The WPIAL met today and did not change its position on starting fall sports with a delay.
WPIAL Executive Director Amy Scheuneman said during a news conference that many things had changed with high school athletics over the course of the last few months, including schools creating plans to reopen and allow athletic activities over the summer. Last week, the Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued a “strong recommendation” that sports be cancelled until Jan. 1, and the PIAA responded by delaying a decision for two weeks.
The WPIAL agreed with the PIAA on this stance.
According to a press release issued after the meeting: “While many recreation, AAU and club programs have already stated they will ignore the governor’s recommendation, the WPIAL is in favor of the PIAA’s approach to get more clarity on what a “strong recommendation” actually means for the schools legally if they choose to ignore the recommendation and offer sports programs. We also support the continuation of sports under the established guidelines by all agencies.”
The PIAA issued its return-to-play guidelines last month and outlined its modifications to delay the start of competition. Last week, Wolf recommended fall sports be postponed to the spring and that athletics should not happen if students are not having in-person classes.
“What is not being calculated are the negative and adverse effects like isolation, depression, anxiety and incentive to do well in school. We need this for the kids,” Scheuneman said.
The following is the press release from the WPIAL.
Good Morning and thank you for your attention this morning and valuing the importance of Interscholastic Athletics in Western Pennsylvania.
As we are all aware, a lot has changed in the landscape of high school athletics in Pennsylvania over the past few months and I wanted to review to provide some framework for these comments:
– On June 10th – the PA Department of Health and Department of Education released guidance for schools to begin the start of voluntary out-of-season workouts with the approval and implementation of local Athletic Health and Safety plans in accordance to their guidelines;
– Schools created plans to safeguard student-athletes and began to open and offer voluntary workouts without evidence that this reopening caused a spike in numbers.
– With no information restricting or prohibiting athletics to continue, on July 29, 2020 the PIAA Board of directors announced the continuation of fall sports with the implementation of Return to Play Guidelines and offered optional start dates for districts and leagues;
– On July 31st, the WPIAL sent a “NOTICE to Schools” which outlined the modifications we were making as a league to change the start dates of competition and reduce the maximum number of competitions allowed to allow for the opening of school and a safe progressive to return to sports;
– Then on August 3rd the Governor made a brief statement during a press conference about schools not offering sports if they were completely online this fall;
– Then on August 6th the Governor made a statement about “recommending sports be delayed until January 1, 2021” which was then followed up later that afternoon with an official statement from the PA Department of Health and Department of Education confirming Governor Wolf’s statement and reiterating this “strong recommendation is not an order or mandate”;
The WPIAL’s response to the Governor’s comments and ensuing document is one of frustration due to the UNCALCULATED, INCONSISTENT and UNFAIR approach of this “guidance”.
– It is UNCALCULATED because health data does not show a significant increase in adolescent athletes (as reported by the Allegheny Co. Health Department just last week). But more importantly, what is not being calculated into this decision are the negative and adverse health risks involved with NOT allowing sports to continue under establish precautions and protocols. Health risks such as isolation, depression, anxiety, obesity and social losses from lack of teamwork, incentive to go to school and do well in class, providing an outlet to relieve stress, feel included, providing hope, working towards goals, overcoming adversity and the list could go on and on. These need to be taken into consideration as they are opportunities these students will not be able to get back (unlike collegiate athletes) and lack of participation may alter their future endeavors.
– It is INCONSISTENT because there is no such “Strong Recommendation” to not have school operate in person and/or in a hybrid model – which would cause for more adolescent risk of COVID due to the much higher number of individuals gathered in and passing thru indoor spaces. Where, on the contrary, teams congregate in smaller, more manageable pods or cohorts, most of which are outdoors where social distancing is possible.
– It is UNFAIR because on June 10th the PDE and DOH provided schools the opportunity to restart athletics with the approval of an Athletic Health and Safety Plan, to which most schools took advantage of. And without justification or validation, those same organizations made a strong recommendation that sports not be played until at earliest January 1, 2021. Why the discrepancy in guidance without a stated cause?
The PIAA Board also had reservations about this decision, hence the vote to postpone the official start date of fall sports until August 24, 2020 to allow time to work with the governor, legislators and any other stakeholder to see if a reasonable revision or compromise could occur within that guidance.
While many recreation, AAU and club programs have already stated they will ignore the governor’s recommendation, the WPIAL is in favor of the PIAA’s approach to get more clarity on what a “strong recommendation” actually means for the schools legally if they choose to ignore the recommendation and offer sports programs. We also support the continuation of sports under the established guidelines by all agencies.
The PIAA’s decision to delay the start of sports briefly affects the WPIAL’s revised schedule released on July 31st. Golf and Tennis will now need to alter their first scrimmage & competition dates by 1 week and Football teams will need to make sure they get in 5 practices after Heat Acclimatization and before their first scrimmage. Every other sport will not be impacted by this delay other than starting official practices later than scheduled.
The WPIAL has and will continue to support high school athletics, and surrounding activities, as an important and invaluable component of education. We are committed to providing safe and meaningful seasons to all interested student-athletes.
We do not view sports simply as a game, but rather an opportunity for education and overall development of students.
Thank you again for your support in this endeavor and the WPIAL as a whole.
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