Sun Valley aces readiness test, PCL’s sudden turn is next
There is no playbook for resuming high school sports in the coronavirus era, but Sun Valley High School set the standard Friday night.
Athletic director Pat Rafferty and the staff hit a home run. The school had a strict safety plan and stuck with it.
Social distancing was in effect from the moment you stepped out of your car. An Aston Township police officer greeted arrivals, making sure that anyone who entered the parking lot was on the list, so to speak.
The only fans permitted into the game were parents or close family members of both Sun Valley and visiting Great Valley. The new fan policy is a league-wide decision, but Sun Valley executed it expertly Friday night. Anyone attending the game was required to fill out a COVID-19 questionnaire.
“We all wanted our parents to be able to see their kids play. I had a really hard time telling parents that you can’t be where your kids are,” Rafferty said. “The league came together and we agreed that home and away, you’re going to get two tickets for every game, so at least the parents can see their kids play. We’re not packing the house, we’re still being safe and we’re still doing the right things. Everybody’s masked, I have the bleachers taped off every six feet, so we’re doing the right things.”
It was fun hearing fans more clearly, too. The vocal targeting of officials (“Why are you so blind, ref?”) and the screams from one mom urging her son to “Get up!” after he was tackled were loud and in living color. There was the band and cheerleading team, all in masks, adding to ambiance. No concession stands, though ... for obvious reasons.
Sun Valley’s rule for reporters and photographers covering games is simple: stay on one sideline and maintain social distancing the entire time. That is easy enough.
“The eyes are on us to see how we do it,” Rafferty said. “So there’s also some pressure with that, to make sure it is done right and make sure that we are following the protocols and, you know, we’re being looked at. I told my coaches and players, they all know we’re kind of under the microscope here. But we’re pumped to see it.”
Take note, all other Delaware County schools, because Sun Valley has this playing sports during a pandemic thing down pat.
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The Philadelphia Catholic League’s fall sports season begins Monday. Football teams kick off Friday and Saturday.
Two of Delco’s three PCL football teams play Saturday at 12 noon. Archbishop Carroll hosts Archbishop Ryan, while Bonner-Prendergast takes on Roman Catholic at Cardinal O’Hara. O’Hara won’t open its season until Oct.
29 against Ryan.
Sources told the Daily Times the Catholic League’s decision to return was at the behest of members of Faith in the Future, a nonprofit organization that “was placed in strategic and operational control of 22 schools throughout the archdiocese” back in 2012, according to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia website. A person with knowledge of the situation asked requested anonymity said Faith of the Future did a poor job consulting with the Catholic League’s administration and staff prior to making the announcement.
“The decision kind of came out of left field,” said the Catholic League source. “From what I understand, certain individuals wanted this to happen and no one could do anything to stop it. Then it was a matter of who wanted in or who wanted out as far as playing was concerned. I know it’s been hard on a lot of the schools because everything felt very sudden and out of the blue. The kids get to play, but we have to be smart.”
The Catholic League’s call clearly had an influence on other leagues from around the area. It wasn’t a surprise to see the Central League
and Ches-Mont League announce their comeback plans shortly after the Catholic League’s announcement.
Let’s just hope nobody comes to regret it.
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As for the Del Val
League, its student-athletes will have to wait until early next year to play fall sports.
The league announced on Thursday that its five members have struck a scheduling agreement with four other schools in the state that aren’t playing fall sports. Cheltenham, Harry S Truman, Norristown and Reading will join the Del Val in playing a fall season from March 12 to April 16.
Although the transportation to and from those aforementioned schools could cause issues — traveling to Reading High on a Friday afternoon is not fun — at least fall studentathletes from Academy Park, Chester, Chichester, Interboro and Penn Wood
have been told they will have a season of sorts.
“We would like to thank the leadership of both the PIAA and District One for their support in finding a way for our student-athletes to compete,” the Del Val said in a statement. “We will continue to work with our respective administrations, school boards, local and county leadership to ensure that safety remains a top priority.”
Since the majority of Del Val campuses are closed in
October, there was little chance for fall sports at this time. It just wasn’t a realistic goal.
Unfortunately there are Del Val schools that lack the resources to ensure the health and safety of student-athletes and family members. It wasn’t a popular decision to hold out until after the New Year, but for the Del Val, it was the only way ... and the safest.