KHSAA sets winter sports back until January

Note: The following information came out last Thursday and Friday — or, two days after our deadline for submitting articles for the Times-News sports page … needless to say, these announcements rendered a lot of what was published invalid. It certainly wasn’t intended to be “fake news,” but we apologize for the misinformation, anyway.

In a meeting held last Wednesday, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control voted to “postpone the start of the winter sports season to January 4 by unanimous vote,” according to an official KHSAA press release dated Nov. 19. “In congruence with the Governor’s order issued later the same day, official practice for all indoor interscholastic winter sports shall cease Friday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. and is planned to resume on Monday, Dec. 14. This cessation will apply to all indoor interscholastic sports at all school levels, including — but not limited to — basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, dance, indoor track and field, swimming and wrestling.”

“Our Board has remained steadfast in their support for the spring sports and sports-activities in 2021,” KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett said in the release, “and continues to attempt during these challenging times to ensure athletes, coaches, and schools have a full and complete season with an appropriate culminating event … The currently approved action would shorten the winter seasons but the Board and staff continue to recognize that during these pandemic time, there will be nearly constant changes in the operations around education and school-based sport.”

The same communique included the following statement by Tackett, “The Board’s approved motion for basketball also included authorizing the Association to attempt to negotiate the dates for the Girls’ and Boys’ Sweet 16 (state tournaments) during (National Federation of High Schools) calendar weeks 37 and 38, and is pending final confirmation of specific available dates with the Lexington Center and Rupp Arena.” Last year’s Girls’ Sweet 16 was cancelled on March 12 after five first-round games had been played. The boys’ tourney was cancelled in its entirety.

Another press release last Thursday explained the Board decision and “answered” some questions surrounding it. Q: 1) What was the impact on remaining fall sports? A: “Neither the Governor’s order nor the Board of Control action impacted the conclusion of fall sports seasons at this time” (which mainly concerns football).

Q: 2) How did the Governor’s order specifically impact the indoor winter sports seasons within the KHSAA? A: “The Governor’s orders specifically assigned that responsibility to the KHSAA … the Association must continue to serve as the caretaker of this responsibility and not take it lightly or callously act ... (as with earlier decisions regarding fall sports) We must remain respectful of the responsibility entrusted in this process.”

Q: 3) What is the official impact of the Boards’ approved action regarding the indoor winter sports seasons? A: “There are several impacts of that action, all of which are intended…to see a reduced positive case count, including: The first date for interscholastic … competition in indoor winter sports has been moved to Monday, Jan. 4 … Official practice… will be suspended until Monday, Dec. 14, at which time it is scheduled to resume with a three-week window for practice and preparation…”

Q: 4) Do these restrictions impact interscholastic basketball or indoor sports below the high school level? A: “It is strongly recommended that all provisions of these periods apply to all levels of competition and that interscholastic play be suspended until Jan. 4 at which time seasons resume.”

Note: Ohio County Middle School’s girls’ 2020 basketball season was originally scheduled to end with the conference tournaments set to be played the week of Dec. 5. The OCMS boys’ conference tourney was set to begin on January 23.