Name: Oklahoma high school football: OSSAA, UCO to strictly enforce COVID-19 safety procedures at state finals
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Oklahoma high school football: OSSAA, UCO to strictly enforce COVID-19 safety procedures at state finals

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Cameron Jourdan Changes could be coming for fans wanting to watch high school football at UCO's Wantland Stadium this weekend.Those planning on heading to Edmond to watch state championship games the next two weekends need to do two things, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association executive director David Jackson said Monday during a Zoom teleconference with media: wear a mask at all times and follow the social-distanced seating plan.If not, you could be removed from the stadium.The association, which is the governing body of high school sports, received criticism the past couple days after celebrating the Trojans’ victory in the Class 6A-I state championship game on Saturday. One of them showed a mostly maskless student section with no social distancing.“Jenks Public Schools acknowledges and accepts this criticism,” the district said in a Facebook post. “There were too many high school students without masks and too many high school students in close contact with one another. This is not the kind of safe environment JPS seeks to create for students and staff members.”Although UCO and the OSSAA posted fan guidelines last week and had numerous reminders via the video board and public address announcer during games, many fans didn’t wear masks the entire time and didn’t follow UCO’s socially-distanced seating plan.That won’t be the case for the next five championship games.Jackson was adamant Monday, the OSSAA, UCO and school administration from participating schools will be more diligent in enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols for the remaining games."Do we think we need to do some different things? Absolutely,” Jackson said. “We are working with UCO right now and developing some things we can do differently.”Jackson mentioned it will be a collaborative effort in the coming games to enforce the guidelines.UCO security, OSSAA personnel and school administration will be roaming Wantland Stadium and reminding people to not sit in seats that are marked off and to wear a mask at all times. Jackson said it’s likely they will be more intense in enforcing those guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone who attends.Although it’s a last resort, Jackson said the OSSAA will make fans leave games if they won’t follow guidelines.Capacity will remain at 6,000 fans. Wantland Stadium seats 10,000. Neither of the Class 6A championship games this weekend were sellouts, Jackson said, even with limited capacity.With the extra bleachers on the away side and open grass seating on a hill behind the south end zone, Jackson said there should be plenty of room to accommodate all fans with socially-distanced seating. The OSSAA will guide fans to open seats this weekend, even if it means fans for the away team end up in home seating.The solution is simple. If fans wear a mask and sit in approved areas, there’s no problem. But the OSSAA and UCO are adamant if that doesn’t happen, they’ll be out in force to make fans comply.“It’s going to take all of us to make this work,” Jackson said.Reporter Cameron Jourdan covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Cameron? He can be reached at cjourdan@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @Cam_Jourdan. Support Cameron’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at oklahoman.com/subscribe or by using the link at the top of this page.

Cameron Jourdan Changes could be coming for fans wanting to watch high school football at UCO's Wantland Stadium this weekend.Those planning on heading to Edmond to watch state championship games the next two weekends need to do two things, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association executive director David Jackson said Monday during a Zoom teleconference with media: wear a mask at all times and follow the social-distanced seating plan.If not, you could be removed from the stadium.The association, which is the governing body of high school sports, received criticism the past couple...

Oklahoma high school football: OSSAA, UCO to strictly enforce COVID-19 safety procedures at state finals

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