No winter sports for AZ high schools
AIA board votes to take step amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Thousands of Arizona high school athletes on Friday heard the news they had been dreading: Their winter sports season is canceled because of the state’s surge in COVID-19 cases.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board voted to cancel the season, a decision that impacts boys and girls basketball, soccer and wrestling at high schools across the state.
The AIA already had delayed the start
of the season to Jan. 18, more than a month later than usual, but reconsidered that move after an AIA advisory committee of medical experts recommended the board cancel the season because of the continued coronavirus trend and the impact it’s having on overburdened hospitals.
There are 274 AIA member schools with approximately 30,000 student-athletes who play winter sports.
On Friday, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than 11,000 new positive cases, with the state approaching 10,000 deaths since the pandemic began in early 2020. The state’s seven-day newcase average ranked second-highest nationwide, after ranking first for three days in a row, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data Tracker as of Thursday.
“Unfortunately, it is expected that the state will see a continued rise in Covid-19 hospitalizations for some time. As medical professionals, we cannot in good conscience recommend that students engage in a winter season under the current conditions,” said Dr. Kristina Wilson, chairwoman of the AIA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
“We do not see the situation improving very quickly,” Wilson said.
The 5-4 board decision, which came during a special AIA board meeting Friday, affects winter season sports of boys and girls basketball, soccer and wrestling. The board’s vote came after an initial motion to continue the season, with modification including masks during competition, was rejected by the same tally.
The board also voted to postpone the spirit line competitions currently taking place.
The decision left many parents, student athletes and coaches devastated. The AIA has 274 member schools and approximately 30,000 winter sports athletes.
“I’m honestly heartbroken, this was our year at Casteel and we all knew that,” said Grace Oken, a guard on Queen Creek Casteel’s girls basketball team. “It’s upsetting how other sports could do whatever they wanted like nothing was going on in the world, but we get to winter sports and it’s all different for us.”
Rachel Matakas, head coach of Surprise Valley Vista’s girls basketball team, also questioned the fairness after fall sports were able to compete.
“For (the AIA) just to
say a blanket no, or about seven days out before our first game, it’s not equitable,” Matakas said. “A lot of coaches have put a lot of things in place. There’s a lot of money already been spent on the season. For them not to even come up with a plan or an alternative to try and save the season I think is atrocious.”
Others, while disappointed recognized the AIA’s position.
“Yes, it’s sad but I see both sides to this. Medically, I see the bigger picture and the liabilities,” said Laurie Jones, whose daughter, Marisa Davis, plays basketball for Valley Vista.
Desert Vista junior boys basketball guard Andrew King described the decision as ”heartbreaking.”
“I feel really bad for the seniors. They don’t get their year. It’s unfair. Football got their season,” said King, who returned to Desert Vista after leavin PHH Prep’s program.
A divided board
The AIA previously opted to move ahead with the fall sports season, which included football,
cross country, golf, volleyball and swimming, after delaying the start.
But it was during the fall that Arizona’s second surge began. More than 50 high schools statewide were forced to cancel at least one football game, according to a count maintained by the Republic, but the season was allowed to finish with football title games taking place in early December and fans in stands.
In swimming, one of the state’s top teams, Brophy Prep, was forced to miss the championship meet because of a COVID-19 outbreak, ending its steak of 32 straight championships, but the finals took place.
A major concern among Wilson and some board members Friday was the current situation at Arizona hospitals, with 93% of all ICU beds and 92% of inpatient beds in use this week, causing concerns that injuries couldn’t be treated with a lack of medical staff available.
AIA board president Toni Corona said it did not appear there would be enough time before the start of the spring season to complete winter
sports.
The spring workouts for baseball, softball, boys volleyball and track and field are scheduled to start March 1 if the coronavirus metrics are in a safer range.
“While we understand the Board’s position, we are saddened by this decision, especially considering that Club sports are continuing,” AIA Executive Director David Hines said in a news release. “To the best of our knowledge, never in our 100plus-year history has the AIA canceled an entire season.
Club sports teams operate apart from AIA and school oversite, operating independently and often traveling out of state to compete.
“We want nothing more than for our students to be active in school and participating in interscholastic sports and activities. It is my sincerest hope that all Arizonans will follow the CDC and Arizona Health guidelines by wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and practicing social distance to decrease cases and hospitalizations. If for no other reason, I hope we can do it for the kids,” Hines said.
The AIA was forced to scrap the spring sports season last year shortly after it got underway, after the COVID-19 outbreak escalated and resulted in shutdowns across the state and nation.
Board members were split on the recommendation Friday.
“If we do not take this recommendation from the SMAC seriously, those numbers are going to be worse. I feel like we need to honor that recommendation,” said board member Ricky Greer, Hopi High School’s athletic director.
Alternative plan
Board member Marcus Williams, athletic director of the Chandler Unified School District, had presented a motion to continue with the winter sports season as scheduled, adding that all participants would be wearing masks. Board member Jim Dean, who is the athletic director for Dysart schools, agreed, saying student-athletes will flock to prep academies and club programs to find winter sports outlets.
“Our athletes are going to play, they’re gong to congregate,” Dean said during the Zoom discussion. “Jan. 18 was the start date with the understanding that the only thing would close that is if governor shut down the state. The governor has not done that.”
Board member William Duarte, who represents the 1A Conference of small schools, said, “not taking advice of SMAC committee is negligible on our part.”
Another board member, Zack Munoz, athletic director of the Phoenix Union High School District, opposed moving ahead with the winter season because of the hospital situation.
“I understand what clubs are doing,” Munoz said. “We can’t control them. What we can control is what we do. I cannot support moving forward with winter sports.”
But Jeannine Brandel, Flagstaff High athletic director and AIA board member, was among those who wanted to continue with the season.
“I believe kids need opportunity to compete within our protocols,” Brandel said. “Students are safer competing with us.”
Board member Camille Casteel agreed the season should stay on track.
“I believe our extracurricular activities is a choice. Not a requirement. I do believe our students will go elsewhere. They are safer with us because of mitigation compliance. I’m concerned about the emotional connection,” Casteel added.
“I think with stronger enforcement of mitigation strategies, we can have winter sports.”
But board member Jim Love, who heads the Flowing Wells Unified Arizona School Boards Association, agreed with Munoz in citing the hospital situation.
“We’re already on a truncated season for winter sports,” he said. “We need to take into account people who can take care of the COVID-19 patients. They’re being overtaxed as it is.”
The decision already had generated strong pushback as of Friday afternoon on social media. And a moveon.org petition had already generated more than 3,800 signatures within a few hours of the vote, calling for a ”mandatory voting recount” from the AIA.