The PIAA is "moving forward" with the fall sports season in Pennsylvania, the association announced in a press release in concurrence with a Zoom meeting of the Board of Directors.
The official start of the fall sports season remains at August 17 and will stay that way for the time being "unless otherwise directed by the Commonwealth."
The status of the fall season was questionable amid the coronavirus pandemic. The spring sports season was canceled back on April 9. Two PA-based collegiate athletic conferences, the Patriot League and the PSAC, recently announced the cancelation of the fall season.
The plan -- for now -- is to start the season as scheduled.
"Our focus is the health and safety of student athletes which is paramount in moving forward with athletics," the release reads. "Each member school has developed health and safety guidelines to allow athletics to continue as an important part of the school day."
The PIAA left the door open for changes in the future.
"PIAA is committed to providing a season for all sports in the upcoming school year and will be flexible if conditions would change," the statement concludes.
PIAA Executive Director Robert Lombardi noted that there is a possibility for the shortening of the season during the Zoom conference. During the PIAA's meeting, Gov. Wolf, in a separate update, announced an increase on restrictions in Pennsylvania in wake of a rising number of COVID-19 cases statewide. In spite of that, the PIAA will continue to plan for the fall season to start on time.
There is another PIAA meeting scheduled for July 29, which was moved up from August 5.