Despite being among the top five counties in Georgia with the highest number of coronavirus infections, Hall County is moving forward with the start of youth basketball — under COVID-19 restrictions, of course.
The county ranks number five in the state for number of coronavirus infections, with 9,639 confirmed cases, 989 hospitalizations and 158 deaths from the virus. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health about 39 new cases of coronavirus are reported each day in Hall.
Registration for youth will be open from Oct. 12 through Oct. 30, practices will begin the week of Nov. 30 and games will begin on Jan. 4.
Coaches, volunteers and fans will be required to wear masks, and social distancing guidelines will be in place to limit contact. Concessions will not be available, and teams will be limited to those in Hall County.
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“Hall County Parks & Leisure staff will disinfect equipment throughout each game, and we’ll be adding time between practices and games to allow for proper cleaning and disinfecting,” said Mike Little, Director of Hall County Parks & Leisure.
Players will not be allowed to bring personal equipment, such as their own basketballs, to limit the potential for outside contamination.
The rollout of a calendar for basketball season is part of Hall County’s phased-in approach to safely reopen facilities and services amid the pandemic, a process that was first put into motion in May.
“The health and safety of Hall County citizens and staff continues to be our highest priority,” said Zach Propes, Assistant County Administrator. “We will continue to follow the best practices outlined by the CDC, State of Georgia and the White House to ensure we are balancing our ability to deliver effective and efficient services to citizens with the precautions that are necessary to do so safely.”
There will be a $100 registration fee at sign-up, and parents will need to sign a waiver for their child(ren). There will be no admission fees to attend.
To see a full list of COVID-19 rules and guidelines that will govern the upcoming season, click here.
