School board OKs football, volleyball seasons
Girls volleyball will start March 10, with a sixgame varsity football season starting March 12
KINGSTON, N.Y. » The Kingston City School District’s Board of Education has approved an abbreviated schedule for high school football and volleyball, sports deemed “high risk” under state coronavirus guidelines.
The schedule was adopted by a 7-2 vote of the board Wednesday evening, March 3, during an online meeting.
“I would not recommend this if I did not think we could do this safely,” district Superintendent Paul Padalino said.
The teams had begun practice on Monday, but had been waiting for Wednesday’s board decision.
In favor of starting the two seasons were board trustees Cathy Collins, Robin Jacobowitz, Suzanne Jordan, Priscilla Lowe, James Shaughnessy, Nora Scherer, and Steven Spicer. Opposed were trustees Herb Lamb and James Michael.
Spicer said he was encouraged by statistics showing there are few incidents of COVID-19 being spread through sports activities.
“Any parent that still feels uncomfortable ... can still keep their child at home,” he said.
Lamb said there are too many unknowns involved, even with protocols planned for COVID-19 screening before each game and social distancing during contests.
“Taking a temperature is a feel-good thing, because ... you’re not running a temperature when you’re the most contagious,” he said.
“We’re requiring students in a classroom to stay six feet apart,” Lamb noted. “When you’re playing football, you cannot stay six feet apart.”
The board’s approval means that the 12-match girls volleyball season begins on March 10 and the six-game varsity football
schedule will start March 12, with both teams on the road against Warwick.
The approval also included lacrosse and unified basketball seasons, which will run from April 19 to June 10.
“We would not allow ... indoor sports to have spectators, and outdoor spectators (will) be limited to two per athlete,” Padalino said. “Spectators would be separated on the home and visiting sides, they may only sit with family members; spectators would be required to wear a mask and get their temperature taken, and watch from specified areas only.”
The girls varsity volleyball schedule will be as follows:
MARCH: 10, at Warwick; 12, WASHINGTONVILLE; 15, at Newburgh; 17, MIDDLETOWN; 19, at Monroe-Woodbury; 24, CORNWALL; 26, at Valley Central; 29, PINE BUSH.
APRIL: 7, NEWBURGH; 9, at Middletown; 12, MONROE-WOODBURY; 14, O’NEILL.
The football schedule will be as follows:
MARCH: 12, at Warwick, 7 p.m.; 19, at O’Neill, 6:30 p.m.; 26, MONTICELLO, 7 p.m.; 30, RED HOOK, 7 p.m.
APRIL: 3, ROOSEVELT, 6 p.m.; 9, TBA; 16, NEWBURGH, 7 p.m.