WSLM is ready for football on all levels – high school, college and NFL – and working on putting the broadcast schedule together for WSLM 97.9 FM and WSLM 1220 AM.
According to Rebecca White, owner and general manager, “all sports teams are preparing and making plans to play football this fall including high school, college and professional. Things may look and sound a bit different, but everyone is working to ensure this season takes place.
The NFL has sent players back to practicing with special conditions in force, and college players are back on campus.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association drafted a 38-page document to advise schools on returning to athletics.
West Washington School Corporation Board recently approved a sports plan and it can be found HERE – Return to Athletics.
Salem and Eastern will be releasing similar plans in the next few days.
“That was done with guidance from the Indiana Department of Education and the Indiana State Department of Health and the IHSAA,” said Superintendent Keith Nance.
“It goes from a whole wealth of things — cleaning, not using weight rooms, increasing the number that can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, social distancing…kids bringing their own water bottles and being refilled by one person. Some real common sense things and some things that can mitigate the spread of this. These kids are chomping at the bit to be coming back to do things. They are going to be so ramped up to be doing something. It’s going to be kinda fun to watch.”
“This is one step,” said Nance. “Which kind of makes you feel good just to be doing something. For so long we were consumed with virtual learning and the food plan. When that ended…we were stagnant. We wanted to be progressing and moving forward. Doing this gave us that sense. Not from an athletic point…losing that…losing that spring season was devastating to so many kids. I try to be…as a leader you want to be composed…you want to be reassuring to everyone. When school was officially canceled up until June 30, I did my LIVE AT FIVE…I was hurting for those kids. It was hard.”
Salem and Eastern are expected to release their athletics plans next week.
Phase I of the IHSAA plan will start on July 6 and last until July 19.
During the first phase, student-athletes should be limited to 15 hours per week on campus.
No sport may have more than two activity days per calendar week, and conditioning is limited to four days per week.
Conditioning sessions may be held multiple times each day, with each session limited to two hours. Student-athletes may attend only one conditioning session per day.
Only essential student-athletes, student participants, coaches, medical staff, related supervisors, directors, and security should be in attendance, and all non-students should wear face coverings at all times unless under rigorous activity or poses a health risk.
Locker rooms should not be utilized, and students should report to their activity in proper gear and immediately return home to shower at the conclusion.
Gathering sizes should be decreased as much as possible to reduce risk, and workouts should be conducted in defined, smaller groups of students with the same students always together. Reduce gathering size by half capacity in larger areas is also suggested.
Free weight exercises requiring a spotter may not be conducted.
No contact is permitted for contact sports during the first phase, and no formal competition is allowed.
Phase II is set to begin July 20 and last until Aug. 15.
Locker rooms and meeting rooms may be allowed to be used at 50% capacity.
Contact is also allowed in compliance with the IHSAA.
Free weight exercises requiring a spotter may be conducted.
The IHSAA girls golf season may start on schedule with the first day of practice slated for July 31 and contests scheduled to start on Aug. 3. All other sports may start practice on Aug. 3.
In Phase III starting Aug. 15, the rest of the fall sports begin competition play.
Locker rooms and meeting rooms may be used, and at a greater than 50% capacity if necessary.
Schools should consider scheduling adjustments to reduce the number of events, duration and/or participants present.
Hospitality rooms for officials should not include shared foodservice and should allow space for social distancing.
Individual waters and prepackaged snacks may be made available.
Spectators, media, and vendors can be present but should implement social distancing and follow established mass gathering guidelines.
Concessions may be sold if food handlers and cashiers use appropriate PPE and only prepared, prepackaged food is available.
Below is a tentative schedule of football broadcasts on WSLM stations.
White said she will continue to update this schedule with times and any changes.
“We will continue to also broadcast an additional variety of NFL games and college football games outside of the Big Ten,” she said. “When we have those dates and games, we will let our listeners know. We will continue to broadcast the local coach’s show as well as the coach’s shows with Tom Allen of IU and the Jeff Brohm show for Purdue as well as This Week in the Big Ten and various NFL daily newscasts.
