JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Fall high school sports are starting their seasons this week.
But with air quality not looking good in much of the Rogue Valley, how many games will actually be played?
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) says a game has to be canceled if the air quality index is above 150.
For most fall sports, rescheduling a canceled game or event is not hard, but that’s not the case for football.
Their season is nine games in nine weeks, making rescheduling almost impossible without sacrificing a different game on the schedule.
Football coaches are trying and move games up north so they can be sure to play in safer conditions.
“When you go inside, depending on ventilation, you could be stuck in that same smoke from outside and inside, which means you’re not able to play volleyball as well. So, it effects cross country, it effects volleyball, and soccer, and football, so anytime there’s that much smoke, no one is immune to it,” Assistant Executive Director at the OSAA, Kyle Stanfield said.
Stanfield says these smoky conditions in the fall are not new.
He also mentioned the health and safety of the players is always the number one priority.
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