevaluate that as we're allowed to let more fans in. Then, we could start charging for entrance."

Also, for all sporting events, the entire Eastern A has agreed to not allow visiting fans at events.

At the end of the day, the guidelines and rules set are essential to follow for the health and safety of others. The Havre community has a strong passion for its sports and to get this chance is major, even if it feels little in accommodation. Like most guidelines and rules set, there are consequences for not following them. Kessler explained the possible procedures if said guidelines and rules were broken.

"It is similar to how we would handle it in the school," Kessler said. "Usually, we would just ask that person to please follow the guidelines that we have set in place and if they continue not to do that, we would ask them to leave at that point because they are not following the guidelines. Similar to that, in a game, we have the sportsmanship guidelines and if somebody were to not follow them, they would be asked to leave the game."

But when the season comes around, there will be certainty that players, coaches, officials, workers and fans will get to enjoy some fall sports. For those who are able to attend the games live, there will be a new air around it, while those who have to stay at home can always tune into the NFHS Network stream to cheer on the Blue Ponies. Either way, Havre High athletics has done what they are able to do to allow fans to still enjoy the sports they love, while keeping health and safety a top-priority.

The limited fans will get a trial run this weekend. The Havre High football team is holding a second Blue/White Scrimmage Friday night at Blue Pony Stadium, while the volleyball team will hold another Blue/White Scrimmage Saturday. Havre's first home football game comes against Laurel Sept. 11, while the HHS volleyball team's first home game is set for Sept. 25 against Miles City.