COLTS FOOTBALL (WSLM 97.9 FM)
Thursday, Aug. 13 – vs. Eagles
Monday, Aug. 24 – vs. Redskins
Saturday, Aug. 29 – at Bills
Thursday, Sept. 3 – at Bengals
Thursday, Sept. 13 – at Jaguars
Sunday, Sept. 20 – vs. Vikings
Sunday, Sept. 27 – vs. Jets
Sunday, Oct. 4 – at Bears
Sunday, Oct. 11 – at Browns
Sunday, Oct. 25 – Bye
Sunday, Nov. 1 – at Lions
Sunday, Nov. 8 – vs. Ravens
Thursday, Nov. 12 – at Titans
Sunday, Nov. 22 – vs. Packers
Sunday, Nov. 29 – vs. Titans
Sunday, Dec. 6 – at Texans
Sunday, Dec. 13 – at Raiders
Sunday, Dec. 20 – vs. Texans
Sunday, Dec. 27 – at Steelers
Sunday, Jan. 3 – vs. Jaguars
IU FOOTBALL (WSLM 97.9 FM)
Friday, Sept. 4 – at Wisconsin
Saturday, Sept. 12 – vs. Western Kentucky
Saturday, Sept. 19 – vs. Ball State
Saturday, Sept. 26 – at Connecticut
Saturday, Oct. 10 – vs. Maryland (HOMECOMING)
Saturday, Oct. 17 – at Rutgers
Saturday, Oct. 24 – vs. Michigan State
Saturday, Oct. 31 – vs. Penn State
Saturday, Nov. 7 – at Ohio State
Saturday, Nov. 14 – vs Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 21 – at Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. Purdue
Saturday, Dec. 5 – Big Ten Championship
PURDUE FOOTBALL (WSLM 1220 AM)
Saturday, Sept. 5 – at Nebraska
Saturday, Sept. 12 – vs. Memphis
Saturday, Sept. 19 – vs. Air Force
Saturday, Sept. 26 – at Boston College
Saturday, Oct. 10 – vs. Rutgers
Saturday, Oct. 17 – at Illinois
Saturday, Oct. 24 – vs. Michigan
Saturday, Oct. 31 – vs. Northwestern
Saturday, Nov. 7 – at Minnesota
Saturday, Nov. 14 – vs Wisconsin
Saturday, Nov. 21 – vs Iowa
Saturday, Nov. 28 – at IU
Saturday, Dec. 5 – Big Ten Championship
SALEM LIONS (WSLM 97.9 FM)
Friday, Aug. 21 – vs. North Harrison
Friday, Aug. 28 – at Silver Creek
Friday, Sept. 4 – at Scottsburg
Friday, Sept. 11 – vs. Brownstown Central
Friday, Sept. 18 – vs. Clarksville
Friday, Sept. 25 – at Corydon Central
Friday, Oct. 2 – at Eastern
Friday, Oct. 9 – vs. Charlestown
Friday, Oct. 16 – at West Washington
EASTERN MUSKETEERS (WSLMRADIO.COM)
Friday, Aug. 21 – at West Washington
Friday, Aug. 28 – vs. Clarksville
Friday, Sept. 4 – at Brownstown Central
Friday, Sept. 11 – vs. Silver Creek
Friday, Sept. 18 – vs. Corydon Central
Friday, Sept. 25 – at North Harrison
Friday, Oct. 2 – vs. Salem
Friday, Oct. 9 – at Scottsburg
Friday, Oct. 16 – at Charlestown
WEST WASHINGTON SENATORS (WSLM 1220 AM)
Friday, Aug. 21 – vs. Eastern
Friday, Aug. 28 – at Crawford County
Friday, Sept. 4 – vs. Mitchell
Friday, Sept. 11 – vs. Springs Valley
Friday, Sept. 18 – vs. Paoli
Friday, Sept. 25 – at North Central
Friday, Oct. 2 – vs. Perry Central
Friday, Oct. 9 – at Washington
Friday, Oct. 16 – vs. Salem
