Pinellas school leaders delay next phase for student-athletes' summer workouts

The Pinellas County School District was supposed to kick off Phase Three of their summer conditioning and workout plan for their athletes on Monday, however, out of an abundance of caution, the district has now said they plan to stay in Phase Two. 

The district kicked off their summer workouts back on June 15 and moved into Phase Two of their conditioning plan two weeks later. The goal was to move their athletes and coaches into Phase Three on July 13, as long as everything went smoothly in their first two phases. 

However, as Tampa Bay continues to see more COVID-19 cases, the district has decided to not move into the next phase, which could have possibly included reopening those indoor facilities like gyms and weight rooms. 

Under Phase Two, only outdoor workouts will be allowed to continue. The gym and the weight room will have to remain closed. Only 50 people will be allowed on the field at one time, with only 20 athletes allowed in each individual training group. Originally. these numbers were a little bit higher to allow for more students, but the district decided to scale those numbers back just to be cautious. 

Any training sessions or workouts under Phase Two will also have to be limited to only 90 minutes. Just like in Phase One, students will have to wear face masks if they’re not actively practicing, and they’ll need to be screened before they’re allowed on the field. 

The district said they’re making the decision not to move forward with Phase Three at this time out of an abundance of caution. They did tell FOX 13 that they will continue to re-evaluate to see if Phase Three is a possibility. 

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this report stated that student-athletes in Pinellas County will move onto phase three, which was based on information provided by school district officials. On Monday morning, the school district announced they will not move onto phase three for summer workouts.