IHSA Board of Directors cancels all spring sports tournaments

The Illinois High School Association, IHSA, Board of Directors had its April meeting by way of a video conference call on Tuesday, April 21.

The board announced its decision to cancel all IHSA spring state tournaments. 

The decision to cancel the spring state tournaments came in conjunction with an announcement Friday, April 17, by Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education that all Illinois high schools will complete the school term from home by using e-learning.

“We support the decision by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education, and given the logistics, we simply felt we could not conduct state tournaments that meet the expectations of our member schools this spring,” IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a statement which was posted on the association’s website. 

“As disappointing as it may be for students, it is the right decision for their health and safety, as well as for the health and safety of the general public, as we cope with this unprecedented pandemic.”

The IHSA offers state tournaments in the following sports and activities in the spring: girls badminton, boys gymnastics, bass fishing, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls water polo, girls soccer, boys tennis, boys and girls lacrosse, boys volleyball, baseball and softball.

The board also determined that summer contact days are suspended for this year, unless state government and medical leaders indicate such gatherings are safe. 

At that time, the board indicated a willingness to reconsider how summer contact might be conducted and whether opportunities for schools to conduct some kind of spring athletic events might occur.

“Once it is determined safe to return, we will provide a detailed outline to our schools on the plan for summer contact days and possibly some kind of spring athletic events,” said Anderson. 

“Including if the number of days and dates that coaches can meet with athletes has been altered. At this point, though, all that is dependent upon state government and medical leaders giving the go ahead for such.”

“Our thoughts right now are with all the impacted students, coaches and communities. Especially the seniors,” said Anderson. 

“It will be difficult for them to find a silver lining in all of this, but we stress that even if they don’t get the chance to compete again at the high school level, they are better for having been a part of their respective high school teams. 

“By participating in high school sports and activities, they were exposed to life lessons in teamwork, leadership, and overcoming adversity that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. The latter is applicable now more than ever. 

“We hope that we can band together and refocus all our efforts on supporting the doctors, nurses, first responders and all the other essential personnel who are putting their health and safety on the line each day to keep us safe.”

The IHSA said it will continue to communicate with and monitor briefings from state officials, and based on those timelines, provide updates to its member schools as it relates to potential spring participation and summer contact days.

“The possibility of playing a spring sport game this summer is about closure,” said Anderson. 

“If we are able to offer this opportunity, no student-athlete would be restricted by having already practiced or competed with a non-school team.”

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
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