PITTSBURGH -- A North Hills High School boys basketball coach has tested positive for COVID-19.
The coach was last with the varsity boys basketball team on Saturday, Jan. 9, developed symptoms on Sunday, Jan. 10, and was tested and received the positive result this morning, Monday, Jan. 11.
The entire varsity boys basketball team roster, which includes 12 student-athletes, and one North Hills School District staff member have been instructed to quarantine per the Allegheny County Health Department for 10 days from Saturday, the date of exposure.
The varsity boys basketball program is shut down during this time and scheduled to resume on Jan. 20.
The shutdown also impacts the district’s JV and ninth grade boys basketball programs, both of which were scheduled to begin practices today, Jan. 11. These programs will now begin on Jan. 20.
Jan. 20 is also the return-to-school date for the 12 student-athletes and one staff member now in quarantine.
Little Dribblers
The positive coach was at the district’s youth basketball program, Little Dribblers, on Saturday morning but was wearing a mask at all times, as was everyone in attendance. The coach was also able to maintain a safe social distance from others due to the manner in which the program is run.
As such, the Allegheny County Health Department has advised no further quarantine orders at this time.
Since Little Dribblers is run by our varsity boys basketball program, this Saturday’s session, on Jan. 16, is canceled. The program will resume on Saturday, Jan. 23.
COVID-19 Tracker
While the infected coach is not an employee in one of our school’s, the positive case has been added as a high school staff case in our COVID-19 Tracker with a date of Jan. 10, the date symptoms began.
As you know, reporting recommendations and regulations have changed multiple times. In the past, the district did not include coaches in COVID-19 totals. Moving forward and following revised state guidance, coaches who are not building staff members will now be added to our COVID-19 Tracker as a staff member in the building of the team they coach.