Junior high sports are still in a holding pattern after an announcement from the office of Illinois Gov. JB Prtizker that the state of Illinois remains in Tier 3 mitigations.
Illinois Elementary School Association Executive Director Steve Endsley sent a message to all member schools Tuesday afternoon saying that all school activities remain paused, and no practices or interscholastic contests may be held.
“This is a difficult letter to send to the IESA membership,” Endsley said in the message. “Quite frankly, I am personally tired of giving the membership disappointing news every time I write. We need students participating. They need that for their social, emotional and mental health well-being. IESA wants students to participate in school activities just as much as the schools, coaches and parents want the students to participate.
“Organizing and administering interscholastic activities is what we do. We want to provide opportunities. Our hands are tied because of the Tier 3 mitigations imposed by the Governor’s Office and (the Illinois Department of Public Health) on the schools in Illinois. Schools must follow those directives. As difficult as that is to accept, it is what must be done.”
Boys’ basketball practice, which is scheduled to begin January 4, may not start on that date, Endsley said, adding that he believes it is safe to assume that girls’ volleyball should be paused as well when it is scheduled to start January 11.
“Given Illinois continues to remain in Tier 3 mitigations, this news is not totally unexpected,” he said. “Yet, it is another setback to the safe return of interscholastic activities for IESA member schools.”
Endsley went a step further, saying that the IESA will no longer establish new season dates for boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball until it gets the go-ahead from the state. “As we have seen since mid-July, these sports, which are considered medium risk and high risk, are not going to be allowed to be held until they are moved to low risk and/or Illinois moves into Phase 5 of Restore Illinois,” he said. “It would (be) an effort in futility to once again set up arbitrary dates for these sports only to once again be told by the Governor’s Office and IDPH that they cannot start on the dates IESA established.”
Setting new dates would then require athletic directors to re-schedule contests, find new officials, etc. Instead, Endsley said, the IESA will await word from the Governor’s Office and the Illinois Department of Public Health when activities will be allowed to resume.
“When that word is given, we will then convene a meeting of the IESA Board of Directors to decide our plan moving forward and immediately notify the IESA membership of the new schedule,” he said.
Other activities which have dates established are not changing at this point in time. For example, Endsley said, the scheduled March 5 start date for girls’ basketball is not being changed as a result of Tuesday’s announcement.
“It is possible we will still be in Tier 3 on March 5, which will then necessitate a change,” Endsley said. “Or, maybe we will be allowed to play by March 5. Who knows? But it makes no sense to set new dates for boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball without knowing what the future holds.”
At this point, the only IESA activity which has been officially cancelled is the chess competition. Nothing else has been called off, Endsley said, and the IESA hopes to be able to conduct some type of season for every other sport and activity. But as the school year goes on, that will become more and more difficult.
“Keep in mind that depending on when the Governor’s Office and/or the IDPH gives us the green light to return to play, we could be facing an almost impossible challenge of trying to conduct a season in all activities with very little time left in the 2020-21 school year,” Endsley said. “Should we get the green light in April to return to play, think of the challenges for the schools, the students, the coaches, availability of contest officials, etc., if girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball, girls’ volleyball, boys’ wrestling, and girls’ and boys’ track and field are attempted to be held in April and May.
“Throw in the activities of scholastic bowl, music, bowling, and perhaps cheerleading, and the task to do everything in two months becomes even more difficult.”
The IESA Board of Directors has already decided not to try to hold IESA activities any time in June.
“Please take whatever steps are necessary to make sure your boys’ basketball practice does not begin January 4, and girls’ volleyball practice does not begin Jan. 11,” Endsley said. “When those activities can resume, and for that matter, when any IESA activity can be held, we will immediately notify the membership.”
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IESA sports still on hold - Alton Telegraph
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