Opting out
Central Catholic defensive star Elliot Donald has opted out of the season.
Central Catholic High School’s football team had its first official practice in full pads Monday. But one of the Vikings’ star players won’t be putting on the practice gear.
In fact, Elliot Donald, a standout defensive lineman and Pitt recruit, has decided not to put on the pads all season, electing instead not to play because of COVID- 19 concerns.
“We have to respect people’s opinions. It’s a strange world these days and this was his personal decision,” Central Catholic coach Terry Totten said.
Central Catholic started school Monday under a hybrid model, with each half the student body attending inperson classes two days a week. Totten said Donald chose to take all classes online.
Donald, the nephew of NFL star Aaron Donald, is a 6- foot- 3, 255- pound senior who is ranked the No. 5 player in the state and No. 82 in the country by Rivals. com. He committed to Pitt in July.
Officials shortage
A shortage of high school sports officials in recent years has been exacerbated by the COVID- 19 pandemic, but it hasn’t reached the crisis stage for the WPIAL.
Football games will begin Sept. 11 and soccer matches Sept. 14. As of Monday, 36 football officials who cover games around the WPIAL had elected not to come back this season. That amounts to six crews. In soccer, 50 officials will not return. For matches using two officials, that is 25 crews lost.
Vince Sortino, WPIAL assistant to the executive director, is closely monitoring the situation along with Nick Morea, an officials representative on the WPIAL board of directors. Sortino said the WPIAL has not received word yet from any schools that don’t have officials to cover games.
Sortino said two factors have had an effect on the officials shortage. “The number of officials has been down across the state the past couple years,” he said. “Then this is the year for renewal of clearances for a lot of officials and some of them have chosen not to go through that again. They’re not going through the hassle. On top of that, the COVID hit.”
Officials belong to different chapters around Western Pennsylvania, and an individual from each chapter works with schools and assigns games to officials. Sortino said some of the assigners have asked schools if they would consider possibly moving a football game or soccer match to a different day.
“They’ve asked some schools if they could do a Thursday or Saturday football game to help,” Sortino said. “We have not heard to this point that schools are not covered for a game. We’ve directed our member schools and assigners to talk. If there are problems, try to come up with a solution and make it work.”
Neither the PIAA nor WPIAL have specific rules for officials concerning COVID- 19 guidelines. But Sortino said some schools have their own rules. For example, some schools are requiring officials to sign a waiver.
Board gives OK
The Lincoln Park school board voted 6- 0 to allow the charter school’s participation in girls volleyball, boys and girls golf, and boys and girls cross country, changing its position from a week ago. Also, 16 Lincoln Park students will continue to play football at Western Beaver High School under a cooperative sponsorship.