The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has canceled the 2020-21 winter postseason for all high school winter sports in the state.
The decision was made because of the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and affects swimming and diving directly.
According to reports, the MIAA Board of Directors voted to cancel the 2020-21 winter postseason, following the recommendation of its COVID-19 Task Force and Tournament Management Committee. The vote was unanimous.
The MIAA Board also voted to keep its current winter start and end dates of, respectively, Nov. 30 and Feb. 21. So the winter regular seasons could still happen in full, but the postseason, that would bring large groups from different regions together, was canceled.
It has been a tough year for Massachusetts high school sports. The Fall season will end without a tournament, while Spring 2020 never happened and Winter 2019-20 was called off days before state championships were to take place.
The MIAA also voted unanimously to recommend teams limit their schedules to local or league opponents to minimize exposure to communities that might have higher COVID-19 rates.
Boston University hosted the state swim meets last winter, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology hosted the North and South sectional meets in Cambridge.
Nantucket swimming coach Jim Pignato told The Inquirer and Mirror that swimming’s lack of competition locations has been difficult, especially with college facilities not wanting outside people on campus.
“The swimming postseason is really predicated on access to collegiate pools,” Pignato told The Inquirer and Mirror. “Just looking at that, the way things have been shaping up, that’s probably going to be one of the last places that would allow outside organizations to come in.”
Pathetic
Ridiculous!
Have a zoom link for spectators and have the swimmers social distance. We ARE doing it here in NJ successfully.
It’s the colleges not allowing the high schools in their pools for Champs, as noted in the article. The states that don’t depend on college pools can livestream and social distance.
Marie Larkin Sinkiewicz We found other pools because Rutgers and Princeton had the same issue.
Shindig Smith there is a huge shortage of good even 6 lane pools in MA not in a university. Then try to find ones with deck space or holding areas…. trust me. I looked around a few years ago for our 1600 member league. It’s virtually nothing.
Sarah De Simone We rented a venue in another State for Championships previously.
Do timed finals in a dozen or more locations — better than not doing it at all.
365 days to flatten the curve!
Offering to proofread for Swimming World.