Ida B. Wells High School Athletics

Ida B. Wells Athletic Update

"We cannot take for granted that the future will be better by default, which means we need to work to bring about a better future; that the future we imagine cannot happen absence of active and purposeful participation." ― Naveen Jain

Greetings Sports Fans!
It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since we have had the opportunity to offer organized athletics on our campus. I know the past year has been extremely difficult for so many people in our community, state, country, and world. Our hope is that the ability to offer a safe, inclusive, and fun experience for our student-athletes in the coming seasons will help bring us closer to some form of normalcy. Additionally, we understand that while things are improving, we must be ever more diligent in our approach to providing the best possible experience for our student-athletes while ensuring their health and safety along with the members of our community. I want to thank our coaching staff, admin., and the PIL office for all of their work leading up to the start of Season 2.

Season 2 Athletics Opportunities - Ida B. Wells Athletics is excited about offering our traditional team Fall sports including Volleyball, Football, Soccer, and Cross Country. Concerning Volleyball and Football, we are currently working with the OSAA, OHA, and PPS to ensure a safe start to their programs. As it stands, Football has begun their pre-season workouts and Volleyball is scheduled to start their season on February 22 along with Cross Country and Soccer. At the moment, Cheer and Dance have not a definitive start date yet.

Family ID - Please visit www.familyid.com to register for Season 2 athletics.  A student-athlete must have a registration completed and a valid physical on file in order to begin participation in Season 2.  Visit our website for complete registration details:  https://www.wilsonathletics.com/page/show/3737816-registration

Safety Protocols - Safety is our number one priority as we navigate the upcoming seasons. When it comes to practices and competitions, the following protocols will be in place:

• All student-athletes and staff will wear masks at all times.
• Social distancing will be maintained whenever possible.
• Screening questions will be asked prior to entry to our facilities.
• Only cleared PPS Coaches and volunteers are allowed on our premises to work with our student-athletes.
• Spectators will not be allowed to attend contests. We are working on a plan to provide content for our community.
• Social distancing will be maintained on our sidelines.
• Student-athletes will bring and use their own water bottles.

Transportation Protocols - PPS will be providing transportation for our student-athletes and the following protocols will be in place:

• Face covers (cloth or disposable) must be worn at all times, unless you are working alone in a space or area not subject to foot traffic or entry by other individuals.
• Face covers are required to be worn while driving a vehicle anytime others are present on the vehicle 
• Face Shields are not an approved face covering.
• Drivers must always wear face coverings during loading/unloading at the school(s).

Transportation Protocols (cont.)-

• No one is allowed to sit in the seat directly behind driver
• Students are required to wear face coverings
• Buses are sanitized daily
• Drivers are to sanitize the high touch areas in between all runs.
• No more than one person per seat (unless from the same household)
• The large buses (83pk) have 28 seats; we would be able to transport 27 people.
• The Standard bus (72pk) has 24 seats; we would be able to transport 23 people.

Season 2: Community + Program Meetings - On February 24 at 7pm, the Ida B. Wells Athletic Department will host a Zoom Meeting for all parents and student-athletes to go over the details of Season 2.  Afterwards, individual programs will host their own Zoom Parent Meetings to go over their respective season with parents and student-athletes. We will publish the Zoom link next week and programs will do the same.

Softball Update -  We are in the process of interviewing candidates for the Head Softball Coaching position.  It is our hope to announce our new coach in the coming weeks so they can begin the process of gearing up for Season 3.

Athletic Eligibility -  A quick reminder that all student-athletes must be enrolled in three of four classes to be eligible for athletics. Make sure to reach out to your counselors for assistance.

Rebranding Update - The Ida B. Wells Athletic Department is working with our admin team and PPS to begin the process of rebranding our school. This is a very exciting time for our school and community and we look forward to the process!

Additional Resources - The Ida B. Wells Athletics Department is committed to always finding resources that promote the overall well-being of our student-athletes and coaches. We encourage our coaches and student-athletes to find ways to be more inclusive, promote a growth mindset, and be more reflective in their sport and practice. The following podcast is a great resource on habits. Additionally, the book Atomic Habits by James Clear is another great resource. Finally, we always recommend visiting our partners at the Positive Coaching Alliance and their DevZone page. It has great resources for parents, student-athletes, and coaches.https://open.spotify.com/episode/7z1r0nGBlkRrUJZtgsN6Ps?si=Szy71hMvS2ePGXqGb9eRnQ

The Wilson Athletic Department is committed to supporting our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom, promoting character, fostering healthy competition, and building bridges in our community.