The Pandemic - your area

[DRJ1960]

NC & VA have shut all athletics down for at least several weeks....

[SE Minnestoa Re]

Minnesota just this afternoon cancelled all state tournaments and ordered no spring games or scrimmages be played until April 6 at the earliest.

[Stat-Man]

The NAIA conference that the majority of NAIA schools in my state belong to canceled all spring sports activities, so the spring season is officially over for all of its spring sports teams.

My alma mater is switching to off-campus instruction (I wonder how science labs will be handled) and final exams. As part of the aforementioned end of spring sports activities and the move to keep as many people off campus, the all-sport athletic banquet scheduled for the end of April has been apparently been canceled as well along with commencement.

As mentioned in another post, our state high school association ceased all activities in conjunction with the directive to close schools for three weeks. We had the winter post-season, tryouts for spring sports, and fall sport off-season activities all going on right now, so it affected pretty much every sport.

Also, all spring high school games prior to April 6 have been canceled. At present, it's anyone's guess as to whether we have a spring season or if the state will adjust the post-season dates to allow schools to play as many of their originally-scheduled spring games as possible without overloading their calendars and ensuring the games can be adequately covered with our limited number of spring sport officials.

[chapmaja]

in Michigan they have "postponed" all winter championships which have not been completed (gymnastics, boys swimming, basketball, and ice hockey).

Additionally, all K-12 schools have been ordered closed by the governor and as a result the MHSAA has ordered that no practices or team events of any kind may be held during this time period. Additionally, the officials were informed that no officials association meetings/clinics are to be held over this time frame.

The closure will extend until at least the end of the day April 5th. Given that most sports have 1 minimum one week practice requirement before competition, I don't see any events being held until at least the second week of April. I have already had one school tell me they will not compete until at least April 20th, because they are on Spring Break from the 6th to the 13th, and they are requiring a week practice period before any contests.

I know personally I have already lost well over $1,000 in income from cancellations of events scheduled the next few weeks.

[Texas Aggie]

Texas has suspended all HS/Jr. high events (athletic and otherwise) until further notice. They stopped a state championship basketball game at halftime.

That was a bit absurd.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Texas has suspended all HS/Jr. high events (athletic and otherwise) until further notice. They stopped a state championship basketball game at halftime.

That was a bit absurd.

That was more than a bit absurd. I don't understand the idea of shutting down events already going on like a basketball game during the game.

I understand shutting down the college conference tourneys because many people had not shown up yet for those events (Big Ten was starting 2nd day, the first of which many fans would be at).

The NCAA shut down the DII swimming and diving championships between the prelims and finals on Day 2 of 4. I have heard rumors that they were in the middle of the consolation finals of diving when the divers were pulled off the boards and told the event was cancelled, although that is unconfirmed.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

That was more than a bit absurd. I don't understand the idea of shutting down events already going on like a basketball game during the game.

I was listening to the USCAA tournament webcasts when I could this week. The Division 2 men & women played Monday through Wednesday without a hitch. Division 1 men & women started Thursday and I was listening to what looked to be Thursday's last game when the decision was made to end the tournament immediately even though that game had only made it to end of the first quarter.

As much as I respect the decision to end the tournament week early, I wish it would have been possible to let that particular game finish so to complete the day's schedule before sending everyone home.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

That was more than a bit absurd. I don't understand the idea of shutting down events already going on like a basketball game during the game.

There's a certain sense to it: that the less time the competitors spend in proximity to each other, the better.

The NCAA shut down the DII swimming and diving championships between the prelims and finals on Day 2 of 4. I have heard rumors that they were in the middle of the consolation finals of diving when the divers were pulled off the boards and told the event was cancelled, although that is unconfirmed.

That one's ridiculous. Swimming and diving, the competitors don't even get close to each other, nor are they manipulating an object like a basketball. And even if they picked up something on their hands, swimming is continuously washing them.

I could see clearing out the audience, though. Still, the high humidity inside a pool room is not conducive to airborne virus transmission.

[Tru_in_Blu]

NH: School districts will have one week to prepare remote learning systems. Then, there will be two weeks of remote learning across the state through April 3, Sununu said.

No mention of school extracurricular activities, but I will assume this means none will be allowed.

Lots of trips being canceled. Eighth graders usually have a trip to Washington, D.C. Another local HS's marching band was going to appear in at least a couple of parades in D.C. & NYC.

Logistics people must be going crazy.

[tcannizzo]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

There's a certain sense to it: that the less time the competitors spend in proximity to each other, the better.

That one's ridiculous. Swimming and diving, the competitors don't even get close to each other, nor are they manipulating an object like a basketball. And even if they picked up something on their hands, swimming is continuously washing them.

I could see clearing out the audience, though. Still, the high humidity inside a pool room is not conducive to airborne virus transmission.

My guess is that you have never been at an NFHS swim meet.

While those who are actively swimming at any point in time, may not be in perilously close proximity, the pool deck is a completely different story.

Teams average about 50 athletes each.
A dual meet, 100 +/- athletes
A tri-meet, a quad meet, do the math.
Then there are Invitationals which involves 5 or more teams.

Those who are not currently swimming but are up "next", are lined up behind the starting blocks 4 or 5 deep. 8 to 10 lanes, do the math.

Those who are "not next" are bunched up on bleachers or team areas on the pool deck. Not a lot of available real estate.

Not to mention coaches and officials, you have a lot of humanity in shoulder-to-shoulder proximity. Then add the heat, humidity and bacterial opportunities, it is a very close and uncomfortable environment, even under the best of circumstances.

So, this makes more sense than probably any other sport.