WHITEFISH, Mont., Jan. 21, 2021 - Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson announced planned changes for the upcoming 2020-2021 football season. 

"These changes were the result of a tremendous amount of hard work put in by the league's athletic directors and endorsed by the league presidents and chancellors," Paulson said.

The new format addresses the following issues the conference is still facing with the COVID-19 pandemic:  
1. The goal of assuring continued student-athlete safety. 
2. Weather concerns affecting outdoor sports.
3. Upholding the desire for the utmost care regarding facilities sanitation, etc. but at the same time maintaining the adaptability, creativity and flexibility for providing quality schedules.

Football practice will now begin on Monday, February 15. The first weekend of play is Saturday, March 13. The final weekend of conference play is Saturday, April 10. This modified schedule gives Frontier Conference schools the flexibility to play up to five football games.

The NAIA continues to employ a very flexible approach as it offers conferences the opportunity to craft schedules for the Frontier's various sports all the while keeping the student-athlete's well-being at the forefront in planning. 

"Along with aiding the schools and athletic conferences in numerous regions of the country, the NAIA has given a great amount of leeway in competition planning, Paulson said.

FRONTIER CONFERENCE

"That leeway will allow for conference championships, a pathway to post-season play that leads to an opportunity to win a national championship. We hope in the upcoming months to turn the corner in addressing this virus and conclude the 2020-2021 athletic year on a positive note.