Spring sports cleared for take-off by state agency
MIAA sending survey to schools to gauge interest
Advocates of an MIAA spring state tournament will have to wait a few more days to learn their fate.
The MIAA Board of Directors voted unanimously Friday afternoon to accept the Tournament Management Committee’s recommendation to hold a sectional tournament, but stopped short of extending the postseason by two games. Instead, the Board voted 14-4 to send out a survey to its member schools to gauge their appetite for extending the sectional tournament to create a state champion and the results will be discussed during Wednesday’s meeting (1 p.m.).
“There needs to be a small window for this survey, no more than 48 hours for schools to respond,” said Arlington Catholic athletic director Dan Shine.
One of the biggest proponents of the push to extend the sectional tournament to make it a traditional state tournament is Needham boys volleyball coach David Powell. He echoes the sentiments of many administrators in that student/athletes deserve a break given they lost the previous season due to the pandemic.
“Spring athletes lost their entire season (in 2020), they understand that this is not going to be a traditional season,” Powell said. “But it’s harder to understand how neighboring states can compete for a state title, while we are stopping short. We need to give our athletes hope, not take it away.
“Our goal is to provide the best experience possible for our student-athletes under the umbrella of interscholastic sports. The spring athletic community is willing to do whatever it takes to do that. If it means playing games at host sites to save money, we will do that. If we have to play back-to-back, we’re willing to do that as well.”
Powell’s captain, Owen Fanning, circulated a petition to reconsider an earlier MIAA decision to not have a statewide tournament. As of Friday afternoon, the petition has 4,668 signatures.
“I created the petition because what I felt were inaccurate statements made
By the Tournament Management Committee regarding a lack of athlete interest in extending tournament play,” Fanning said.
In other executive decisions, the Board voted overwhelming in favor of accepting the Task Force modifications for golf, volleyball, baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, rugby, outdoor track and field, unified track and field and tennis. The one major change was allowing lacrosse and rugby teams to extend their rosters to 45 and coaches to six, staying consistent with football.
Brookline athletic director Pete Rittenburg felt that the Sports Medicine Committee should have a further discussion on the topic of roster expansion. That was voted down by a 10-8-1 count.
The only spring sport for this year not addressed was wrestling. As of right now, it has not Been approved to compete by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The game plan is to see how football handles the first two weeks Before making a determination.
The Task Force’s recommendation that the MIAA Board of Directors discontinue out of season coaching for member schools in sports that have completed an interscholastic season was passed, 18-0. The Board also voted 18- 0 to encourage schools to schedule games in the spring within their geographic regions.