The state of Maryland has postponed its high school fall and winter sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association announced.
The fall and winter sports season are postponed at least through the first semester of the academic year, the Capital Gazette reported. Swimming and diving is a winter sport for both boys and girls.
The two governing bodies of private schools in the Maryland are the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland, and they announced last week that they postponed fall practices to a start date of Sept. 1 or later.
“The health and safety of student participants, coaches, and officials is a primary concern for the return of interscholastic athletics and activities,” the MPSSAA release said.
Fall sports under the MPSSAA are field hockey, football, volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, and golf. Winter sports are swimming and diving, boys and girls basketball, wrestling and indoor track and field.
“The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) in consultation with the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and the Public School Superintendent Association of Maryland (PSSAM) has decided to postpone the 2020 high school fall and winter competition season during the first semester,” the release said. “This decision comes in light of the recent announcements of local school systems to begin education virtually and provides each school system with options for the gradual increase of student engagement for the physical and social-emotional health of students. With this announcement, local school systems will be able to use MPSSAA waiver regulations as approved by the Maryland State Board of Education on June 23, 2020 for student engagement during the first semester. The MPSSAA, the MDH, and the PSSAM will continue to collaborate on finalizing a hybrid two-semester plan focused on student engagement options in the first semester and modified competition seasons for all sports during the second semester. Details of the hybrid two-semester plan will be available in the coming weeks prior to the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.”
So it starts. :/
And how could COVID spread when running cross country?
USA swimming needs to be a lot less concerned about the Olympics and a lot more concerned with how many swim coaches are going to be unemployed for the indefinite future.
Minnesota’s plan will be announced tomorrow. Crossing my fingers for our girls’ fall season of swimming.
Does this affect club Kyle ?!
Bob Perkins Nope they just canceled the fall and winter HS seasons for sports.
So will you be coaching club then?
Jason Mauss I’ve been coaching the 13-15 group that leads into the senior group for one of the sites of Nations Capital Swim Team since September. Really great group of kids, lot of talent and super fun team to work with.
Kyle McDaniel cool.
Toss us back in school but don’t find a way to make it safe to have sports. Sports is a great way to release the mounting stress our kids are feeling…Complete crap..
Smart