Schools’ winter tourneys canceled
‘High-risk’ public high school sports — wrestling, basketball and competitive cheer — are placed on indefinite hold
With COVID-19 cases rising throughout New York state and interscholastic sports still on hold, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association decided Friday to cancel all state winter championships and to put an official freeze on all high-risk sports.
The hold on high-risk sports, according to the NYSPHSAA, is “until authorization is granted by state officials,” referring to the Governor’s Office and the state Department of
Health.
The NYSPHSAA officers made the decisions with input from the association’s membership and the 11 section executive directors.
“When examining the feasibility of winter state championships, it became apparent that travel and overnight accommodations would create a unique challenge for our member schools,” NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas said in a press release. “At this time, we must prioritize maximizing student participation without a focus on championship events.”
The NYSPHSAA had announced on Nov. 17 that high-risk winter sports (wrestling, basketball and competitive cheer) would be delayed until Jan. 4, 2021, ostensibly to allow state officials to determine a safe start date. Last week, the state said it was not ready to make that decision.
During a conference call with reporters and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, state Budget Director Robert Majica said climbing infection rates gave the administration pause to make any verdict.
“We’re still holding,” Mujica said. “We (had) said, ‘ as we are looking at what the infection rates are doing,’ and the infection rates continue to increase, so we’re not in a position to put out guidance for the highrink sports.”
The NYSPHSAA’s hold is on all high-risk sports, including football, volleyball and lacrosse.
According to the NYSPHSAA, per state Department of Health guidance, off-season conditioning may occur for high-risk sports, but cannot involve contact.
The NYSPHSAA followed state guidance and deemed Nov. 30 to be the start date for lowand moderate-risk winter sports ( swimming and diving, bowling, gymnastics, alpine and Nordic skiing). Many sections, like Section 8 and 11 on Long Island, pushed their start back to Jan. 4.
Section 9 reiterated on Nov. 27 the Nov. 30 start for low- and moderate-risk sports. Getting data from their own county departments of health two days earlier, the Mid-Hudson Athletic
League postponed its start to Jan. 4 and the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association to Jan. 19. The MHAL could push its date back again, based on the rising numbers in Ulster and Dutchess counties.
“The start dates established by the Section are always the earliest date allowed,” Section 9 Executive Director Greg Ransom had said at the time. “Schools and leagues are always free to start any time afterwards.”
The cancellation of winter championships also include the low and moderate sports.
“As an educator, I am witnessing first-hand the challenges our member schools are facing each day in addressing this pandemic,” NYSPHSAA President Julie Bergman said. “It is important we continue listening to the concerns being expressed by our membership when making decisions impacting interscholastic athletics.”
Curren t ly , the NYSPHSAA’s spring c hampionships are still scheduled. The fall championships had previously been canceled.
The current plan is for is for three compressed seasons being played from January to June in 2021.