CHAPEL HILL — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association will lift its dead period next week to allow for in-person workouts for prep athletes.

The organization announced Monday that it would allow limited workouts beginning June 15, though education agencies across the state must also permit it at a local level.

Restrictions for the first phase of return include having non-contact workouts of no longer than 90 minutes, with no more than 25 people at outdoor venues and no more than 10 in gymnasiums. They also require daily temperature checks and social distancing, along with instructing schools to keep the same groupings of athletes working together each time.

Locker rooms and weight rooms remain closed for now. The restrictions include no shared use of athletic equipment. Guidelines for future phases will be developed and shared at a later date.

According to its website, the NCHSAA staff has been working closely with the NCHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee on recommendations for member schools regarding summer activities that align with NC DHHS directives. The guidance utilizes a phased approach for NCHSAA athletes and is intended to help school administrators, coaches, parents, students, and communities navigate a gradual reopening of high school athletic activities.

The health and safety measures outlined in this plan were formed utilizing CDC, DHHS, and NCHSAA information at this time. It is recognized, however, that the information and circumstances concerning COVID-19 remain fluid and variable. Therefore, these guidelines are subject to change in conjunction with new knowledge of COVID-19 or changing social conditions.

Phase One contains a set of general requirements that apply across all sports, with specific requirements for each sport. Guidance for Phase Two and Phase Three will be distributed in the coming weeks in consultation with state leaders.