KHSAA officially cancels Sweet 16s and all springs sports amid coronavirus crisis
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has officially declared the cancellation of its long-delayed boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments in addition to all spring sports activities as steps to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus have made those activities untenable.
“With the announcement yesterday of the recommended closure of all K-12 schools to in-person instruction throughout Kentucky for the remainder of the school year, the KHSAA Board of Control today (Tuesday) approved the Commissioner’s recommendation and announcement by unanimous vote that the 2020 state basketball tournaments will not be resumed, while also approving the cancellation of all regular-season practices and contests as well as all postseason tournament championship events for all spring sports and sport-activities for the 2019-20 school year,” a statement from the KHSAA said.
The canceling of spring sports ends the high school athletic careers for seniors in baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, archery and bass fishing. The spring esports season was canceled last month.
In addition, the “Coronavirus Dead Period” remains in effect, meaning that coaches may still communicate with their players, but all in-person practices, trainings, meetings or any other type of gatherings are prohibited.
“This is without question the most challenging period I have seen or faced in thirty-six years in this office,” KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett said in a subsequent statement. “This impacts so many people, but in the end, is in the best interest of public health. We have been especially concerned with the graduating class of 2020, those seniors who put so much into their athletic participation opportunities hoping for one last time to shine before the home crowds or at postseason events.
“We know for the vast majority of them, their future plans are already laid out, with college and career final preparation as their next chapter. We are also keenly aware that per almost all metrics, 94% of the students who participate in high school sports and sport-activities are involved in their last organized competition while in high school, as the lion’s share of participants will not play beyond this level. In the end, however, the health and safety of all individuals, participants, coaches, and spectators, is much more important than the various interscholastic activities.”
On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear in a conference call with the state’s school superintendents recommended all schools remain closed for the remainder of the school year to help slow the spread of the virus.
It’s been widely reported that while school-aged children normally suffer only mild symptoms from COVID-19, the virus remains highly contagious (even from those who show few symptoms) and has proven catastrophic to seniors and those with underlying health conditions. To date, COVID-19 has killed more than 40,000 people across the United States since February. By comparison, seasonal flus kill anywhere between 20,000 and just over 60,000 Americans in a year.
The Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 was stopped after five games had been played at Rupp Arena last month as Beshear impressed upon KHSAA officials the dangers of continuing. That same week, the NCAA, NBA and other major sports leagues began calling off tournaments and suspending seasons.
The Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 was scheduled to begin the next week, but was also indefinitely postponed until Tuesday’s cancellation.
“Nothing in mine, or frankly, anyone else’s professional career completely prepared me for this situation since mid-March and the related subsequent decisions. That was probably the hardest thing to deal with,” added Tackett. “These kids don’t get a chance to finish, especially the seniors, and it is as though they were robbed by an invisible enemy. It is sometimes a little easier in life when there is someone to blame. With this, however, there isn’t. We are all together fighting the same enemy with the same desired outcome.”
Refund policies for both basketball events have already been announced. The KHSAA asked ticketholders to consider donating the refunds to the organization to help it offset its losses. The financial impact of losing both events was estimated to be more than $1 million, a devastating blow to its annual budget of about $4.5 million.
“Our students, coaches, officials, administrators, parents, and families must be encouraged in every manner to continue to adhere to the guidance provided by our state and national leadership,” KHSAA Board of Control President Pete Galloway said. “The Association understands the extreme seriousness of this pandemic and joins in support of current measures being implemented, as well as any future considerations, to ensure a return to normalcy. In unwavering support, yet with extreme sadness, we must agree to cancel our spring sports and sport-activities. We join all Kentuckians in anticipation of a triumphant homecoming back to our schools and school facilities at some point in the fall of 2020 complete with a full complement of KHSAA sports and sport-activities.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 1:35 PM.
