Name: NYSPHSAA, Section VI cancel spring postseason championships; regular season still on hold
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NYSPHSAA, Section VI cancel spring postseason championships; regular season still on hold

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You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisNYSPHSAA, Section VI cancel spring postseason championships; regular season still on holdShare thisStudent-athletes and coaches in Western New York are trying to remain positive, but the longer the coronavirus pandemic continues, the tougher it becomes to remain upbeat that there will a spring sports regular season before the end of the school year.That is the tough reality staring down all student-athletes, specifically seniors, now that the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Section VI on Monday canceled the postseason state championship events for all nine spring sports.The email from Section VI executive director Timm Slade to school athletic directors and principals said the section's executive committee would permit leagues the ability to schedule regular-season varsity games if the state's guidelines allow for a return to school and practice requirements are met. Junior varsity and modified seasons were canceled Monday.The email says if schools are not in session by June 1, regular seasons will be canceled in all sports.The sports impacted are softball, baseball, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls lacrosse, boys tennis and boys and girls golf. The state tournaments were to be held between June 4-13.The email also noted that any practices held before the shutdown will not count toward the minimum requirements of 10 for baseball and six for other sports.“Any time you lose developmental seasons, that hurts kids but, obviously, it’s the right decision as we’re in the midst of a crisis,” Williamsville North athletic director Steve Ferenczy said. “We’re secondary [compared to everything else]. Disappointing, but I don’t think it’s surprising to anybody.”“All we can do is keep advising our people to have hope in a very difficult situation, stay positive and have productive day,” added Hamburg Athletic Director P.J. Cauley.NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas said Monday’s decision was tough to make, especially considering it cuts short part of the senior year experience for graduating student-athletes.“Unfortunately, with the continued impact of the Covid-19 crisis, hosting the spring 2020 state championships is no longer feasible [due to time factor, facility and venue availability],” Paul Harrica, NYSPHSAA’s president, said in a news release. “Canceling the remaining winter state championships in late March was challenging and the cancellation of our spring state championships today is equally disappointing.”But the decision wasn't all that surprising considering schools will remain closed until at least May 15, unless the government along with state and local departments of health deem it safe to resume gatherings and relaxes social distancing guidelines. Spring sports hit a pause to the season on March 12.“I think it’s really unfortunate that we’re not allowed to have states or maybe a season, but I also think it’s necessary because there’s a virus going around,” said Tapestry eighth-grader Jada Kenner, the reigning Federation champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. “They don’t want us to become sick.”Panama senior Cam Barmore, the reigning Division II state champion in the high jump said he was upset when he heard the postseason was canceled."I was looking forward to hopefully going far in both track and baseball," he said. "I feel bad for all the kids that have to wait all year for their main spring sport and then for it to be canceled, especially the seniors who would have been playing their last high school sport. ... But in these circumstances, it's what's best."Schools need to reopen before student-athletes will be allowed to engage in extracurricular activities. The state said individual sections have the authority to decide whether to hold a regular season. Only nine have that option after Long Island Section’s VIII and XI canceled all spring events April 21.“I think what Long Island had to do was a decision that their leadership made because of the impact of the crisis,” Zayas said. “I think each section needs to make a decision based upon advice and guidance from their local health departments, as well as the governor’s office, as to at what point would they be able to resume the spring season.”“Obviously, it’s disappointing, but we understand during these times that to complete a season and get a season in will be difficult,” Williamsville East softball coach Chris Durr said. “Obviously, they’ll make the smart decision and it’ll be based on the safety of kids and school.”The Flames are the reigning state Class A champions following a 27-0 season that ended with national rankings in multiple polls in 2019.They entered 2020 ranked seventh nationally in the preseason poll at . Whether they could’ve gone unbeaten again is difficult to say since a lot of things have to go right for a team to beat all comers. That said, with seven returning starters, including star pitcher and Missouri-verbal commit Summer Clark, Will East likely&nbsp; would have been a tough out nonetheless.“I’m sure our girls are disappointed,” Durr said. “We were looking forward to having a season and getting back to states, but the important thing is everyone’s healthy and hopefully we get back to school at some point.”Flames freshman catcher Ella Wesolowski is trying to remain positive but can’t help but think what could have been.“I think our team would do phenomenal in the regular season, but I think we were all hoping we would make it to states again because we have a strong team,” Wesolowski said. “I think we would’ve made a strong run again.”"I think there's a lot of hope [there will be a spring season]," Zayas said. "But we also have to be realistic that I believe 38 other states throughout the country have canceled their spring season, most notably Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island in this geographic region, so I think although there's optimism, we also have to be realistic and take guidance from the governor's office."The NYSPHSAA has been focused on the status of the spring season, but Zayas is aware of the potential impact this pandemic could have in the fall."I don't want to get too far out in front of us right now, our focus has been on the spring state championships," Zayas said. "If we continue to see some type of an impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the summer, and potentially the fall, we are prepared to create an ad hoc committee with superintendents, principals, athletic directors, potentially somebody from the department of health and the state department of education, a small group of experts that we can rely upon for recommendations and guidance on any impact on the fall, but that ad hoc committee has yet to be created because we don't know what the next month or two will hold with this crisis."“With things going down as they did today, we have to begin those discussions," Cauley said. "The things that are so challenging is we still have so many unknowns.”In other news, while Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association teams are hoping there will be enough time in the school year to have a semblance of a regular season for its members, Nardin Academy won't be one of them. Nardin athletic director Joe Baudo said Monday that since the school year ends May 29 for all Nardin students, it's not feasible for the Gators to have a sports season with such a narrow window.March 8: NYSPHSAA announces that state championships remain as scheduled.March 9: Practices begin for spring sports.March 10: CHSAA postpones basketball tournament for one week to March 20-21.March 11: NYPHSAA says no fans allowed at state boys hockey tournament at LECOM Harborcenter.March 11: National Scholastic Athletic Foundation cancels New Balance Indoor Nationals.March 12: After initially announcing the basketball regionals will go on without fans, NYSPHSAA indefinitely postpones winter regional and state championships in basketball, bowling and boys hockey.March 12: CHSAA cancels basketball tournaments.March 13: Federation cancels basketball tournaments.March 15: Erie County school districts announce closures until at least April 20, suspending all games and practices.March 23: NYSPHSAA cancels winter regional and state championships in basketball, bowling and boys hockey. Announces intention to determine plans for spring championships by April 27.March 27: CHSAA cancels all spring sports championships.April 6: School closures extended to April 29.April 16: School closures extended to May 15.April 27: NYSPHSAA cancels spring sports championships.Sent weekly directly to your inbox!{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisNYSPHSAA, Section VI cancel spring postseason championships; regular season still on holdShare thisStudent-athletes and coaches in Western New York are trying to remain positive, but the longer the coronavirus pandemic continues, the tougher it becomes to remain upbeat that there will a spring sports regular season before the end of the school year.That is the tough reality staring down all student-athletes, specifically seniors, now that the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Section VI on...

NYSPHSAA, Section VI cancel spring postseason championships; regular season still on hold

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