NJ student athletes and coaches will begin interacting again this week

The NJSIAA will allow high school coaches to have "appropriate, virtual interaction" with their players starting on Monday and is starting to consider what will happen in the fall with athletics.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday decided to keep school buildings closed for the rest of the school year, meaning no spring season for high school sports. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association held out hope for a spring season and said it had developed several plans had Murphy reopened classrooms.

The NJSIAA, which governs school sports in New Jersey, had prohibited coaches and players from holding formal or informal practices or scrimmages. But the organization said Friday that students would be "well served" by interaction with their coaches, which will be allowed between May 11 and June 11, either individually or as a team.

"It now allows coaches to have meetings with players and discuss things including training and instruction," Kevin Williams, of the Townsquare Media Shore Sports Network, said.

Athletic directors are asked by he NJSIAA to keep administrators apprised of any plans to communicate.

As for fall sports,the NJSIAA said they are providing short-term information for an anticipated return to the classroom.

"At the same time, the organization is developing various scenarios and plans related to a potential fall return to school and sports," the NJSIAA said in a written statement.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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