Expect a fall sports season like no other

TEXARKANA - When sports fully resume, what will it be like?

As states across the country attempt to reopen, state and local officials are preparing for leisure activities for residents going forward.

The University Interscholastic League has slated as June 8 as the first day extracurricular activities can resume.

"UIL is aware of Governor Abbott's May 18 announcement and is actively working with appropriate state officials to allow schools to begin limited summer strength and conditioning and marching band activities on June 8, 2020," a UIL spokeswoman said in a statement. "As soon as the details of that plan are finalized, UIL will release them to schools to allow time to plan and prepare for bringing students back to campus for these purposes."

Traditional powerhouses are now on the same playing field as lesser teams statewide, due to the enforced dead period. This upcoming season in all high school sports across the state of Texas will not be what it typically is.

Offseason programs have been washed and student-athletes who normally work out multiple times a day at school, have had to resort to home-workouts over the course of the quarantine period.

Maybe a level playing field is what's needed in high school sports right now.

In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson recently stated schools can start working out, but there's to be no-contact.

Limited-contact sports teams on the high school and communities level will be allowed to resume in Arkansas on June 1.

"When it comes to baseball, let's play ball this summer," Hutchinson said."We want the coaches and staff to set a good example for the young people."

Due to the population numbers, high school athletics is slightly different than Texas.

While the disparity in sports is vast, in Arkansas, anyone can win a championship any given season.

Central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas will always be hotbeds for talent within the state, but with the downtime and inability to go though a normal offseason, I wouldn't be surprised if a team you don't normally hear makes a deep playoff run this upcoming season.

As a sports writer, the future of high school athletics in the coming months is exciting. As a fan, I would expect a season like no other.

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