High school sports gets go ahead, but governor could step in
High school sports in Kentucky is a go, for now.
In a special meeting Thursday morning broadcast live on its YouTube channel, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control decided to move forward with its plans for a shortened fall sports season with practices beginning next week and games starting the week of Sept. 7 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It remains uncertain whether Gov. Andy Beshear will allow such a move given his recommendation to push back in-person K-12 schooling until Sept. 28. He said he had not received the written recommendation from the KHSAA as of his 4 p.m. daily briefing. He set no timetable for when he would announce any possible action.
“I’m certainly not going to make a recommendation before I get it,” Beshear said. “And I may want to ask their commissioner some questions. We’ve communicated before. I want to know some more about the rationale of folks that are there. It just happened today. I’m going to take a breath and make sure that I’m thoughtful about what we do.”
Beshear expressed surprise and concern that the KHSAA did not take steps to limit some high-contact sports while possibly allowing some others. Football and soccer have been considered high-to-moderate risk sports by some measures. Volleyball is considered lower risk but has the negative of being played in an enclosed space.
“I’m surprised by the recommendation because with the current level of the virus, if I was somebody wanting to play a 10-game season in a high-contact sport — starting it now, the odds aren’t good. ... I just think that if things move forward in a way that doesn’t set us up for success, it could have a domino effect on other sports and other teams.”
The KHSAA, which is a body that gets its authority to manage high school sports from the Kentucky Board of Education, cannot make its decision independent of the will of the governor, the state Department of Education and the Department of Public Health. KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett reiterated that point for the board before their deliberations.
“Nothing today is absolute, final in terms of all criteria, but we are hoping to define the season,” Tackett said.
Board members were presented with three options in their agenda. The other options would have moved back play for most sports until Sept. 28, the week most schools could resume in-person learning. Members talked about them for nearly an hour as more than 8,000 viewers watched on YouTube.
“There’s no clear-cut decisions,” Tackett said ahead of the debate. Tackett’s role is to present options from his staff. He does not vote. “There are people, regardless of what you do today, that are going to find fault.”
Votes recorded against both alternatives were overwhelming. Option 2 failed 15-3. Option 3 failed 13-5. That means Option 1, which was approved last month, is in effect. Some board members expressed concerns about the effects of repeated delays on the student athletes and “training fatigue” coaches and players have been experiencing because they are not able to move forward with normal practice routines due to coronavirus restrictions.
“We do take what we do very seriously,” board president Darrell Billings, a private sector KDE appointed member from Clay County, said ahead of the votes. “We know there are going to be trials and concerns, regardless of what we do, and we can only hope that we act in the best interest medically, mentally and factually as we believe.”
Some on the board, which is mostly comprised of a variety of school administrators from across the state, indicated their individual districts might decide on their own to opt out of playing, citing concerns for the safety of their students and families.
Fayette County has not yet indicated how it will proceed. When other schools began conditioning under strict COVID restrictions on June 15, Fayette County waited until June 29. “We are in the process of reviewing today’s decision by the KHSAA to determine our next steps for our schools and community,” a statement from the district said.
Thursday’s action has been anticipated for weeks and comes in the wake of Gov. Beshear’s recommendation that in-person K-12 schooling be delayed to Sept. 28 instead of starting this month. Wednesday, at his daily COVID-19 update, he mentioned his concerns regarding high school sports.
“My message to student athletes is let’s make sure that it’s safe and let’s make a wise decision that gives you the best opportunity to play your season,” Beshear said Wednesday. “I would just say, let’s be smart. If we rushed ahead with a high-contact sport this week with what we have — the number of positives out there. I can think of at least three football teams that have had outbreaks related to the weight room or conditioning — what would be the percentage that we could finish the season?”
Through Thursday, Kentucky had reported 41,626 COVID cases and 856 deaths. Critics of the school and sports shutdowns point to there having been only 3,802 cases in the 10-19 age range and no deaths among them. Of the 856 deaths, only 26 come from those younger than 49 years old. But the state’s health officials have maintained these steps are necessary to limit the spread for everyone. Thursday, Beshear announced that 101 positive COVID cases came from those under 18 years old.
“We want to support getting back to our activities, whether it’s opening schools or getting back to sports,” Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner said Wednesday. “I realize sports are like religion for a lot of folks, but we can’t fantasize our way to say we’re going to believe what we want to believe and harm won’t happen.”
The KHSAA decision comes as four neighboring states — Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana — have either decided to play or have already begun competition. Sixteen states, including Illinois and Virginia, have canceled or postponed their fall sports until spring.
Many private schools, some public schools and all of Kentucky’s Catholic schools have decided to reject the governor’s advice and begin classes without delay. Lexington Christian and Lexington Catholic were among schools that opened in-person classes Wednesday. Fayette County public schools begin at-home learning next week.
The Kentucky High School Football Coaches Association has been among the proponents of playing sooner rather than later and in the last week its members have been making social media posts and citing their own COVID survey in support of that. There has also been a social media movement #wewanttoplay, #letthemplay #letusplay and a petition to allow competition.
“I would be really surprised if the governor or those agencies got involved,” Mercer County Coach David Buchanan, who is president of the KFCA said Thursday. “I think COVID is a big deal. I really do. I just think the structure of athletics is another way to fight it. I think not having athletics, makes it worse. ... The kids are going to be active and involved. Let’s pick the safest way for them to be active.”
In other action Thursday, the board:
▪ Temporarily suspended Bylaw 9 restrictions on basketball players. This means they can play for AAU or non-school teams until their school team practice starts (Oct. 15).
▪ Affirmed that competitive cheer and dance could begin official practice on Aug. 24 with a strong recommendation that all activity be outdoors if safety permits. Dance regionals would be set for Feb. 12. Cheer regionals would be Jan. 16 and 23.
▪ Held off making a decision on fan attendance at sporting events. Tackett said the board will probably need to impose some limits but could address that at its regular September meeting.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
