Shutdown spoils spring optimism
He came into the spring sports season on a wave of energy and enthusiasm.
Justin Gibbs, named the Pottstown High boys track and field head coach, was looking to complement the athletic success he had at his alma mater in the 2000s. He stepped in to replace his iconic highschool coach, Mary Ann Hill, for whom he had big performances in hurdles and middle distance races. Like other coaches and athletes around the area, he was looking forward for his athletes to show their stuff in defense of their Pioneer Athletic Conference (Frontier Division) championship in 2019.
“I’ve always been interested in giving back,” the 2003 Pottstown grad, a two-sports standout in football and track, said. “So I applied for the position. I’m happy to be back.”
Then the coronavirus situation reached pandemic proportions in southeast Pennsylvania and abroad, resulting locally in schools being shut down and spring sports dealing with a waitand-see uncertainty about how long the situation will be in effect.
“Good things come to those who wait,” Gibbs said, “but I’ll have to wait longer.”
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) delivered a message to its member teams Monday. The PIAA implored its teams to please stop practicing in the wake of Governor Tom Wolf closing all Pennsylvania schools until March 30.
“This means all school activities including sport practices, musicals, mock trial and field trips, etc.” the statement said. “We have been informed some schools sports teams may be organizing captains practices or informal workouts. It is our position that is contrary to the intent of the governor’s order, and these activities are not permitted.”
The PIAA has put the boys and girls basketball championships on a twoweek hiatus and spring sports, which were to start March 23, will not begin until March 30 at the earliest.
“I cant speak for everyone,” Boyertown athletic director Nick Palladino said, “but Boyertown is not allowing teams to workout or promote a social gathering. We are following the instructions of the Governor.”
The shutdown has become a speed bump for area teams looking to ride the optimism of solid player rosters to success this spring. Such is the case at Pottsgrove, where head coach Jamie Nash figures a talented senior class could end a string of losing seasons by the program.
“With the amount of kids we’ve had at workouts, and our senior class, we have a good team,” Nash said. “The kids have been working hard ... some are going to college, and others want one more season to play.”
Like every other team, the Falcons find themselves unable to use the district’s closed athletic facilities and left to keep in shape through their own devices.
“They have to be frustrated, wondering what the next step will be,” Nash said. “Some may have siblings or neighbors who they can play with, or do basement workouts and running.
“I don’t want to encourage group workouts. I want them to do it in a safe place.”
At Methacton, Dr. Paul Spiewak is facing the pandemic from the dual perspectives of Assistant Principal for Athletics and Activities, and as head coach of the high school baseball team. As such, he is invested in the stances taken by the PAC’s principals and ADs, and his own district.
“We’re in a holding pattern right now,” Spiewak noted. “It would not be in our best interests to develop a plan where we don’t know what we’re planning for. With an unknown end date, you can’t plan for something you don’t know.”
“The stance of the ADs is to take it all seriously. We want families to be healthy, make smart decisions and follow the protocols.”
For the school’s baseball program, the shutdown has impacted its desire to log a productive, successful 2020 season.
“Methacton graduated nine starters,” Spiewak said. ”The players have worked hard and are waiting for their chances to step up. The seniors have been true quality leaders.
”For some teams, this is the year they’ve been waiting for.”
Spiewak can identify with the circumstances his fellow coaches are facing at this time.
“Some coaches are flirting with four to six days since they’ve last seen their teams,” he said. “The first week or so, the protocol is to keep the players healthy. For me, it’s a matter of checking in with them.”
The Hill School is in a unique position of having students who live oncampus during the school year while others are commuters. That puts the prep school in a more complex situation as it addresses the pandemic.
A message on the Hill’s athletic website outlined the school’s operational plan for the immediate future.
“An updated timeline will be posted after April 6, when school leadership reassess whether students will return as planned on April 13 or if distance learning will be extended. All school athletic facilities will be closed during this time, as well. “
Athletic director Seth Eilberg, a member of the Pa. Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Board, noted the governing body will have a conference call Friday to “discuss possibilities of championships and other items.”
According to Eilberg, “Westtown and George are the only two PAISAA schools so far to have canceled for the full spring.”
“At Hill, our coaches are remaining connected throughout this challenging time with their players, and are finding ways to fully support all our student-athlete needs, including player development, and the college recruiting process for those seeking to play at the next level.”