Winter Sport Reminders from Hockomock League

The Hockomock League Athletic Directors would like to remind all Hockomock student athletes, families, coaches and spectators of the following as we head into winter competition:

1. Per MIAA mandate, all participants at ALL school-sponsored athletic events, including those at OFF-SITE facilities, e.g. hockey arenas, gymnastics centers, track venues, and swimming pools, must wear masks at all times. This includes athletes, coaches, officials, game-site personnel, and all spectators, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required to be properly worn over the mouth and over the nose at all times.

2. Postgame handshakes are suspended for the winter season at all contests.

3. Each team is responsible for supplying its own water to its members.

4. Any sports-specific League requirements will be communicated directly to the coaches and participants of that sport.

5. Venue spectator limits may exist at the start of the season or be implemented during the winter season depending on the COVID data. Please be respectful of any venue’s attendance capacity and requirements. 

Hock Statement on Spring Sports Spectators

The Hockomock League is excited to launch the Spring 2021 Athletic Experience, which includes all of its traditional programs. We are excited to also offer Wrestling and Competitive Cheer to our Spring schedules of events. We are proud to state that “no program was left behind” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the League has done throughout the 2020-2021 school year, we have closely followed the MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) guidelines for athletic events for both our participants and our spectators, to ensure the safest possible conditions for all involved. We are pleased to put forth the following policies on spectators for our Spring INDOOR and OUTDOOR events:

INDOOR EVENTS: (Boys Volleyball, Competitive Cheer, and Wrestling)

The League will remain consistent with its indoor policies adopted during the Fall 2 season. For each HOME participant, two immediate adult family members and siblings are permitted to attend an event. Additionally 2 family members of AWAY participants may attend an event. Contact tracing will remain in effect and family check-in lists will be utilized at the indoor venue.

OUTDOOR EVENTS: (Lacrosse, Track & Field, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Unified Track)

As the recently amended EEA guidelines have stated, home and away spectator allowance at outdoor stadium events is capped at a maximum of 50% seating capacity at the stadium venue, with socially-distanced six-foot seating on those bleachers.

At open area venues, such as parks and ball fields, home and away spectators must wear appropriate masks or face coverings at all times, and remain socially distanced as much as possible.

The Athletic Directors will continue to monitor information as it is made available

from the EEA, DESE, and our local Boards of Health. Each district has the ability to modify this policy based on its own facility limitations and/or local Board of Health restrictions. It is our goal to focus on the health and safety of our communities while safely permitting the appropriate opportunity to watch high school sports in person.

Hockomock League Cup- Girls Volleyball

This week, the Hockomock League will be sponsoring a Girls Volleyball Hockomock Cup that will feature all 12 schools.  Information on that event is posted below. 

Please look out for times from host schools. 

Championship Round 1 (April 12)

Game 1 / (Franklin #1) vs (NA #4 )  

Game 2 / (Sharon #2) vs (Mansfield #3)

Game 3 / (KP #2) vs (Oliver Ames #3) 

Game 4 / (Canton #1) vs (Milford #4)

Championship Round 2 (April 14)

Game 5 / Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner

Game 6 / Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner

Game 8 / Game 1 loser vs Game 2 loser

Game 9 / Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser 

Championship Match (April 16)

Game 7 / Game 5 winner vs Game 6 winner

Consolation Round (April 12 - 16)

Game 10 / (Foxboro  #5) vs (Taunton #5)

Game 11/  (Attleboro #6) vs (Stoughton  #6) 

Game 12 / (Taunton  #5) vs (Stoughton #6)

Game 13 / (Foxboro  #5) vs (Attleboro #6)

Tiebreakers

1. Head to Head

2. Record against common opponent (start at the top of the standings)

3. Coin flip

*If a game is not played during the regular season it will be scored a Draw

*JV teams will have the same matchup as the Varsity teams throughout the tournament

*Higher seed hosts the game

Hockomock League Expands Away Spectators for all Fall II Competitions

Effective immediately, the Hockomock League will admit 2 family members of all AWAY student-athletes competing in games, matches, or meets. Home-team spectator restrictions continue to be limited to 2 adult family members and siblings per HOME participant.

This policy will include all league sports offered during the Fall II season: Cheerleading, Football, Volleyball, Track and Field, and Unified Basketball. 

 

The Athletic Directors will continue to monitor information as it is made available from the EEA, DESE, and our local Boards of Health. Each district has the ability to modify this policy based on its own facility limitations and/or local Board of Health restrictions. It is our goal to focus on the health and safety of our communities while safely permitting family members of our athletes the opportunity to watch high school sports in person. 

Hockomock League Fall II Update on Away Spectators

Effective immediately, the Hockomock League will allow 2 AWAY family members of SENIOR student-athletes to attend all varsity games. This policy will include all league sports offered during the Fall II season: Cheerleading, Football, Volleyball, Track and Field, and Unified Basketball. 

Going forward, the Athletic Directors will continue to monitor information as it is made available from the EEA, DESE, and our local Boards of Health. Each district has the ability to make this policy more restrictive based on its own facility limitations and/or local Board of Health restrictions. It is our goal to focus on the health and safety of our communities while safely permitting family members the opportunity to watch high school sports in person.

Updated Statement on Fall 2 Wedge Season Spectators Protocols

The Hockomock League is proud to continue to fully support the return to play of all athletes to their respective sports programs this unusual COVID school year. We applaud all of the hard work and dedication that has gone into the development of sports modifications to best ensure the health and safety of all of our athletes, coaches, and officials. We are excited to offer Football, Cheer, Winter Track, Unified Basketball, and Volleyball.

At the same time, our Governor and the Massachusetts State Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) have worked hard to provide regulations and guidelines for spectators of these sporting events. The Hockomock League is doing its part in following these rules and regulations as it pertains to our spectator policy for this Fall II season. Volleyball and Unified Basketball will be run similar to winter basketball with its indoor capacity restrictions.

It is important to understand why it continues to be necessary for us to restrict attendance to immediate family members of HOME participants only. Unlike soccer, volleyball and basketball rosters, the roster sizes permitted at a track meet or football game include 45 home football players and 20 home cheerleaders. The EEA regulations of 2 adult immediate family members and siblings, per HOME participant, places our expected attendance at a minimum of 200 people. The EEA regulations also mandate “in the facility” that these family pods be socially distanced at 6 feet of separation per pod. Our outdoor stadium bleachers are at capacity under these mandates with just HOME family spectators.

We implore our families to remain patient and respectful. Please work with us during these early weeks of March as the season gets underway. We have put broadcast and livestreaming of Varsity games as a priority and will keep doing so through this season. We also remain hopeful and eager that the EEA will loosen their spectator restrictions as the warmer weather approaches. If and when that does occur, the League will revisit its HOME family spectator policy. 

As we begin our Fall II game schedule we ask that you please be respectful of the Home Family spectator policy for the health and safety of all players, coaches, and officials. Visitor families please do not travel to your opponent’s facility.

Fall II "Wedge" Season League Statement on Spectators

In an effort to organize the safest athletics experience possible for our student-athletes, the Hockomock League will be following the most recent guidance that was issued by the MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: “Spectators are limited to 2 adults (parents/guardians or chaperones) and siblings of a participating player.”

Only home spectators will be allowed to attend league games during the Fall II season. All away spectators are strongly discouraged from traveling to away games, especially since they will not be allowed into the host school’s facility when they arrive. The method by which each host school chooses to admit, or to not admit, their HOME fans, will be decided at the individual District level. 

Our schools are making every effort to livestream as many home games as possible this season.