Sports Pushed Back

This past week, CHSAA announced that due to the rise in COVID cases in Colorado, season B will be pushed back at least a few weeks. This pushes back the start date from January to a proposed start date of February 1st. The sports affected in season B are basketball, cheer, swimming, and wrestling. Executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Jill Rye wrote: “At this time, we do not have enough information about what disease incidence and hospitalization capacity will look like in January, and therefore are unable to make a determination regarding indoor high school athletics in Season B.” The CDPHD explained that the priority is to make a return to in-person learning as soon as possible, and that holding indoor sports would decrease the chances of returning to school in 2021.

Though the concern is for the indoor sports, the pushback affects the following seasons, C and D. Season C is comprised of boys soccer, volleyball, and football for the schools that did not play football in season A. The real concern is with season D sports, which is comprised of lacrosse, girls soccer, tennis, track, and baseball. As it is, season D starts in early May and does not end until June 26th. This means that students will be playing their sport long after school is out for the summer. Should the season be pushed back further, many sports will not conclude until well into July.

This raises concern in the minds of many players, especially the seniors who may graduate before their first game of the year. It is also a concern to athletes looking to play in college. An athlete’s senior year is the most important in terms of being recruited.

Speaking personally, season D athletes are unsure about their motivation to play should the season be pushed far into the summer. Although it might be a logistical nightmare, the solution could lie in combining seasons C and D. This could pose as a problem to some multi-sport athletes, but overall it would allow for every sport to have a full season without impeding on summer break.

At this point, CHSAA has not made any concrete changes to the schedule, stating,  “We do not have enough information about what disease incidence and hospitalization capacity will look like in January, and therefore are unable to make a determination regarding indoor high school athletics.” This uncertainty is warranted, but will cause problems come January. Regardless of the COVID rates, seasons will not be able to be moved to earlier dates, they can only be pushed back. All athletes can do at this point is hope for either improvement in COVID numbers, or CHSAA merging seasons together. If neither of these scenarios play out,  student athletes may be forced to play severely delayed seasons.