NYSPHSAA Cancels Fall High School Championships, Drafts Condensed Schedule

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Robert Zayas Twitter (@RobertZayasNY)

Big changes are on the way for New York high school sports due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NYSPHSAA announced Thursday that it will delay the start of the fall 2020 season and cancel fall regional and state championships.

Thursday’s decision includes preparing a contingency for a condensed schedule to starts in Jan. 2021 if fall sports cannot be contested in 2020.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) made the decision in consultation with its COVID-19 task force. The decision includes:

Delay fall sports start date until Sept. 21
Cancel fall regional and state championship events
Waive seven-day practice rule
Maintain current practice requirements
Encourage geographic scheduling for games & contests
Schools would have the option, if permitted by state officials, to offer off-season conditioning workouts.

Girls swimming is a fall sport in New York, with the boys competing in the winter.

“We recognize this is challenging for everyone, but the decisions made at the State level are based upon data and statewide infection rates all in an effort to stop the spread of COVID and reopen responsibly,” Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director, said in a statement. “At this time, Department of Health guidance presented on July 13th prohibits interscholastic athletics across the state. The Association will continue to follow state guidance and will work collectively with State officials to ensure high school athletics will start up responsibly in the future. As an association, we must be willing to be flexible and continue to explore all options with students’ safety as our main focus.”

The condensed season plan only kicks in if the 2020 season is further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Under that plan, boys swimming would run in Season I (winter sports) from Jan. 4-March 13. Girls swimming would be in Season II with other fall sports from March 1-May 8. Spring sports would fall under Season III from April 5-June 12. The release does not specify if the condensed seasons will have regional or state championships, though the encouragement of geographic scheduling would seem to indicate against it.

All of those dates are tentative and subject to changes in the COVID-19 conditions in the state. The NYSPHSAA acknowledged that part of its challenge is to accommodate different COVID-19 realities in different parts of the state.

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Sharon Chocko Gallagher

3 years ago

Cancelling championships really sucks for seniors. It’s what they work for. Rethink the hasty decisions.

Tania R Salinas

3 years ago

Why does it feel like swimming is the only sport taking hits?? Kids have been out of the water way too long!! I understand safety but with guidelines it’s doable

Jennifer Vivolo-Carsen

3 years ago

Reply to Tania R Salinas

Tania R Salinas this schedule also cancels football state championships.

Jessica Middleton Newman

3 years ago

Soooo Angry

Diana Terry Bolding

3 years ago

Stupid

Erin Stabach

3 years ago

Deb McFall

Ja Bounce

3 years ago

Booooooo!!! I would really like to see CURRENT studies on U.S pools/aquatic centers testing before closures… #NotSeeOneYet

Dwain Strickland

3 years ago

Reply to Ja Bounce

Ja Bounce so would I, I meen come on, it’s not like the water has a disinfect in it.

Allie Jon

3 years ago

Kids ability to get into college has been devastated by these decisions. Time to start filing lawsuits. Its the only action politicians and school administrations care about.

Diane Bonesteel

3 years ago

Maybe champs can be planned as months go by.. at this point it would be 7 months for boys and 10 months for girls …

Tracey Richards Chiulli

3 years ago

This just stinks for all the kids. Any senior who wants to swim in college has been devastated by all of these decisions. I would have to think that considering it has been documented that the virus can’t be transmitted in the pool that there should be a way get this done in a safe manner considering NYs numbers are good.

Sara Carroll

3 years ago

I bet they have football tho..smfh they are trying to kill our sport