KHSAA extends high school spring sports suspension until May 1
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association on Thursday extended its suspension of school sports activities through May 1, mirroring Gov. Andy Beshear’s call to the state’s school superintendents to not hold in-person classes until then due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
The extension of the “dead period” was posted on the KHSAA website as a revision to its initial announcement last month that mandated no sports activities through April 12. Earlier this week, the KHSAA had announced that all sports activities would remain indefinitely suspended until further notice, canceling only the spring eSports championships.
The revised release continues to state there are no plans at this time to cancel or reschedule any other championships, but that such a determination “obviously merits consideration.”
Under these coronavirus dead period rules, coaches can continue to communicate with their players but can hold no in-person practices, meetings or training sessions until at least May 1. Further, players for sports that would normally be “in season,” such as baseball, softball and track, are prevented from participating in any other organized team activity that would endanger their eligibility. Teams in violation of these rules face sanctions from the KHSAA.
Both the girls’ and boys’ state high school basketball tournaments remain included in the indefinite suspension, according to the release revised Thursday, as the association apparently continues to hold out hope those events can be played. The Sweet 16 tournaments are the KHSAA’s largest revenue stream.
In a radio interview with syndicated journalist Larry Vaught this week, KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett said the basketball tournaments represent a “$1.3 to $1.5 million hit (to the KHSAA budget) that is not replaceable.”
The KHSAA operates on a yearly budget of about $4.6 million per year and as a nonprofit it operates very close to its margins. Tackett indicated the shortfall could threaten the organization itself.
“It is a constant worry and we are trying to envision how we are going to deal with this knowing it may very well shut ou(r) doors,” Tackett said.
In announcing the suspension of the girls’ basketball tournament last month, Tackett said losing the revenue from the tournaments could mean staff cutbacks and cutbacks on reimbursements to Sweet 16 schools. In this week’s radio interview, Tackett said “we are going to have to do something drastic just to stay operational.”
Tackett said he believed KHSAA members would help keep the organization running if it came to that.
“Members need an association and they are not going to walk away from us,” Tackett said. “They probably will complain a little but there are enough veteran athletic directors and administrators that understand the value of the KHSAA. Members have stepped up before when we needed them and I have ... confidence they will again … and we do need them.”
In recent weeks, officials at the state and federal level have taken more drastic action to help prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus, including stay-at-home orders and the shuttering of non-essential businesses and all gatherings of more than 10 people.
Thursday evening, Fayette County Public Schools joined several other districts across the state in heeding the governor’s call to remain shuttered till May 1.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 7:45 PM.
