The 2020-21 high school athletic seasons for public schools in North Carolina finally get underway this week, with volleyball and cross country the first sports to begin since the COIVD-19 shut down last spring.
But there have been a number of policies implemented due to the pandemic, with requirements that everyone, including volleyball players, wear masks and limits on the number of spectators in gyms.
Due to the NCHSAA’s limit of 25 spectators for indoor events, many schools have also quickly worked to provide free live streams of the action.
Keith Parker, Digital Communications and Secondary School Director for Dare County Schools, said a Sony video camera and battery pack, Elgato Game Capture software and tripod were purchased for First Flight, Manteo and Cape Hatteras.
Camera operators will likely come from students in the schools’ multimedia programs or other volunteers.
First Flight Athletic Director Chad Williams said Steve Blankenburg was ready to launch the inaugural broadcast on Tuesday when the Nighthawks host Camden.
Williams provided details of the spectator policy for Nighthawks volleyball home matches:
1. Players will be given two vouchers, up to 25 total, to give to whomever they would like to attend. These vouchers must be shown at the front gate to gain entry. As much as we would love spectators to fill our seats and cheer on the Nighthawks, no one can be admitted without a voucher from the player.
2. All tickets will be $5.00
3. All spectators must submit to a COVID questionnaire, have temperature checked and wear masks at all times.
4. The JV game will start promptly at 4:30. Spectators will be allowed in beginning at 4:15.
5. At the conclusion of the JV game, the gym will be cleared of spectators and properly sanitized.
6. The Varsity game will start no earlier than 6:00, regardless of the time the JV finishes. It is possible that it will be later than 6:00, again based on the JV game. Varsity spectators will be allowed entry no earlier than 5:45 (Pasquotank does not have a JV team, so that Varsity game will start at 5:00, entry at 4:45).
7. There will be no concession stand.
8. The games will be live streamed and the link posted on the First Flight Home Page and FFHS social media accounts.
9. No gyms are allowing visiting fans entry, so we will also provide a link for away games when provided.
First Flight vs. Camden live feed:
Links to the rest of the Nighthawks home schedule will be posted at https://ffh.daretolearn.org/.
Manteo at Currituck live feed link, which will also be hosting all Currituck home matches: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/currituck-county-high-school-barco-nc
Manteo’s home matches will available at https://manteoathletics.com/upcoming-live-events/
Cape Hatteras video information will be available at: https://chs.daretolearn.org/
