The final blow to the high school spring sports season came last Thursday, as the NIAA Board of Control voted to cancel the rest of the season.
The NIAA had already canceled state tournaments for the spring season, but were hopeful to play a couple weeks into May.
However, when Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday that schools would remain closed to in-person schooling through the rest of the academic year that ended any hope of resuming play.
“In accordance with the closure of schools for the remainder of the school year to in- person instruction, and in the interest of helping to preserve the health and safety of all Nevadans, NIAA member schools through their representatives on the Board of Control have canceled all remaining regular season contests and postseason tournament,” said the NIAA in a statement following its decision.
Spring sports athletes in Nevada were on the field, golf course or in the swimming pool for just a couple of weeks, when the season was put on hold.
The NIAA Board of Control adopted the decision to cancel remaining contests unanimously.
“It is understood that this is a tremendous disappointment for everyone connected in any way to education-based athletics,” the state from the NIAA read. “The passion associated with the programs and competition are what make it an effective tool in accomplishing the mission of our member schools.”
Over 40 states in the United States have canceled spring sports in high schools. Montana and Nevada were the last holdovers in the West.
“Our hearts are broken for the sudden end to the high school sports careers of all of our seniors across the nation who would be finishing up their final year of competition,” the NIAA said. “The fact that they are not alone in missing the culmination of their high school educational and athletic efforts doesn’t soften the blow. The lessons they have learned through high school sports such as teamwork, perseverance, over-coming adversity, sacrifice for the good of the team, etc. are being seriously tested in the real world rather than the world of controlled competition. They are heroes, albeit in many cases unwilling ones, having given up what they love and have sacrificed for, to preserve the health and the very lives of those they don’t even know.”
The NIAA office added they continue to receive inquiries regarding next school year.
They said issues include but are not limited to, academic eligibility, transfers that could not be completed this spring due to school closures, status of summer conditioning programs for fall sports, cheerleader tryouts, possibility of extended eligibility, adjustment of published start dates for fall sports, return of equipment sent for reconditioning, etc.
The NIAA noted there are many unknowns and uncertainties at this time. Their office is just as curious about what the start of school next year will look like.
It is anticipated that more, solid information will be available at the time of the NIAA summer board meeting in mid-June.
Better information results in better decisions and it is believed that decisions in June, on most of these issues will be made.
#BeTheLight
campaign
Over the few past weeks, many high schools all have made efforts to show their support of their students, faculty and community by turning field lights on.
The #BeTheLight campaign extended across the nation as high schools all across the United States turned on their stadium lights to show a collective support.
