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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, high school sports schedules have changed again and again.

Still more changes were announced last Wednesday.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) executive board, in response to new pandemic guidelines outlined by Gov. Jay Inslee, has ruled practices for the traditional fall sports season can begin Feb. 1.

After several planned launches dating to last summer, the WIAA is now calling the seven-week fall campaign Season 1.

“The change in guidelines,” WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman said in a press release, “allow all traditional fall sports to be played in Phase 2 (of the new Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan) though we still do not have a clear pathway to the high-risk indoor activities of basketball, competitive cheer and wrestling.

“With that in mind,” he added, “moving fall sports (such as volleyball, football, soccer and cross-country) to Season 1 will hopefully provide the most opportunities to participate.”

The WIAA had originally rolled out a tentative calendar comprised of four mini-seasons, with basketball scheduled to be played ahead of the fall sports.

Under the state’s Roadmap to Recovery, Washington counties are grouped into eight regions based on their respective health system resources. All regions are now considered to be in Phase 1 of the two-phase plan, which went into effect Jan. 11.

A region’s COVID-19 data will need to show improvement for it to enter Phase 2. Data will be calculated and made public each Friday.

La Conner Middle and High School Principal/Director of Athletics Kathy Herrera updated school board members on the new WIAA directive at their three-hour retreat session in the high school library on Thursday.

“Practices for the new first season can start Feb. 1,” she said, “but there will be no competition until we reach Phase 2.”

Even so, the mood was generally optimistic that La Conner High fall sports programs, including the two-time defending State 2B volleyball team, can resume play next month.

“That would help,” said interim La Conner Superintendent Rich Stewart, “in terms of engagement with other students.”

“In addition to engagement,” Herrera noted, “there are the benefits of providing exercise and helping with the students’ well-being.”

School sports were suspended last March following the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. Classes at La Conner Schools have been conducted on-line since then.

Sports teams have been allowed to hold limited off-season practices. Members of the La Conner High football team, guided by first-year head coach Jeff Scoma, practiced under the lights at Whittaker Field Thursday night.

Prior to the holidays, the WIAA endorsed a process largely placing sports under the umbrella of the many leagues in Washington state for the rest of the school year. Leagues have been given flexibility for creating seasons but those must be approved by Hoffman and meet state’s COVID-19 mandates.

In November, the WIAA said sports seasons would culminate with regional rather than state tournaments.