North Puget Sound League aiming for March 1 return for football

The North Puget Sound League announced its plan for athletics to return amid the pandemic Sunday.

The NPSL decided to divide sports into three seasons, beginning with football practice on March 1.

Returning to play is contingent on the Puget Sound Region making it to Phase 2 of the state’s “Healthy Washington” plan for most sports.

In addition to football, the first season contains cross country, girls soccer, girls swimming and diving and golf. Practice for the other sports will begin March 8 and the season runs until April 17.

The second season, which will contain baseball, softball, boys soccer, girls tennis, track and field and boys swimming and diving, runs from April 12 to May 22.

The third season, which runs from May 17 until June 26, will contain basketball, wrestling, gymnastics (which will start May 10), bowling, boys tennis and water polo.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has yielded plans for the sports seasons to the leagues around the state in an attempt to get any sports played this academic year. The WIAA has given broad flexibility to the leagues to build a calendar that fits their region, but all plans must be approved by executive director Mick Hoffman.

NPSL president Rob Swaim, who is also the athletic director for the Auburn School District, said the league is submitting its plan for WIAA approval.