GHS NEWs

VHSL cancels spring sports

After courting summer options, VHSL has decided there will be no 2020 spring sports season

Reporter Brady Atland

Due to Covid-19, the Virginia High School league has canceled this season of spring sports.

VHSL Executive Director Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun announced via his website, “This extremely difficult decision was made knowing the great disappointment our student-athletes, academic activity participants, coaches, administrators, parents, and their communities will experience. We share those same feelings as well.”

"While we recognize the importance of sports to our students and communities," the statement said, we need to follow all the regulations and recommendations from the Governor, CDC, and the Virginia Department of Health.

The announcement follows much speculation as to the fate of the spring season. Several covid-related edits to the spring had been announced before. On May 14th, the day following GHS's closure, the VHSL announced the beggining of the spring season would be delayed two weeks. "While some stakeholders in Virginia will be unhappy with the decision to not allow athletic practices," the VHSL announced via their website, "we need to support our Governor and State Superintendent."

On March 27th, in responce to Governor Northam closing schools for the remainder of the school year, the VHSL announced that "spring Sports and the traditional spring season has been cancelled. On Tuesday, March 24, the VHSL Crisis Management Team decided to delay until May making any decisions related to considering any summer options for spring sports. Nothing can or will be done before then."

People have complained about this decision and it boils down to the fact that this is necessary for the safety of the players, coaches, and spectators. People argue that businesses like Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart have stayed opened and have more people inside than the amount of people that are typically at an outdoor spring sports game, but those stores are commercial/have products to sell that are essential to sustain life and safety . It is possible to have social distancing or other precautions in place. Executive Order 53 issued by Governor Northam closed schools for the remainder of the school year which also closed the school grounds to staff, student athletes and spectators, so the sports season was pretty much cancelled even before VHSL could officially announce it.

From the health risks to the guidelines by the Governor, CDC, and the Virginia Department of Health of course they would cancel spring sports for the people's safety like the stay at home order. This cancelation is just for the spring season of sports there may be fall sports but we don’t know yet.