8-31-2020 1:55pm

Saline Football Team Postpones Football Practice After COVID-19 Case

The Saline High School football team has postponed practices after a person who interacts with the team tested positive for COVID-19.

According to an email that went out to parents from Saline High School Athletic Director Andrew Parrish, the athletic department is working with the Washtenaw County Health Department to determine whether or not any of Saline's athletes or staff should enter quarantine.

Athletes deemed by the health department as "close contact" to the person with COVID-19 will be contacted by the health department.

"We ask that all athletes and staff cooperate fully with the health department to prevent the spread of the disease in our community," Parrish wrote.

Students and staff placed in quarantine or isolation are being told to inform the department's athletic trainer Jacque Schiavo.

Families were told practice is postponed and that Coach Joe Palka will be in contact with the team regarding further practices based on guidance from the health department.

Update:

Parrish said the athletic department was notified Monday morning of the positive test by the Washtenaw County. Palka declined to divulge anything further about the person who tested positive and their relation to the team.

The MHSAA decided to postpone football until spring but allowed teams to schedule 16 practices before the end of October. Coach Palka said the team used two practices for conditioning last week. Today's practice was supported to be their return to the field. The team had scheduled two practices a week in a schedule that was to be complete by mid-October. This week's second practice was scheduled for Wednesday.

"We'll keep postponing practices until we get the all-clear," Palka said. "We'll just push practices back."

Palka said the team was using the practices for many reasons.

"We want to keep the kids engaged, to keep it fun and to help the kids work on their skillset," Palka said.

The starts-and-stops and speculation aren't easy for kids who've waited all year for their football season, so Palka is focusing on the facts.

"It's been a whirlwind. We had our first week of practice and then we stopped with the announcement. Then we were told we could have 16 practices. And now we're hearing things about perhaps football not being off the table for this fall," Palka said. "But we try to deal with what we know. We know we have up to 16 practices that we can use. Speculation does us no good."

Update:

Spokesperson Susan Ringler-Cerniglia said the Washtenaw County Health Department is reviewing the situation.

"We are reviewing this situation to make recommendations about who is considered a close contact/exposed and will be advised to quarantine," Ringler-Cerniglia said. "As with many of these situations, the transmission of illness often seems to be initially associated with non-athletic activities. But, of course, continued practices after a case is identified can lead to additional cases."