The future of Pennsylvania school sports remained in limbo Friday after Gov. Tom Wolf said officials should delay until next year.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) released a statement after its emergency meeting Friday afternoon indicating it would delay practices until Aug. 24 while officials work with the administration to clarify a path forward.
“We believe that the governor’s strong recommendation to delay sports to Jan. 1, 2021 has a potential negative impact on the students’ physical, social, emotional and mental health,” the association said. “These issues along with the financial inability of many students to participate in any other form of non-school based athletic programs affect all students directly or indirectly.”
Wolf blindsided athletic officials Thursday when he told reporters that the administration believed no sports should be played until next year as the pandemic little sign of slowing down. The PIAA had released its guidelines for fall athletics just a week prior, with football heat acclimatization scheduled to begin Monday and practices set to resume Aug. 17.
“It is clear to the PIAA, the unintended consequences of cancelling fall sports need to be further reviewed,” the association’s statement continued. The PIAA’s Sports Medicine Authority Committee also agrees “strict adherence” to district-adopted policies should provide a “reasonably safe environment,” the association said.
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, and Senate Education Committee Chair Wayne Langerholc Jr., R-Clearfield, urged the association to stick with its schedule.
“As you have provided a safe reopening plan, the decision should now rest with local school districts and parents to choose if they would like to opt out of sports this year,” the senators said in a joint statement. “We understand the position you have been placed in by the Governor’s recommendation to cancel youth sports. However, the importance of sports to the overall well-being of children that you laid out … still remains and should not be discounted.”
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York, said the governor’s surprise announcement undermines the administration’s hard line resistance to offering statewide guidance to districts trying to formulate safe reopening plans.
“If we are asking school districts to make the best decisions for their students and staff, the same should apply to student activities such as sports,” he said. “Student athletes, band students and cheerleaders have been looking forward to returning to the field to compete. Schools and coaches have been preparing to allow them to do so safely. The governor’s last-minute comments have now caused unnecessary chaos for so many families.”
