THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | AUGUST 22, 2021
Sports
SPORTS 29
High School athletes keep wary eye on COVID-19 BY ZACH ALVIRA AND DREW SCHOTT Arizonan Sports Staff
T
he Arizona Interscholastic Association’s new COVID-19 guidelines for the 2021-22 high school sports season caused a stir among athletes and coaches. Some of the key changes from last year’s guidelines open the opportunity for players with no symptoms to present negative tests to come out of quarantine after 10 days rather than 14. It also allows teams to have a shorter quarantine period as a whole – 10 days from last known exposure– if an outbreak were to occur. With the high school football season only two weeks away, a key section in the document has stirred up the most interest: vaccinated coaches and players no longer have to quarantine as long as
Chandler head football coach Rick Garretson said communication with his players has been key this season as COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise. While he hasn’t mandated, he explained the benefits of masking in school, which all of his players have decided to do. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff)
they do not present symptoms of the virus. “We worked with our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee,” AIA Executive Director David Hines said. “They are our doctors, and they are in tune with what is going on across the board. Vaccinations are available, that wasn’t the case last year. Just about all of our athletes are old enough to receive the shot. “The intention is, really, we would like to have teams not cancel games.” Tempe Union now requires athletes in indoor sports to wear masks but is making face coverings optional for players in outdoor sports. Chandler Unified is following the disputed law banning mandates and making masks optional for students and staff. “Communication makes the world go
see VACCINES page 30
Cox YurView to air ‘40 years of Arizona High School Football’ celebrating history of game BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor
C
ox YurView AZ is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first televised Arizona high school football game on its network this year with a 22-minute documentary detailing the last four decades of the sport. “40 years of Arizona High School Football” features legendary coaches and teams, including Mountain View, McClintock, Saguaro, Chandler, St. Mary’s, Brophy, Centennial and many more. Rich Reid, who has produced high school football games for Cox since he was hired in 1998, lent a helping hand in the documentary. He said they wanted to show how the sport has evolved and to honor the vision George Allen had when he came up with the idea to broadcast Friday night football games alongside current Ari-
ball has evolved and developed,” Reid said. “It was George’s idea to broadcast high school football. He passed away in 2015 and in my opinion, he never really got the credit he deserves for escalating high school sports here in Arizona. This is a way for us to show that appreciation to his family and give George his props. “Without George, it Hamilton’s triple-overtime championship win over Mountain wouldn’t be like it is toView in 2003 is one of the premier matchups featured in Cox day.” YurView AZ’s new documentary, “40 years of Arizona High The documentary enSchool Football,” set to air Aug. 16. (File Photo) compasses the highs and lows of high school footzona Diamondbacks radio play-by-play ball the last 40 years, from championship announcer Greg Schulte. “With the show, we really wanted to wins to defeats. One of the best champishow the viewers how high school foot- onships to ever be aired by Cox, the 2003
5A-1 triple-overtime state title game between Hamilton and Mountain View, is one game featured in the documentary. YurView Production Coordinator Randi Carson sorted through hundreds of video tapes to bring the documentary together. It features players such as Hamilton alum and future NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Suggs from the 1990s and current Arizona Cardinals wideout and Saguaro alum Christian Kirk, among several others. It will also bring to light some of the best rivalries in the state, including St. Marys vs Brophy -- resurrected this season -- and the Tukee Bowl featuring Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista. “Rivalries are what really fuel high school football,” Reid said. “You can have a bad season but if you beat your rival, you have bragging rights. This show was
see COX page 30
