UIL will handle COVID-19 issues in playoffs on case-by-case basis, rather than issuing statewide mandate

Postseason play is fast approaching for UIL schools in Class 4A and below, with volleyball playoff matches beginning in two weeks and the football playoffs starting Nov. 12-14.

But coaches are still in the dark about what will happen in the playoffs if COVID-19 issues prevent their team from playing — as has happened over and over during the regular season.

The UIL has not issued a statewide mandate for the playoffs that would clarify for the entire state if teams will have to forfeit, or if they can still play if they have players who test positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine.

As of now, one all-encompassing rule isn’t coming.

“Schools are being asked to contact UIL Athletics staff directly if they have interruptions in their postseason schedule due to COVID-19,” UIL communications coordinator Julia Atkins said in an email Thursday. “This would be addressed on a case-by-case basis.”

That could be a lot of cases to sort through one by one. Just in the Dallas area, there have been 63 football games canceled or postponed over the last three weeks.

TAPPS, meanwhile, has guidelines already in place that show the options available for the state’s private schools in the event that postseason contests can’t be played as scheduled.

TAPPS recommends postponing playoff games, if possible, but states that rescheduling can’t interfere with the next round of playoffs. If approved by the TAPPS office, a school can use a subvarsity team if needed, and TAPPS also says if necessary, it has the authority to insert a replacement team into a playoff bracket if a school can’t play.

TAPPS said state championship events may be postponed if it’s required by a local or state governing ordinance or by the host facility. Sunday competition may be necessitated as determined by the TAPPS office.

In the event a team can’t participate in a state championship event, TAPPS' guidelines say they “shall be replaced by opponent from the previous round” or a “format change may be considered if multiple teams are involved.” Canceling a state championship game is the last option that TAPPS would consider.

There has already been a lot of confusion in some districts when district games can’t be played, as the UIL left it up to each local district executive committee to decide if those games are ruled forfeits or no contests. Some districts have been able to move canceled district games to a later date because they built in make-up dates and/or are playing a zoned district schedule, but postponing games by a week or more might not be an option in the playoffs.

What will happen if a team wins a playoff game, but then is unable to play the following week because of COVID-19 reasons that suddenly arise? Would their next opponent automatically advance?

Or would the UIL tell both teams playing in a playoff game to keep practicing the following week, so if the winner couldn’t play the next round, the original loser would advance by forfeit? What happens if a team reaches a state championship game and then can’t play?

“We can’t speak to hypothetical situations,” Atkins said.

Stay tuned to see what happens when those hypotheticals become real-life dilemmas.

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